The view from my kitchen window,....

[timer lady]

As I was getting dinner in the oven I looked out the window to a flock of cardinals.

I had to get kt & husband to help me count - final count as of 5 minutes ago 26 cardinals feeding in my backyard sanctuary. :flower:

The bright red against the snow is breath taking.....

I'll have to refill all the feeders tomorrow morning.

I'm sorry if I've posted on my critter count - don't mean to be repetitive. A sight like this just lifts my heart. :angel:

 

[totoro]

Nice!!! We don't have cardinals here... I miss them. I used to love watching them out in Indiana. They truly are beautiful.

We have a little cluster of birds in our spice bush outside our back door. I don't even know what they are. But they are cute, they all huddle in there and fly to the feeder back and forth...
We also have 2-3 Pileated Woodpeckers that hang out. Beautiful also!!! Couple of Flickers... nuthatches, chickadees.

SO fun to watch.

 

[Star*]

Linda

Your description was beautiful. Cardinals are my favorite. Last year when it was Spring - we had one land on our back porch. It just sat there all day. I thought it may have been frozen so I went out to see if I could cup it in my hands - and it LET ME! I have pictures that DF took of my little jewel on my finger - he was fantastic.

I think you may have found your inspiration for another painting!

How is your artwork going?

 

[Marcie Mac]

I haven't seen a cardinal in ages - but I have a family of bluebirds who have decided they own our yard and don't hesitate to let you know it.

I have to laugh cause I looked out my kitchen window on New Years day while putting some trash in the bin and was horrified to see my neighbors kitchen window due to the fact that my fence blew down during the gale force winds in the night. Am glad I looked BEFORE I let my dogs out for the morning..

Marcie

 

[witzend]

I've never seen a cardinal. I feed the hummingbirds with a feeder on a suction cup on my picture window, so I enjoy those. I also feed the American Goldfinches, and really enjoy them. Of course there are lots of others, but those are my favorites. They are reminders of the beautiful things in life that are there if you take the time to look for them.

 

[Wiped Out]

What a beautiful sight that must have been!!

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

How beautiful! Cardinals are my favorite bird (and baseball team). My maternal grandparents loved to watch birds, and my "Grammer's" favorite was also "redbirds" as she always called them. She kept counts too, and painted them on china. I wish I had their intimate knowledge of nature -- it came from living on the land. They could identify all the different plants and birds like second nature. Your post really brings back some memories.

 

[Hound dog]

Wow. That had to be an awesome sight!

We used to have a pair living in the neighborhood. I haven't noticed them yet this winter. But then I don't feed them. I have enough trouble keeping birds from stealing Rowdy's food before he can eat it as it is.

Who knew birds would eat dry dog food? Oh, and they also snitch the cat food left out for the outside cats.

We had a pair of blue jays, too. I thought they flew south during winter. But they were here last winter. (maybe someone was feeding them?) Come to think of it I haven't seen them either.

But at the moment, I'm about to get a pellet or bb gun and start taking out some darn crows and pigeons. :grrr: Not only do they snitch the pet food, they leave their disgusting deposits behind.

And believe me, a bird who has eaten pet food has some pretty nasty deposits.

 

[timer lady]

I love recording the "critter count" in my nature journal - do it 3 times daily if I'm around. I was ecstatic to include the cardinals last night in my journal; did a small sketch at the bottom of the page of all the cardinals & the backyard scene.

Star, my painting is going well; I'm about to begin a watercolor of the deepest purple day lily I've ever seen. husband saw this photo somewhere & gave it to me to consider. I've sketched it out & have worked out the colors; I should start painting this weekend sometime.

On another note, my neuro doctor encouraged me to start playing piano again; I sat down on Wednesday night & started playing scales & such. It felt good to do this AND I have a long way to go. The coordination & note to key reading is just not making a whole lot of sense yet. It's like trying to read a different language - all foreign. Neuro doctor feels this will come back albeit slowly.

Thank you for letting me share with you my hobbies & interests. There are days when I don't get to "talk" to a friend; lots of doctors, therapists, SWs - not a true friend. It's fun to be able to talk here.

 

[Star*]

I have it on good authority that you played the Yamaha Grand at our Lodge on the night before Christmas EVE party - and you were spectacular!