It’s Spring…Cleaning Time. Still.

Posted on April 3, 2019 by

68 Comments

Greetings everyone on this rather cool (actually cold) spring (it is?) day!  It’s hard to believe that this is April 3.  I mean, it looks like winter.  It feels like winter.  It’s only 23F (-5C) out there.  And windy.  So it feels colder.  But…the sun is shining!

clay colored 1
This is a clay-colored sparrow looking for seeds in the new grass.

That’s a plus.  Normally when the sun shines this time of year my deck really warms up nicely.  Not today.  Too windy.

However…

There is Muffin.  That’s my cat.  Well, okay, I’m her human.  We did have some nice weather so Muffin was allowed to have the door open so she could sit by the screen and sniff the fresh air.  Don’t blame her for that.  It’s been a long winter so some fresh air is nice.  However, we come to today.  The sun is shining.  She wants the door open.  Too cold, I say.  She just stares at me.  I’m not opening the door.  She stares at the door.

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One of my favorite birds (okay, so I’m strange), the fox sparrow, another of our large sparrows and with a beautiful song.

  Forget it, it’s too cold.  She stares at me with her eyes half closed.  Not a chance, I say.  She turns her gaze to my feet, then looks up at me.  Just for a little while, I say.  It’s necessary to be firm sometimes.

Cleaning time…

With Muffin can be quite the challenge.  It was time to do a certain corner of the living room.  Just a corner you ask?  Yes.  Around here doing just a corner can be quite time consuming.  So I pull out the blanket chest.  That’s after removing all the stuff that was sitting on the blanket chest that probably shouldn’t be there but where else do I put it?  Wow.  I hate to admit it, but there was amazing mounds of dust and cat hair back there.  And it hasn’t been that long since I cleaned back there.  Sigh.

white throat 2
This is a white-throated sparrow, he is one of our larger sparrows and I love his song.

  Muffin was looking out the door so this was a perfect time for doing this.  I just got the blanket chest moved and turned around and there is Muffin sniffing through the dust.  And sneezing.  Don’t sniff the dust, I tell her.  She doesn’t listen.  Then I pull out the stack of hidden stuff from the corner.

Now…

There is not much room to move around at this point.  I squeezed in.  Muffin did the same.  There isn’t enough room for both of us, I said.  She looked at me as if to say, well then, why don’t you leave?  I have to clean this, said I.  I have to explore this, said Muffin. No, you need to leave.  She just stares at me.  That stare says a lot.  She sat down.  In a huge bunch of dust.  Great.  She swishes her tail.  AAAA!! You’re getting covered with dust, I said.  She ignored me.  She’s good at that.  It’s hard to move around in that tiny area.  Now I need to get her comb and clean her up before she eats all that dust.

IMG_0315
Here we have a junco, a very friendly little bird.

  Sigh.  Fortunately she doesn’t mind being combed.  Usually.  Except that day.  Naturally.

Finally…

I get to clean this spot.  In I go.  Down I go.  Muffin watches from her bed.  Suddenly she jumps down on my back.  Muffin, I’m trying to clean.  She licks my ear.  No, no, I’m cleaning.  She lays down.  You’re not helping, I said.  But I did get the cleaning done.  Just took a little longer.  Oh well.  Nice to have help.  I think.  There I go again.  Thinking.

Thinking…

Really, the only thinking I should be doing is thinking of a nice warm place to live.  Speaking of thinking…Monday night at 3 am, I heard some noise on the deck.  Oh no, those raccoons are back and after the suet feeders.  I get up, turn on the deck light.  Muffin is looking out the window, sort of, she looked scared.  Raccoons don’t scare her. I looked, nothing.  But one of the suet feeders was missing.  Probably knocked it to the ground, I thought.  I decided I should get the other feeder in before they get that one too. Then I noticed movement to the left.  Amazing.  A black bear.  And not exactly small.

IMG_2400
Okay, this one’s not a sparrow.  This is GPS.  I am really looking forward to having my chipmunks back sitting on me like this!

  He came over and grabbed the second suet feeder and off he went with it.  Great.  Lost both of them.  I am glad I didn’t actually get outside though.  The bear might have run off.  Or not.  They are usually hungry first thing in the spring, so they are more unpredictable. He came back last night too, but there was no food for him this time.  Sigh.

