It has finally happened. I am a new member of the Bird Watching Society. I have been feeding and watching hummingbirds for years. But at the end of the summer I put up the feeders and wait until the next hummer season to start over. As I was looking out the kitchen window a couple of weeks ago, I noticed several birds flitting in and around the oak trees. And the light bulb went off. Why not put up a bird seed feeder?
My trusty friend, Laurrie, set me up with a hanger that holds a block of seed and a regular bird seed feeder. I hung the block seed feeder to the north of the house. I hung the regular seed feeder in the oak tree on the south terrace. For two days, NO BIRDS even paid any attention to the feeders. I called Laurrie to file a complaint. I told her she must have sold me some bad seed. Patience, she told me. Be patient and you will be spending more money on bird seed than you do on your own groceries. Sam's reaction when he noticed the feeders: "What the hell is that?!" He mumbled and grumbled and shook his head as he walked out the door.
Last Saturday evening, one lone female cardinal was perched on the seed block. On Sunday, there were a couple of finch looking birds on the south bird feeder. By the middle of the week, I was beginning to notice more birds showing up on both feeders. On Wednesday, I branched out and bought another feeder that is shaped like an outhouse with a copper roof and put it in the same oak tree with the regular feeder. This morning all three feeders are covered in all kinds of birds. No, I haven't a clue what kind of birds they are. I recognized the cardinals and the robins and the doves. Shannon said she is going to get me a bird book for Christmas but I don't think I can wait that long to begin identifying "my" birds.
Gray Cat can't decide which feeder to sit under. So maybe I should change my title to "OUR New Hobby". The doves won't stand a chance if they get lazy.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Man Room
Sam is an avid outdoorsman. He is also quite the hunter. I'm talking "trophy hunter". As a matter of fact, he is on his annual mule deer hunt this weekend. And he has been to Africa...TWICE.
Enter "The Man Room".
Dead animals hanging on the walls freaked me out as a child. Papa Coke had head shoulder mounts of white tail and elk in the big room at his house. And when I was 4 years old and standing in front of the fireplace to get warm, I swear those animals' eyes were focused on me and followed my every move in that room. The big room was sprinkled with oriental rugs and Wedgewood vases. But it was still "The Man Room".
The Man Room at the Back Forty sports two kudu shoulder mounts, a red sable shoulder mount on a pedestal, a water buffalo, a warthog, two whitetail shoulder mounts and twenty-one whitetail antler mounts. Oops, forgot the springbok thing that is from Africa and is a shoulder mount. (I think that is what it is called.) And there is the African alter that consists of a zebra skin covering an antique table. Bottles of Castle Rock beer, masks, spears, carvings out of some type of wood of elephants, a rhino and a warthog and kudu horns that have carvings of African animals grace the alter. And on the fireplace mantle we have more carvings in kudu horns of African animals and wood carvings of more African creatures. A 3-foot tall giraffe guards the doorway between the Man Room and the dining area. There are a couple of walking sticks (one disguises a knife in the handle) as well.
I didn't infiltrate too many of my belongings into the Man Room. I respect the Man Room and am careful not to womanize it because that would be sacreligious.
However, did I mention the four antler mule deer mounts and one mule deer shoulder mount in the master bedroom? I swear that mule deer's eyes are watching my every move in that room....kinda creepy....
Enter "The Man Room".
Dead animals hanging on the walls freaked me out as a child. Papa Coke had head shoulder mounts of white tail and elk in the big room at his house. And when I was 4 years old and standing in front of the fireplace to get warm, I swear those animals' eyes were focused on me and followed my every move in that room. The big room was sprinkled with oriental rugs and Wedgewood vases. But it was still "The Man Room".
The Man Room at the Back Forty sports two kudu shoulder mounts, a red sable shoulder mount on a pedestal, a water buffalo, a warthog, two whitetail shoulder mounts and twenty-one whitetail antler mounts. Oops, forgot the springbok thing that is from Africa and is a shoulder mount. (I think that is what it is called.) And there is the African alter that consists of a zebra skin covering an antique table. Bottles of Castle Rock beer, masks, spears, carvings out of some type of wood of elephants, a rhino and a warthog and kudu horns that have carvings of African animals grace the alter. And on the fireplace mantle we have more carvings in kudu horns of African animals and wood carvings of more African creatures. A 3-foot tall giraffe guards the doorway between the Man Room and the dining area. There are a couple of walking sticks (one disguises a knife in the handle) as well.
I didn't infiltrate too many of my belongings into the Man Room. I respect the Man Room and am careful not to womanize it because that would be sacreligious.
However, did I mention the four antler mule deer mounts and one mule deer shoulder mount in the master bedroom? I swear that mule deer's eyes are watching my every move in that room....kinda creepy....
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Football Fever
Got a call from Rana on Saturday afternoon with a dilemma on her hands.
There is always the "go to" person in jail houses. You know the one who can score anything and everything from cigarettes to posters of Farah Fawcett. Rana is the "go to" person for most everything in the outside world. She hooked me up with the headphones that Sam now wears to listen to the television instead of sharing the program with everybody within a 5 mile radius. Yes, the volume was that loud. Thanks, Rana. I do believe you saved my marriage!
