Filed under: Daily life in the Wild West | Tags: Blessed, Bluebirds, cabin, College basketball, Deck, Deer, geese, Hubby, Montana, Obama, Osteoarthritis, Spring, Spring fever
Having had 6 inches of snow just two days ago, we’re surprised to have short-sleeve weather today – the first day of Spring. The bluebirds are back, the geese are honking, the bald eagles are flying…I even saw a squirrel cross the road today (yes, he made it!). But we don’t kid ourselves up here, since we’ll most likely see more wintry weather between now and the end of April. Last year, we even got snow in June!
I got some part-time work recently, which involves lots of driving. The work is for an event which takes place every ten years. It only lasted a month, but I liked being able to drive on country roads which I’d never seen. Great views everywhere! As for the home front, we’re building a deck out by the river…hubby’s almost done with it. He also built a fence for our garden, using tree branches as posts and rails. Looks cool! Now, if we can just keep the deer out of it. I’ve already got flowers on my mind, so spring fever is definitely taking hold at our cabin.
Not that I’m getting old or anything like that, but…I’m having aches and pains of osteoarthritis in my back. Too much heavy lifting over time…that’s bad. Hey, if you’re doing the same thing….lifting stuff that you shouldn’t…quit it! It catches up with you.
Hubby’s watching college basketball, and he’s comparing his wins to Prez Obama’s. I think Obama is ahead of him, for now. He’s having a great time with this, and is watching a game as I type away up in the loft. We spend 24/7 together, for the most part, and it still amazes me that we get along so dang well. I feel blessed.
Filed under: The Wildlife I Love to See | Tags: birdhouse, birds, bugs, empty nest, Montana, Spring, wildflowers, Winter, worms, wrens
We saw our first robin yesterday, so I guess that Spring is on it’s way to Montana! In a way, I’m sorry to see Winter leaving, but the freshness of a new season does bring a certain excitement and anticipation to us. We’re anxious to see the wildflowers bloom, the grass and trees turn green, and the river rise.
The baby wrens pictured here were from last year. The mom wren had moved into a birdhouse we put on a tree, and she raised her 5 babies there. We watched her as she brought in sticks and twigs to build her nest. Before too long, her eggs hatched and we began to hear the peeping of the babies.
Some time later, the babies began to stick their heads out of the holes, as they hungrily waited for the mom to bring worms or bugs. This was a seemingly endless process…all day long, mom wren would fly away and soon return with a tidbit for one of them. I wondered if she could keep up with the 5 little ones’ hunger for food, but she did! Did she ever find time for herself to eat?
Then it was time for them to leave the nest, and we were thrilled to watch as each baby cautiously hopped out. Hours later, after each of the babies had tried to return to the nest, some more than once (who can blame them? it’s a tough world out there!), they ventured several feet away, into the brushy outskirts of our yard. They found a heavily wooded bush and a pile of fallen limbs we’d gathered, in which they were able to play for hours, sheltered by the intertwining limbs. They practiced hopping, perching, and even flew a little, their wings still not strong enough to support them in full flight. I thought of a baby trying to walk for the first time, still unsure of just exactly what their legs will do.
After several days and a lot of photo shooting, the little wrens had gained the strength to fly away. And then they were gone. We never saw them again. Even I, as a spectator, felt something of an empty-nest syndrome. Sure, it was a little quieter without them, but how we missed those baby wrens!
Filed under: Postcard Views | Tags: Garden, Mountains, Old wagon, Post Card Views, Spring, Winter
This shot was taken from our neighbor’s front yard. She has the coolest old wagon in her yard and a wonderful veggie garden over to one side. Our house looks far from here, but it’s really only a quarter-mile away. The Spring is beautiful, but honestly, I prefer Winter, with the barren trees and majestic views of snow-draped mountains.
Maria's view of Log Cabin Living 