I decided to go with a letter “B” theme for this post since December has been filled with good things that start with the letter “B”. First…
Birds. Our dining room has become a bird blind with the addition of multiple feeding stations outside the windows in all directions. It is fun to sit inside on a cold day with the Christmas lights and decorations, watching our own little nature channel right outside. So far we’ve attracted a good variety of regular visitors: Carolina Chickadees, Tufted (Black-Crested) Titmice, Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, Scrub Jays, White Winged Doves, House Finches, American Goldfinches, Bewick’s and Carolina Wrens, Chipping Sparrows, Yellow Throated and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, and Ruby-Crowned Kinglets. Oh and squirrels. Active, agile, cute-as-a-button, orange-bellied squirrels (Eastern Fox Squirrels, to be accurate). 
I’ve heard them described as “cute tree rats”. Oh well, we like them anyway.
We have seen a Greater Road Runner out front but not since putting up feeders. We’d like to see it again. I wonder how one attracts a Road Runner? Hmmmm… National Geographic’s “Birds of America” states they eat “insects, lizards, snakes, rodents, and small birds”. With all the small birds at our feeders, maybe we just need to wait and be patient! I know there are lizards too as Grayson brings them in and lets them go. If Dottie is barking and whining madly under the bed, we’re likely to find one there!
Our most exciting sighting wasn’t at home. We were almost to Rockport on Christmas Day when I spied a couple dozen cranes in a flooded field next to the road. We were really stoked as the majority of endangered Whooping Cranes, about 250 birds, winter on the Texas coast. People come from all over the world to see them. And there they just were. Merry Christmas to us! Well, upon further investigation, they were Sandhill Cranes, not the rare Whooping Cranes, but oh well… like the squirrels… we liked them anyway.
Babies. Won’t be able to use the “B” word for the twins much longer. Grace and Emmett are 1 year old now. And they toddle. Not without a little support quite yet but they are speedy as it is. It won’t be long before they’re doing it fully on their own. I flew to California for the birthday event. I hadn’t seen them in three months and wow … they changed. Imagine how grown up they’ll be when I see them again in June! It’s hard to really believe how it was this time last year, with both of them still in the hospital. They’ve come so far. We are forever grateful for the blessing of Grace and Emmett.
Boat. We bought a boat this week! It’s raining and cold so it has only sat in the driveway so far symbolizing fun to come! 
It’s a 1997 22′ Parti Kraft pontoon boat, not pristine but we had a budget! It’s intended to be our “living room on the lake” and we can’t wait to get out on the water. Some sun and temps over 40 degrees would sure make it more inviting and … good news on the weather forecast just now … sunny and warmer coming right up for New Year’s Eve. And we have sparklers too!
My fingers are crossed it will be nice the first week in February when Judi comes to visit. Our first out-of-state visitor, I’m so excited! For the rest of you… you know you’re welcome. We’ll leave the lights on!
Wow! what a nice surprise this morning. We do not have
either of those birds but we do get a woodpecker usually.
I need to watch more often. Your house looks beautiful.What is that in the fire area? Is it part of
weather station? We need to see some inside photos of
your decorations and lights, please. Dad finished painting
kitchen so now we just need counter tops and everything
put away but probably not until next week. Off to Historical Museum downtown with Steve and girls later.
Ann/s service not until next Tues. love ya
According to Wile-E-Coyote, a small pile of bird seed with a sign stuck in it saying “free bird seed” (I guess road runners are cheapskates) and a one ton weight hanging precariously over the area is all you need to get a Road Runner to stop. However, rushing in to take a photo is not recommended as the weight will squish you flat as a pancake. But you should live to see another day. You will just be shorter.
Unfortunately, I seem to only have brash, huge crows and scrub jays that tear apart the nests of other birds. BUT!!! I have seen a Western blue bird a couple of times. THAT was a sight!
Thanks for the update!
You’re welcome, Kim! Mom… I’m not sure what you’re seeing in the photo. The blue heron weather vane you gave Steve years ago, maybe? The only part of the weather station that is set up already is the rain/uv sensor and it is in the back so whatever you’re seeing, it isn’t that.
There is something in center of house photo. Did you move
the blue heron? I tried to look at old photos and they are
all gone now. I thought blue heron was over on other side
by dining room The photo doesn’t look like it but maybe it is.
We had two pairs of cardinals today. In winter they will
share sites and we have had three before. Nice time at
museum with Steve and girls. We stopped at a brewery on
way home and had fun with games and they make their own
root beer so they had root beer. Dad started his first headache but meds took it away before it got bad.
Yes, we moved the blue heron. And Mom… you get points for being the first one to notice my name change on Facebook! To a New Year, in a new state, with a new name!
Thanks! The blue heron looks awful in the photo and it is
really beautiful, I think. I would never have guessed that
that was what that was. Happy New Year. I am waiting
in this new year for photos inside. I want to see all
those pretty lights inside, new name! love you guys
Speaking of birds, we have a new one that showed up this weekend. I have no doubt if you heard it, you would know what it is. I haven’t had much luck at seeing it well but from a distance, it’s kind of “frumpy-shaped” like a pigeon, mottled rust colors. From its call, I would guess it’s some kind of partridge. But that is a wild guess based on my limited exposure to the English countryside hunting rabbits with my dad at 3 years old.
I’ll have to make a point of taking my camera with me while I am outside on the off chance I will get a good shot.