It would be nice…

To get a good pic of him though.  Maybe this will be the year.  It will require going outside though.  I have done it before, but not in the spring.  Still…oh well.  Might be the last picture I take.  This is Steve’s last picture, look at the size of the teeth on that bear! Today’s photos are some of our spring (and summer) sparrows. 

Well, time to close.  I was planning to keep this short today.  Sigh.  I was just informed of the spam box here on WordPress and I found several comments that had been sent there, so if I didn’t reply to your comment, that’s why.  I apologize to everyone, I will be checking that spam box regularly now. Sigh.  I hope you have a great week and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

© 2019 Steve McLeod

Category: Birds, Cat, Chipmunks, Cleaning, Cold, Country, Country Living, pets, Spring, Spring Thoughts, Uncategorized, WednesdayTags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

68 Comments on “It’s Spring…Cleaning Time. Still.”

  2. They look very peaceful and beautiful, pictures are great, my favourite is a white-throated sparrow🙏chipmunks, they are so cute, specially when they are eating 🤗

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    • Thanks for the very nice comment Ilona! I think the chipmunks are my favorite wild animal, at least ones that are around here. I’m always amazed at how they manage to get 3 big peanuts in their mouth!

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      • That’s for sure! The 6 chipmunks that come to me will never run out of food in the winter! I would love to see their little homes, which actually must be quite big to store all those peanuts!

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  3. Steve, I enjoyed your comings and goings. So pleased that you didn’t tangle with the bear. Sadly, you reminded me that it is time for spring cleaning. Perhaps I can delay the inevitable by writing something.

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  5. Damn this cold is so annoying! -5? Come on now! Glad I didn’t leave to Canada hahah I would have run from war only to die from cold 🥶
    I’m amazed how you capture these beautiful birds? Perfect photos! Birds fly away from hearing any noise
    Hope the spring will be a bit bold and kick the winter away 😊
    Have a good day and greetings to Muffin 😊

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  13. Beautiful pictures of extraordinary creatures.
    You are enjoying cold in summer, and here in Pakistan 🇵🇰 we are celebrating summer with temperature up to 45 to 47 degree centigrade.( It will exceed).
    But never mind its also feel cool when breeze touches our sweat drenched clothes. 😂😂😸
    God bless you.

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  15. Hi Steve,
    I glad to hear that you managed to get all of those spiders evicted! Now it’s time for those poor old Dust bunnies huh? Be careful you don’t fall down one of those dust bunny holes when your down there. It’s nice to here that Muffin is so helpful. She must be such a joy. I must say your training seems to have taken pretty well. How are the toes and tops of your feet healing? A little antibiotic ointment should help that. Remember! No Pain No Gain! 😉

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    • Hi RJ, what do you mean dust bunnies? Around here I call them dust elephants! Bunnies are small. I must be gaining a lot with all that pain!😵. Raining right now, a nice change. Must get to bed, haven’t slept good all week. Enjoy the remainder of your evening!

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      • You also! And me too or is it two? Ugh, not you’ve got me doing it. Good Night

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  16. Steve, I enjoyed this post so much! ♥ Your chat with Muffin had me cracking up because it sounds all too familiar! Hah. They are the best company though, wouldn’t you say? Despite all the “help” that really lengthens any form of home project!

    And that chipmunk – oh my goodness! I adore that lil’ one so much! It is rare to see them here and I’ve always been fascinated by them. They are such beautiful creatures of God and have a sweetness about them. To see one lounging about in your lap, amazing!

    We love birds too and your photos of them left me in awe. You are a very gifted photographer! The white-throated sparrow was particularly interesting to me. What special color markings! You say their song is beautiful, I’d love to hear it!

    Thank you so much for sharing your days with us. I love reading what you write. You’re a blessing. Don’t think too much (boy do I understand)… because God has it all under control, even when it doesn’t feel like it! But you already know that. ☺

    Hoping it is warming up in your neck of the woods. These weather patterns sure are unusual! All my love to you, Muffin and the rest of your wildlife beauties. Please don’t tango with the bear, as fun as that sounds 😀

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    • Thank you so very much for your kind words! Yes indeed, Muffin is a joy even if the work takes longer!😸. I love having those chipmunks around, they get so friendly, crawl all over me, go in my pockets looking for their peanuts! Thanks for the encouraging words about my photos too! Much appreciated! I hope you have a wonderful day!😀

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