The Lighter Side ….

HOW A BOWL SHOULD BE LICKED?

 

How sweet this is. The owner grabbed a camera instead of chasing the puppy away.

"Until one has loved an animal, parts of their soul remains unawaken."

This must have been pure joy for the Photographer!

"Friendship isn't about who you have known the longest.

It's about those who came and never left your side ......."

  

May you always have love to share, health to spare, and friends that care!

National Bird Day - 2013 Update

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By Diane Forrest

My husband loved birds.  Every year for Christmas he always got some type of bird gift.  He got feeders, books, there is a clock sitting behind my computer screen that chimes with a different bird call every hour. Not long after we were married, he adopted two cockatrices.  He would spend hours watching them, and trying to each them to talk.  He would put a seed on his lips so they could pluck it off and eat.

Dave's Bird

After his injury, the care and cleaning after them became too much for him, and since I worked 12 hours a day, I was not able to help, so he was forced find another home for them.  However his love for birds never diminished.  He could be found every winter keeping the many bird feeders in our back yard full of food.  I still see his love for birds all around the house.  One of the last gifts he got the Christmas before he died is a small red bird statue that is covered with feathers.  I look at it every night.

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When I picked out the plot at the cemetery for his final resting place, I chose the one right across from the pen that houses peacocks.  It is also next to the beautiful duck pond, and nearly every time I visit I can see the ducks walking around the area.

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Today is National Bird day.  National Bird Day was established by bird activists. It calls upon people to recognize the plight of captive birds. It also draws attention to exploitation of birds in the U.S. pet industry. On this day, organizers suggest we reflect upon the conditions of birds held in captivity.   Taking care of birds is a big responsibility.  They have to be fed a proper diet, and their area must be cleaned constantly.

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For more information about National Bird Day, and ways you can help educate others visit this site:  http://www.nationalbirdday.com/

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Enjoy the Beauty

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By Akindman,

The study of birds has been a fashionable pastime ever since the Victorian Era, and the term “bird watching” first appeared as the title of a book in 1901. According to a 2009 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey, today, one in every five Americans is a birdwatcher. This is defined as anyone who has traveled for the primary purpose of observing birds or has closely observed and identified birds around the home.

Our bird feeding station

 In our home – my wife and I enjoy watching the birds as do our three cats. When we were house hunting a few years ago, one important criterion was ‘nature friendly’ neighborhood - our home backs into protected woodland and there are many trees, shrubs and plants surrounding us.  Outside my home office, our landscaping team directions were to make it bird and bee friendly. It is also squirrel, chipmunk, fox, deer, raccoon and opossum friendly.  Bird feeding station and bird bath are also located there. This also provides excellent entertainment for our three cats – as they sit by the window, patio doors and watch nature – also known as ‘Kitty TV’.

Stream and Pond
 for all our critters

National Bird Day http://www.nationalbirdday.com/

http://yubanet.com/enviro/10th-Anniversary-of-National-Bird-Day-Is-Jan-5-2012.php#.TwRdndRSS8A

Springtime

“It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!”~Mark Twain

Why do we love springtime?  What makes this time of the year special for you?  Is it that ole man winter is finally getting ready to leave and warmer weather is coming?  Is it the first sighting of a Robin, looking for worms or something else to eat?  Or is it seeing the Gold Finches returning to the bird feeders?  Might be the buds on your plants or flowers?  Maybe it’s the young chicks squawking at their parents for food?  Or the simple beautify of your surroundings.

"If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment."  O'Keefe, Georgia

Today, our landscaping crew is doing the annual Spring Clean Up – fallen branches from the storms of past, leaves that remain from the fall, picking up the old mulch and replacing it with new.  Giving the plants, shrubs, trees and flowers that little extra TLC so they can grow healthy and true.  I sit in my chair, typing away on this keyboard, knowing they will do a wonderful job, like they always do.  We are so blessed with kindness and beauty this spring.

"Where flowers bloom so does hope."  - Lady Bird Johnson

It is also America’s favorite past time has finally arrived, to call of “Play Ball”, starts again tomorrow afternoon, the crowd cheers as their team takes the field for a fresh new season, full of hope and dreams.  “Play ball”.

I cheer for the home teams in our area, we have four in all, two major league and two minor league teams, but to watch a good baseball game is really all that I desire, win, lose or draw – a good game is a good game and you have gotten your money’s worth, enjoyed the day, the fellowship of the fans, those vendors selling popcorn, hot dogs, ice cold drinks, peanuts, cotton candy and a variety of other non-healthy foods.  But really folks, lets face it; a good ballpark dog is part of the show – and hard to repeat their special taste at home.  It is not uncommon to find me parked somewhere watching kids play this game, without a clue who the players are, much less the teams.  For it is the game itself that draws my attention, and perhaps remembering those days, long gone by, that Dad, would be with us, watching games, ours or someone else, just enjoying the game and thankful for sharing it with others who you cared about.

"Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" ~ Robin Williams

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.  ~Ruth Stout