Go East, Young Gal…

After such a terrifying entrance into the world at their box with the poor little snake stuck in their predator guard and ensuing Polk Weed event….

They’ve spread their wings and are flying high!

I was hoeing in the Butternut squash garden near the farming field, just watching them. And of course …the camera was around my neck. Poor camera. It sure has taken a beating lately. Between snakes and snappers and Peanuts… and now hot and steamy butternut squash rows with Bluebird fledglings in the trees, watching mom and pop.

And garbage cans….

Can I fix that one little beautiful hair … I mean feather outta place?

No? OK….

What the %&@$ kind of bird is that in the sky flying over Peanuts?!

Guess he wants a bird’s eye view. Why the heck would someone want to sprout wings with an engine and fly like that over peanuts? Doesn’t he have anything better to do…. like stand on the ground and rescue snakes, or something? Maybe hoe or run the tiller? teehee…. : -) Besides, that funky sounding engine up there is upsetting the Red-shouldered Hawks…..

whose fledglings I hope to be seeing soon!

Went to the garden “below” with my hoe down from the butternut garden to chop away between the okra and squash rows….

I am so easily distracted… I love watching the Phoebe. For some reason, I always start singing that song Phoebe Snow did in the 70’s when I see the little Phoebe….

“you’re the poetry man… you make things alright, yeah yeah yeah”

Eastern Phoebe

The okra got chopped, maters got staked, the last of the radishes got plucked (what a wonderful, earthy taste!) and we had spring onions with baked chicken for supper and gas for dessert.

That’s OK…. can always work dessert off in the gardens.

The eggplant plants are blooming. It was planted for friends who love eggplant. I’ve never been an eggplant fan, but they promise to turn me into one before the summer is over. Something about …. they grind it up into some kind of dip or paste and slab the tasty (so they say) concoction on pita bread, or between it, or…. (sounds kind of like a pasty mushy slimy-like concoction…. I love “okra slimy” – just don’t know if I can acquire -at this ripe age – such fondness for eggplant slimy. The teeny purple bloom is pretty. But not as pretty as the big okra bloom. Oh just give the poor eggplant a chance, would you?

OK OK do your thing and make eggplant. I’m like Mikey – I’ll try anything.

The zinnias are blooming ……

Our white-tailed friends love to eat them!

Right now, they have plenty of clover to munch on and other young tasty things to run through …

Eastern Kingbird …. making such a fuss over bugs. Don’t squash them – just eat them!

Zoom Zoom Zoom…..

Got that bug!! I know a bug when I see a bug. Yeah! It’s one of those fuzzy bugs!

Eastern Kingbird

While I’m back editing, here’s some tid-bit info on water snakes just in case you or anyone you know gets a notion that one “needs killing” instead of “needs to be left alone” (unless you want to relocate it!)

Sensational Serpents

Redbelly Water Snake

Snakes of North Carolina

We have so many snakes around here. This is what Spider Cat brought inside the house last year and deposited at my feet …..

howzya likes me now… I laze around and hunts up all dee snacks I see firz you….

skink … I tinks I see a skinks … I tink the stinks may fall on my had…

Spider and the boss, Miss Fatz, get to go outside but only under very close supervision now (no catch birds, no catch lizards, no bring me snakes anymore) plus we heard what we thought might be a coyote a few months ago. Not sure, but there’s been increased sightings in this area.

or they get to ramble around in their Cat House Romper Room area where catnip grows and cats nap.

Chewbaccy, you’re looking mighty… uh…. “all spiffed up”, shall we say, for Chewy. You sure you ‘ain’t been hanging out in flower bed a little too long?

I know I won’t let you and your mama go on the boat with me, but…. and .. yeah yeah – it’s totally wonderful that you take time to smell the flowers – for sure! Everyone needs to do that!

Oh … yes, I do see the boot slobber on that lower lip.

I sure miss those boots….

So much for all spiffed ….

Look at the bird! Look at the bird up there!