Good Morrrrrning, Wisconsin!

Humility is a good thing. Ask Martha. I have realized I do not take my own advice. One of my catch-phrases is "Life's short, eat dessert first...". For the past six weeks (and more, but who's counting...) I have had one excuse or another for not posting on my blogsite - and I have loyal readers who depend upon me for one of life's little pleasures: voyeurism. What is more pleasureable (without calories) than peeking in the window of someone else's life? One major benefit is that it allows you to put your OWN life in perspective and appreciate what you have; thank you very much I don't want THEIR bag! Anyway, as Anne gently pointed out this morning, my blog is BLANK. I know from experiencing blank blogs on some other sites I like to read (not mentionin' any names here, but if the shoe fits...) how disappointing it is. I hereby rectify the blog blank in my life.
When I woke to bright sunlight (two days in a row, woohoo!) and looked out my bedroom window, I just knew this was a bird and Kodak moment day and grabbed my camera almost before my feet hit the floor. I made it outdoors in record time, rewarding myself with a stroll around the farm. As I returned from my walk, I ruminated on Anne's words (that's a cow term, for those who need to know, Tessa) and marched myself right to the computer, downloaded my photos (I had to, the card was full - which is why I'm not still out there snapping away) and put aside all thoughts of selfishly cleaning house, making curtains, knocking down cobwebs, scooping up Box Elder bugs who insist this is their very own cabin, and have humbly embarked on repenting and posting.

FYI, birds start singing just before dawn. Which is why Jetta wakes me up at 5 am, and prowls over my blanket-cacooned body until I give in and let her out the door knowing full well she is going to go terrorize the barnyard.
This morning, as I looked out my bedroom window as I do first thing every morning, I reveled in the treehouse aspect of my view. Sunlight bounced off new leaves on the Box Elders, and highlighted their unusual flowering poofs - that's as close as I'm gonna get to scientific terms at 5:15 a.m. There are male and female trees, but I'm not sure which is which right now. I'll find out. That's why I got that Trees of Wisconsin book.

Then before coming downstairs, I always boot the computer in my little office area so I can use the laptop sitting comfortably at my bar in the kitchen with my first cuppa the day. I recently moved some of my collection of birdfeeders to trees I can see from the window by my computer. So as I sat there this morning waiting for the computer to finish talking to itself, I opened the window to enjoy the sights and sounds of the bird buffet. WOW! What a great morning for birds to visit! But I didn't grab the camera again until this one showed up.

One of the joys of Wisconsin - INDIGO BUNTING. Now THAT is a blue bird!

Put that color together with a Goldfinch, and how can you not be cheerful?

A momma Rose-breasted Grosbeak shared her breakfast with a House finch.

I had to wait for several minutes before this Baltimore Oriole switched sides on the orange feeder, so he was sunlit. These guys absolutely glow, this photo doesn't do him justice.

Just for reference, I was snapping the feeder pictures from the open upstairs window. The feeders are mostly in the group of trees on the left. Your left. And no, I do NOT climb down that dinky ladder.

One of our most common and vocal birds are the little Chipping Sparrows. Their rusty cap and black and white eye stripes are as distinctive as their rattling song. Noisy little dudes for their small size.

Momma grosbeak again in a different feeder, which Than just made for me. I was outside by this time, she was only about 10 feet away.

Now you can get a better idea of "glowing" - the orioles love syrup like the hummers do, so I took all but one of the little flowers off this feeder so the orioles can get their larger beaks into the holes. The hummers still use all the holes, they don't really care as long as there is SYRUP down that hole!

Almost forgot to include daddy Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Considering that I was taking these shots from about 40 feet away, I was happy to get that bit of rosy breast to show up.

We have a nice variety of woodpeckers here on the farm. This little Downy came to try out Lee's new suet feeder.

I walked across the pasture to the old fence line, where I saw a Gray catbird getting a sip from the seepage that flows to one of the farm's ephemeral ponds. She was just a bit too much under the brush for a photo. But when I heard a bit of a scuttle behind me I slowly turned, camera ready, and caught this little scoundrel sneaking up on me! I had several good shots available of him, but this is when the camera informed me I should have checked the card before venturing out for a photo shoot. The following pictures were taken as I was walking out through the pasture, they're just a bit out of sequence.

A welcome and glorious sign that spring has truly sprung and winter better not show it's face again until November, are the wild strawberry blossoms. The fields are loaded with them, and if we're lucky enough to beat the birds to a few berries later in June, we will savor the wild most strawberry taste of all strawberries. They are tiny, so we really appreciate each jewel-like morsal, warm from the sun and bursting with flavor. Excuse me while I wipe the drool from my chin...anticipation is another wonderful thing.

One of the joys in my life is cataloging plants, wherever I happen to be. Don't ask. I don't know why. I just do it. This is a native Sandbar willow, with it's little spring blossoms. They are a shrub. They like water. They are bird habitat. Therefore I love them.

Looking back from mid-field towards the grove surrounding the cabin and old farm house, I love the variety of color and textures that spring brings to us here on the farm. The reddish tall tree in the background is one of our magnificent old Silver Maples.

Last but far from least - a pair of Killdeer have been scoping out the rise in the pasture for a nesting site. I've been watching them for several weeks. One thing about Killdeer - they have NO sense of where an appropriate nest site should be. Like not in the middle of the hay field which is going to get cut hopefully after the babies hatch. Another typical and totally bewildering site they choose, which I've seen over and over in my years of spying on birds, is a gravel parking lot. Someone needs to have a serious consultation with these birds.

Now that I've spent over two hours on this post, I really do need to get out to the garden. Sun's awastin', seeds need to go in the ground, eggs need gathered... Hope you've enjoyed my morning walk with me!