A Bit of This and That

Remembering last year when the geraniums that I started from seed were all eaten in one night...by the deer. It was such a time consuming job...planting, watering, feeding, transplanting, hardening off...and not to mention the lights that burned most of the late winter into early spring. I didn't start any geraniums this year...remembering that experience. They start to feel like your babies and when you finally put them outside and to be all eaten at the same time...it was just too much. I'll just have to buy them this year.

Is it my imagination that the day after Valentine's Day....the world changes a bit and it starts to look a little springy? Sitting here at the computer and looking out the window to the front yard, I notice a little more action at the bird feeders. Cardinals, finches, sparrows, titmouse, chickadees, nuthatch, juncos and now the 3 big black crows that come everyday now. Busy, busy birds...grabbing a seed and flying off to eat it. Some lingering to eat their fill. The crows announce their arrival with loud caws and the little birds scatter...except for the chickadees who land for just a second...long enough to select the plumpest sunflower seed. These winter birds are my favorites. They stay all through what ever weather we have...sometimes I think just to entertain me. They are starting to be more vocal now too....sweet bird calls can be heard from the cardinals to one another. The titmouse has a pretty call too. I always know when they are here...I hear them first... before I see them.

I'll be going out to fill the feeders soon. I am going to also make some new suet blocks this morning. I bought suet blocks by the case this year and found that they were just blocks of lard like stuff coated with seed. The ones that are individually sold have seed throughout the block. The birds eat the seed off the block and just leave the rest. I'm going to bring them in and add the rest of the unopened ones to a block of lard that I have in the freezer. I'm planning on melting this and then will add peanut butter and lots of birdseed to the mix. Then pour this into a big roaster to harden. Then cut into squares. Seems like a lot of work, now that I write this, but I don't want to waste these blocks and the birds definitely will like them better.

I also have to feed my orchids and turn their lights on. Still looking for a new leaf or a flower stem. Patience...I know. I hate looking at leaves when I know how beautiful they are with blooms

We had a nice Valentine's Day. I got a box of Fannie Mae candy from Joe and I gave him the big, square, red, plates that he admired, while we were shopping last week. We had a nice meal...Filet Mignon (a Christmas gift from my son and his wife,) sauteed mushrooms and onions, roasted potatoes, a vegetable medley...with long string beans that Joe likes, all served on these big plates. Red tablecloth and white placemats completed the meal. We didn't have room for dessert, but we did have a piece of candy.

Today, is the day after...we are having burgers and sweet potato fries, and salad. Filet to burgers that's us.

Balisha