This blog is about my garden and the outdoors. I am new to photography but I am trying to show some of the pretty things that grow here in Michigan. I love the wild things who visit me and I dont mind if they eat a bit here and there. I like it more if they let me take their picture. As time goes on I think I will try to show you around the beautiful area that I live in as well as my garden. I try to use my own pictures as much as possible but will also use pictures from the web. If I inadvertently use your photo or work without permission please email me and I will remove it or give credit if you prefer. I will give credit when I know who the owner is. I would ask that anyone using my pictures do the same.
... I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.......Psalm23:6
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Tuesday, December 1, 2015

My Crows are back..............

I have been waiting. I have seen them at a distance. I have called and the Brave One came down to the tree.
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Then this day I saw three of them, I had put out Thanksgiving leftovers. Brave One came down and must have filled his face to the max. He took the food to the side of the road where the other two joined him
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Crows eat carrion, so the Thanksgiving turkey was a treat for them. Their beaks must be very strong because you can see he took the whole neck with him.
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Not sure when they will be back, but we had some raw hamburgher we put out today. I am hoping they or some animals will eat that up or I will have to shovel it up tomorrow. I am hoping a hungry Raccoon or Skunk if they are not sleeping yet. I will give them a chance in the morning before I clean it up. Would not surprise me if Boots has not been having her fill.
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Anyway, I will call them tomorrow and hope they come down for more. The bread I put out today got washed away with the rain.
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I am hoping the rain will stop for a few days. I need to tidy up and put my Christmas/winter stuff out. I should be able to sweep the drive as well. The temps have been quite mild all concidered. It is December after all.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Where did the snow go?..............

Yeah, the snow has gone. Then again it really looks bad out there. The seed all over the place and the deck now devoid of anything but crumbs and old leaves, slippery and yeuk!!!.I must get out tomorrow and clean the front porch and deck and do some decorating. Maybe that will look better
I have seen my Crows, one did come down when I cawed but I have not seen them since. I got loads of food for them from Thanksgiving. I am reluctant to put it out without the snow it will look aweful. No doubt the cat will get into it as well.
The Squirrels are very busy. I call this one Rusty.
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Fat and sassy
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There are several of the greys and loads of blacks. The black ones squabble. I think I will call this one Dirty Harry
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Others watch from a distance, I think that is Rusty again.
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There were several finches come in.
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Blue Jays are all looking fine in their winter feathers after looking so tatty during the moult
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Nuthatch and Chickadee the usual visitors
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There were about 12 Mourning Doves. I have never seen them in a flock before.
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Not a lot else going on, I wish we had a few more pretty birds come in. We used to get the Cedar Waxwings but I have not seen them in town in years. Most of Michigans pretty birds stay outside of town in the countryside. Don't blame them.
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I will try to liven things up tomorrow. The people along our ally have their lights up. I will try to coax Gerry to put some up. Otherwise I will have to try to do it myself. If you don't hear from me I fell off the ladder OK.

Monday, November 23, 2015

First Snow.......

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We had the first snow of the season yesterday November 22nd. Sort of late for Michigan. Considering we were at the beach last Sunday. It sure is pretty, and sunny too. The above picture is our street just outside our house.
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So, I made sure my feeders were full ready for visitors. None came. Hmmmmmmm guess everyone stayed home to stay warm. Meanwhile the Bea Balm were all wearing hats
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The berries looked very pretty against the snow
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Finally the Chickadees were hungry.
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I love how they fluff up
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The cat was NOT happy at all she went out, wanted in, out, in and so on. Chippy stayed away too. This is him the day before enjoying the seeds in the bird house
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Tristen had fun, he went out right away as soon as he saw it.
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So next day along came the woodpecker
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And then the Nuthatch
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The Mourning Doves hang out in the tree, they don't seem to care about snow or much else. As long as there's food.
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Everything looked pretty in the snow with the sun on it.
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Maybe some Cardinals will come along and make me some pretty pictures.
I love how the little Chickadees hold the seed and hammer the snot out of it, eat and go in for more.
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Such happy little things, I just love them. The sun on the trees with the snow. Such a beautiful day.
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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

A Day in the November woods.............

How could we resist a walk in the woods on a sunny day even if it is mid November.Look at the moss in the sunlight.
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The seeds always make a great picture
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We heard a woodpecker. We stood and looked and looked but could not see him. Then I thought Aha, and looked down, there he was poking around on a stump
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This next moss was really pretty. I find all the little things like this beautiful
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It looked like Spring seeing the ferns all pretty in the sunshine.
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Do you see the heart. I love that.
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The Fungus just seemed to want its picture taken.
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Its not usual for us to be in the woods during hunting season. I have no orange to wear. It was such a lovely day it didnt seem right that death was stalking in the woods. In fact there was an old man sitting on a log right along the trail. I mean, thousands of acres to hunt in, lets sit facing houses and where people were out enjoying a sunny Sunday one first day of hunting.
More fungus. Pretty.
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Looking down from the bluffs when we reached the top, I see a person on the beach below
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A lovely if hazy view.
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There were ships out on the Lake. No November gales this day
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I don't think we will have many more weekends like this one. Snow will be here soon. It's usually here by now. It's not often that first day of deer season is without the white stuff. Well maybe my next post will be a snowy one?