So, I get this phone call from Rana. The Little Town Eagles were playing at 1:30pm for the Bi-District title against Bracketville. The game was played in Hondo and she wanted to know if I knew anybody that might be attending the game. The dilemma: JHS Alumni "go to" Rana for football updates on their beloved Eagles. Rana's "go to" person for game updates was out of commission for this particular game. I assured her that I could contact someone at the game and have them text updates to Rana's phone (which is permanently attached to her hip).
And then the lightbulb began to glow. We may not be very civilized at the Back Forty but we are able to pick up the local radio station that broadcasts the Eagles' football games. Armed with cold beer and the keyboard, I emailed updates to Rana's Red Blackberry throughout the game and she would work whatever kind of magic it is that she does to pass the information on to Eagle fans. I wasn't sure how detailed the JHS Alumni expected my updates to be. Sometimes the plays happened quicker than I could type. And Sam needed my assistance a few times while he was working on the mule. (tailgate issues this time) And of course I had to make a couple of beer runs during the course of the game.
A confession I must now make. That was the very first high school football game that I have ever listened to from kickoff to final play of the game. Rana thanked me profusely for doing such a wonderful job as keyboard reporter. All I did was type what the announcers were saying. And you know what? I enjoyed being a part of the chain that zipped information to cyberspace. So much so that I will be perched at the computer firing off updates when the Eagles take on Yorktown in the next round of playoffs. GO BLACK!
There is always the "go to" person in jail houses. You know the one who can score anything and everything from cigarettes to posters of Farah Fawcett. Rana is the "go to" person for most everything in the outside world. She hooked me up with the headphones that Sam now wears to listen to the television instead of sharing the program with everybody within a 5 mile radius. Yes, the volume was that loud. Thanks, Rana. I do believe you saved my marriage!
So, I get this phone call from Rana. The Little Town Eagles were playing at 1:30pm for the Bi-District title against Bracketville. The game was played in Hondo and she wanted to know if I knew anybody that might be attending the game. The dilemma: JHS Alumni "go to" Rana for football updates on their beloved Eagles. Rana's "go to" person for game updates was out of commission for this particular game. I assured her that I could contact someone at the game and have them text updates to Rana's phone (which is permanently attached to her hip).
And then the lightbulb began to glow. We may not be very civilized at the Back Forty but we are able to pick up the local radio station that broadcasts the Eagles' football games. Armed with cold beer and the keyboard, I emailed updates to Rana's Red Blackberry throughout the game and she would work whatever kind of magic it is that she does to pass the information on to Eagle fans. I wasn't sure how detailed the JHS Alumni expected my updates to be. Sometimes the plays happened quicker than I could type. And Sam needed my assistance a few times while he was working on the mule. (tailgate issues this time) And of course I had to make a couple of beer runs during the course of the game.
A confession I must now make. That was the very first high school football game that I have ever listened to from kickoff to final play of the game. Rana thanked me profusely for doing such a wonderful job as keyboard reporter. All I did was type what the announcers were saying. And you know what? I enjoyed being a part of the chain that zipped information to cyberspace. So much so that I will be perched at the computer firing off updates when the Eagles take on Yorktown in the next round of playoffs. GO BLACK!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Mule
For at least three years, Mike has wanted a "mule". Not the four legged kind that bray at anything and everything. The mule he is talking about runs on unleaded fuel and drives like a golf cart. He explained how handy one would be at the Back Forty for hauling feed and especially how nice it would be during hunting season. Sam would just nod in agreement and tell him, "Son, if you've got the money to buy one then by all means do so."
I work across the street from a mechanic shop. About three weeks ago, I noticed an older model Kawasaki mule was parked over there. There wasn't a "For Sale" on it but my curiosity was piqued. Come to find out, it was for sale. After some negotiations and mechanical work, Mike became the proud new owner of a not-so-new mule.
The mule was hauled to the ranch last Thursday. Sam took it for another test drive to make sure the mechanics had done all that they said they would do. After 15 minutes, the damn mule quit running. I made a trip to town on Saturday and picked up a new fuel filter and spark plugs. Parts were replaced but the mule still did not want to cooperate. So it was hauled back to the mechanic on Monday. Seems that a couple of more things need to be done to it for it to work properly. It should be ready to roll this afternoon.
Remember when referrring to a mule meant it was actually a four-legged creature that was fueled with grass and water??? Could still be the cheaper route to go.....
I work across the street from a mechanic shop. About three weeks ago, I noticed an older model Kawasaki mule was parked over there. There wasn't a "For Sale" on it but my curiosity was piqued. Come to find out, it was for sale. After some negotiations and mechanical work, Mike became the proud new owner of a not-so-new mule.
The mule was hauled to the ranch last Thursday. Sam took it for another test drive to make sure the mechanics had done all that they said they would do. After 15 minutes, the damn mule quit running. I made a trip to town on Saturday and picked up a new fuel filter and spark plugs. Parts were replaced but the mule still did not want to cooperate. So it was hauled back to the mechanic on Monday. Seems that a couple of more things need to be done to it for it to work properly. It should be ready to roll this afternoon.
Remember when referrring to a mule meant it was actually a four-legged creature that was fueled with grass and water??? Could still be the cheaper route to go.....
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