Ever Seen a Bat Up Close?

This little bat has lived behind our shutter for the last several Springs and Summers. Unfortunately, we disturbed his nap yesterday as we were doing some exterior maintenance.

He hung there and stared at us for a moment before flying away and landing in the grass, where I took the top photo. After taking some time to get his bearings in the daylight, he left (presumably to find a new, safer place to hang out for the rest of the day). 

I had never had an opportunity to see a bat up close with its wings spread! It's amazing how they fold all that up and squeeze into a tight, dark spot (upside down) for a nap. 

We also have many bluebirds flying around, and there seems to be nesting activity in at least two of our bird bottles, so we hope to have more bird bottle babies this year.

Pileated Woodpeckers

These two live in our backyard. They stopped by to visit today while I was washing dishes. 

I think they're married, because as soon as I took these pictures they started fighting!

Our Favorite Squirrel

You already know we name our wildlife visitors when we can. But, although squirrels are very cute and fun to watch, they usually all look alike. We have regular gray squirrels in the front yard, while the larger, fluffier brownish fox squirrels hang out in the backyard.

White Nose has been with us a few years. I guess you can see how he got his name! The first time I saw him, I thought he had gotten into some white paint!

It's fortunate (and probably not a coincidence) that we have lots of squirrel families here, since we have more than our fair share of nut-producing trees including oak, walnut and hickory. The squirrels use tree stumps as little dining tables to crack and eat their nuts. And they stay busy all day burying and transporting them in preparation for winter.

We have had two other named squirrels in our 16 years here. Short Tail (also named for her physical uniqueness) would come up the tree right next to our patio to ask for bread. Fall Down Squirrel would just topple over and roll around on the ground a lot. We're not sure whether there was something wrong with him or he was just an entertainer, but he was only here for one year.

Thanks for all your help clearing away our nuts, White Nose and friends. You are definitely welcome here!

Baby Skunk Sighting!

This week, we saw a mommy skunk crossing the front yard next door with two adorable babies following behind. Now, I'm not a big fan of skunks for obvious reasons, but they do look just like little kitty cats!

Right outside our back door!

Tonight, one of the babies ventured into our backyard all alone. Cute as could be, I'll admit, but just a little too close for comfort. Steve tried to shoo him away (from a distance, of course), but he just mosied over to hide under the thick bushes near my sewing cottage. Online sources say that baby skunks can spray, so now, when I go out there after dark tonight to sew, I risk getting sprayed! Great...


Just last night, I startled a raccoon out there. Did you ever hear a raccoon bark? I swear that 'coon was barking as it ran away and up a tree. Yes, I'm sure it was a raccoon. And yes, I'm sure it was barking! Check out this YouTube video of a barking raccoon. (I just had to look it up...)

So wish me luck tonight. I'll let you know if I'm bathing in tomato juice tomorrow. Does anyone think that really works?

More Bird Bottle Babies!

I wrote back in April about my bird bottles and the families that live in them. Early this month, I told you I was hoping for a second batch of baby bluebirds, since the same bluebird couple (read more about Eastern Bluebirds here) had nested in another of our bottles. This weekend we discovered three baby birdies in the new nest! I'm hopeful that I can get you a picture, but they don't stay in the nest very long- just a few days.  I was able to get a shot of their former nest, though, when we cleaned out the bottle. Most small birds won't refurbish old nests. So if you want a new bird, or even the same bird, to nest in it again, you have to clean it out. Too bad they don't reuse the nests after all that hard work! The intricacy of their nest-building always takes my breath away! I can't help wondering how they get it started- with just one beak and two tiny feet to work with... I mean, look at that delicate weaving!  

Also, cardinals are nesting in a burning bush next to my sewing cottage. They lay the most beuatiful tan eggs with brown speckles! Last year a series of rainstorms destroyed their nest, so I'm crossing my fingers for baby cardinal this year!

Lemon Balm, A Lazy Cat, Butterflies

Milburn Takes a Nap!

I thought the plant on the left, Lemon Balm, which smells like lemon dish liquid when you rub the leaves, was just for looks- until my husband asked if you could eat it. It turns out you can not only eat it, but make tea out of it. I can't wait to try some! The one next to it is Lamb's Ear, but we call it "bunny ears". It's a fun little plant, too, but you can't eat it!

In addition to the beautiful white blooms on our Red-Tips this week, there were hundreds of these colorful butterflies!

Bird Bottle Babies!

