Come see my flowers!

It’s the 4th of July, early evening, and Katie and I are sitting on the back deck enjoying the yard.  I’ve just filled the bird feeders and Mr. Cardinal (from the previous post …I’m sure it’s him, he’s just so vibrant and talkative) is chatting at me while selecting the perfect seed from the new pile.  Katie is on the lookout for chipmunks.  Or that squirrel that’s been hanging around.

I spent my day off napping and weeding and sorting community band music to file away .  Tomorrow I go back to work.  Odd.  I keep thinking today is Saturday and that I’ll have tomorrow off.

Lots of things in our garden are pretty this week.  So I thought I’d share a few with you as I sit and listen to the sounds of mid-summer here in  Southeastern Michigan.

I hear the green heron squawking over at the pond.  He’s so illusive I’ve never been able to get a picture.   Most of the time I hear him and then just see the tail end of him fly overhead and back to the woods where he spends the nights.  I think there are a pair of them but I’m not sure.  Last year there were three by the end of the summer.

Sounds from the county fair, set high up on a hill a few miles away drift overhead.  Today is  opening day, and apparently it’s monster truck night.  That’s not nearly as annoying as the big boom firecrackers going off on occasion somewhere nearby.  Katie barks back.  She’s not scared.  She wants to take care of it !  Michigan used to outlaw the private use of these kind of fireworks, but everyone went to Ohio to get them, and our governor felt we needed the revenue.  So now they’re everywhere and the nights are long.  I personally feel someone is going to get hurt and there will be a big hullabaloo and they’ll be outlawed again.  Katie is all for that.  Me too.

Just opening

The other annoying sound is the neighbor’s weed whacker.  Really.  It’s a nice night, turn the thing off.  Please.  Oh wait.  He just did.  Happy sigh.  Now I can hear the monster trucks better.  They’re drowning out the bullfrogs that are beginning to sing.  And there’s a red winged blackbird overhead that does not like me sitting here.  He wants to raid the feeder.  I swear, they can empty out a 10 pound feeder in a single day.  I’ve been rationing the oilers.  Some summers I just stop putting those out till the blackbirds leave in the fall.

Ah…the sounds of summer here in Michigan.  The finches are chirping in the trees overhead, discussing whether it’s safe to drop in and visit the feeders while that dog is sitting here.  Or maybe it’s me they don’t like.  The trees are full of them chattering.  I filled the thistle feeder just for them, and they know it too.   I expect some of them will get brave soon and swoop down.  Usually there are so many they form a line waiting their turn.  Sometimes they bully each other on and off the feeder.  Noisy pretty little birds.  Two are splashing in the bird bath now, and chasing each other around.

The chickadee was the first brave bird of those waiting in the trees to go for the seed.  Then the goldfinches and the house finches followed.  Katie stays still and watches.  She’s a good dog.  She supervised some of the weeding today.  She likes to make sure everything is done right.  She has her standards.

Almost finished

The wren is on the bluebird house singing her heart out.  She does this all day.  Maybe it’s the male.  I should learn these things.  They do this every year.  We haven’t had blue birds in our houses in awhile, but the tree swallows and the wrens are fine with that.  I guess I am too.  Oops…the wren has moved to a tree next to the deck.  She’s chattering angrily at us.  Sorry sweetie but I’m staying here.

I did see a bluebird today, early this morning as I was walking Katie by the pond.  He was in the road pecking at something, then he saw us and flew up on a speed limit sign, then onto a mail box, keeping ahead of us.  I told Katie to wait and we just watched him.  He went back down to the road, picked something up and then flew  away.  Pretty.

Pretty garden

A titmouse arrives at the feeder, making it’s harsh call as it circles around poking it’s head in every opening.  It selects a seed and joyfully flies to a branch overhead, screeching all the way.  It’s not afraid of anything either, not dog or person on the deck watching.  Soon it’s back announcing it’s happiness at fresh seed.  The sound of it’s wings as it flies back and forth is so fun.

They remind me that I haven’t seen my hummingbirds today.  I imagine they’re waiting for things to settle down a bit.  My hummers aren’t that happy with all the activity of the other birds.  I put fresh food out for them this evening too.  They’ll be by in the morning.

Waiting for a butterfly

It’s such a lovely evening here.  As light fades the bird noise and traffic to the feeders grows, the tree frogs are beginning to join in the chorus and the wren has moved off and is again singing. Nature is overshadowing the monster trucks’ roar.  I hope you all had a wonderful and safe holiday and that you are settling into evening as peacefully as we are here.

Happy Birthday America.  You don’t look a day over 200.