Winter Arrivals

We lost our warm weather birds a couple weeks ago, but in the last few days we've been seeing plenty of the cardinals and jays, who spend their winter months with us.

Feathers

This guy almost makes me long for the days of feather pens.

Nesting

Unlike humans, birds instinctually know how to build their nests.   No contractors, no building codes and no mortgage payments! 

Nest Safety

We had a real life drama unfolding outside our windows this week, when a baby robin, which was not quite ready to fly, fell out of the nest and landed on our front lawn.

New Zealand

Surrounded by water, it shouldn’t be surprising that the only mammals native to New Zealand are those that can swim for long distances, such as dolphins, seals and whales, and bats, who, of course, made the journey by air.

Ruffled Feathers

I grew up in northern mountains, where summer temperatures rarely reached ninety and the plentiful breezes were the only air conditioning that we needed.

Child's Play

Catch!

Watching the first year of a child’s life, you can’t help but appreciate the huge amount of things that they learn.  For the first few years, play is a child’s primary learning tool.    The best learning toys are simple and engage the imagination.  They can also be inexpensive or even free, like the ever-popular cardboard box.

Piggy Olympics

I'm a big fan of piggies, so couldn't resist this pic.  Looks as if the Piggy Olympic judges will have to deduct points for this first guy, as his feet didn't clear the hurdle.  The second one looks as though he will make it.

Check out the Awww.Mondays blog for more great pics that are sure to make you smile.

Mourning Dove

They truly do sound mournful, at least to me. Our cats find their call quite exciting and fight for the best window spot to view them. The doves seem to know that they are safe and frequently stroll by the window, much to the cats' frustration.

For The Birds

It's easy to get lost in the beauty of birdsong, but I also love every feathery detail of their appearance. Ken Thomas took this photo and although he generously releases his beautiful shots to the public domain without requesting credit, I think he should get some anyway. Click on the photo for a larger version and check out a multitude of other lovely nature shots on his site.