Poppin' in to say "hi"

"Hello" from our home to yours.
I know you're there. lol

We have been keeping busy, the retired-guy in the garage cleaning up and I'm just keeping the home-fires burning and spending as much time outside as I can. Cleaning up the wood-lot has been a good therapy for the soul. I could spend another day just picking up sticks and branches that fell over the long winter.
And I am checking all the bird houses to be sure they are ready and safe for our spring birds arriving. I have hung a cage of cat hair from my cats grooming sessions. Their hair is free of all products including flea treatment and they are indoor cats.

We have had red-winged blackbirds here for a quick lunch and also the white-winged blackbird popped by one day. Many robins are staying and looking for worms on the brown grass that now peeks through the snow. Yes, we still have snow. Today the sun will get rid of much of it. Chippies are out and about.

House wren nest found in the woodlot.
There is a carpet of moss covering many stones along the old stone wall. 
It's beautiful and a comfort to see such vibrant green.

We have not seen our fox for days now. She has either moved on or is only coming out of her den at night. It's hard to know.
The snow is almost gone so tracks are not visible anymore.
I place food not far from the den in case she is with her kits. It is eaten every night but that could be raccoons, too.
Time to put a camera out.

Here is my home-made bird suet for Cheryl...

1 cup organic peanut butter
1 cup lard
2 cups corn meal
1/4 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
Enough seed mix to make thick
Pieces of apple or cranberries.

Melt lard and add peanut butter.
Cool
Add rest of ingredients
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper
Pop in freezer
Break off pieces for your suet cage.

I hope everyone is keeping busy in their homes. I'll bet their is a lot of baking going on. :-) I've had to stop for awhile or I'll be the size of a bus soon. 

I have books galore to keep me occupied and four cats to pamper.

Take care everyone. I'll be by for a visit. xo

Staying safe and waiting on spring.

We are in trying times, aren't we.
I hope everyone is well and taking all precautions to stay that way.

We are home a lot these days and thanks to this momma-to-be fox I have some unexpected  entertainment.

She has made a den just outside my kitchen window under my neighbour's shed.

This is the second spring this has happened and she could be the same fox that raised four cubs here last year.

off to the woods for lunch.

And another visitor this morning...

sorry for the quality but she was a distance away.

I did go out and stood under the tree which was enough to

send her on her way.

I can't bear to watch her take one of our little birds that we feed daily.

A beautiful sharp-shinned hawk.

Cora was spayed recently and she is now back to her regular silly self.

She hated her collar so much so we tried a onesie on her.
As you can see she loved it. :-)

Wilson thinks she's lost her marbles.

She's still wearing it 'til Tuesday when the stitches come out.
She'll wonder where it went, I imagine.


We have many birds here at Fox Grove.
Our chickadees are still a favorite.

This week the white-winged black bird returned and we have robins hopping around looking for worms today. Spring is here even though we have a few days to wait for it on the calendar.
I think we had one of the easiest winters to get through in years. Mild and little snow.
But, we still have some.

I hope everyone can find ways to stay busy while we wait out this virus.
It's our chance to read more, finish projects, learn something new and enjoy nature.
I am keeping a journal of the wildlife here and looking forward to what spring might bring our way. I'm hoping to have blue birds arrive and nest in one of our houses. And I will welcome back the house wrens and swallows again.


Be safe, be well and remember that this too shall pass.
hugs, Deb