Our baby Bluebirds have hatched!

This little birdy family is living at my sewing cottage in a Colonial Williamsburg bird bottle. Another bird couple (small brown birds, possibly wrens) is nesting in the one at our carriage house, but no baby-chirping coming from that one just yet. No one ever seems to want to nest in our third bottle- I think it's too near our back entrance. The mom and dad share feeding responsibilities and made a million trips in and out today. The sad news is that we saw a Bluejay leaving the nest on Friday with something in its mouth. Did you know that those meanies snatch other species' hatchlings?  

The Redeemed Gardener posted pictures last week of the wrens and finches his four bird bottles in West Virginia attracted. I hope he didn't have to hide in the bushes as long as I did to get his shots! 

Written on the Bathroom Wall

We spent some time this afternoon walking along the New River:

             

We were visited by this gorgeous cardinal:

                                                                             

We love this hollow tree along the path, though the light wasn't just right today for a photo:

___________________________________

Fresh Air & Sunshine   $0

Invigorating Exercise in a Beautiful Setting  $0

Elevated Sense of Well-Being  $0

Time Alone with Husband   PRICELESS

________________________________

Yes, my friends, a walk outdoors with someone you love is still absolutely free in this country, and much more fun than a treadmill in a smelly, expensive gym! I take advantage of that every chance I get and I urge you to do the same. 

Here's the "written on the bathroom wall" part- the opinion of someone passing through somewhere between here and Washington, DC:

Virginia is for losers? I think not.

Virginia is for lovers? Definitely.

Meet Milburn & His Medicine

Milburn came to us as a scraggly stray in the summer of 2006, so he's not much of an inside cat when the weather gets warm. And since we are surrounded by a wooded area, he is troubled by deer ticks (which I recently learned don't have a "season"- they're around all year long!). I used to take him to the vet for prescription Frontline. I can't remember the exact cost - just that it was astronomical! Browsing around one day a couple of years ago, I found Sentry PurrScriptions Plus (pictured above) at Tractor Supply ($14.99 for 3 monthly treatments). There's the purple box for cats over 5 pounds and another color for under 5 pounds. For reference in this post, I called Milby's vet to check the current price.  They now offer a generic flea/tick medication which is less expensive than Frontline, but still $10 per monthly application. So, I'm saving 50% and Milby's tick free and happy.  How do I know it works? Whenever I slip up and go too long between treatments, he gets ticks!

NOTE: I hear a lot about 1-800-petmeds, so I checked there and couldn't find a better price on any of their products (they don't represent this brand). I am sure there are other good ones out there - look around and see what you can find!  

Spring Means Mulch!

Today we finished spreading 54 yards of mulch on our property. In case you're a "city slicker", hardwood bark mulch is sold by the cubic yard, which is the amount that would fit into a cube 3 feet high by 3 feet wide by 3 feet deep. So 54 yards is a good bit of mulch to spread, but some years we've put down as much as 180 yards.  That's two tractor-trailer loads! So this year was actually kinda easy! I wish I had taken a picture of the pile for you.  


TIP:  If you've bought a large quantity of goods or services from a particular local vendor for many years, he/she may be willing to negotiate a discount with you. 


The highlight of our day was a visit from this little salamander:

He appears to have an injured left eye.  That's why it looks red in the picture.


Also, the snake count is now at 4 for the season.

Buds & Blooms & Snakes!

Spring has come early this year to Southwest Virginia, bringing some beautiful blossoms to our yard:

Forsythia

Flowering Crabapple

                                                                                                                 

Lilac

and Redbud

                                                                                                                                                
And, not among my favorite Spring arrivals... snakes, two today and one on Saturday.  Notice there are no pictures... a: I didn't have my camera handy, and b) well, I think you know what "b" might be... 

Bats in my Belfry?

No, but there's one behind my shutter!  And he's really camera shy...

He (or she) squeezes himself flat and sleeps in there all day.  They really do sleep upside down; his feet are at the top...  He just arrived last week- Spring arrived early in Virginia this year.  I don't remember how many years he's been with us, but he's a regular!  How do you know he's there? Either you open the window and hear him squealing, or you look on the ground below that shutter and see bat poop!

Here's where he lives, the green shutter in the right:

You'll get to see a lot more "critters" if you stick around.  We seem to attract 'em.  I guess they know we like them.  Most have names, but for some reason this little guy doesn't have one yet.  Any ideas?