Be My Guest!

  With this whole winter being a bit crazy, it seems that the critters are a bit off as well.  The lack of freezing nights and cold days is going to prove to be our undoing this year.  Bugs will rule!  Just today, my oldest brother informed me that he was bitten by a tick.  Considering the warnings we all hear about tick bites (and I am glad we are informed!), he immediately drove down to the Little Bayou House for a "consultation".  Yep, I have a lot of knowledge about ticks...nope, I do not and I tried to tell him as much.  He was a bit panicky over this bite even though it did not seem to be inflamed.  It seems that the tick was only on him for a few minutes and just started biting when he discovered it.  Still, I guess the thought of another brother contracting Lyme Disease worried me a bit as well, so I told him if it made him feel better, then, by all means, see a doctor.  A visit to the urgent care clinic left him with a handful of antibiotics and a more peaceful mind.  The doctor there did not seem to think the bite was bad.  Still, those bugs are all out there and ready to bite us at any given time so I guess it is better to be safe than sorry.

  It is not only the insect world that is topsy-turvy.  I noticed that our spring migrating birds are filling the yard and feeders. This is a bit early for the birds to be heading north but I suppose it is only natural considering the warmth.  They are here and are hungry! So I feed them!  It is a steady job to fill the feeders and bring them in at night.  (If I leave them outside at night, the raccoons steal not only the seed but the entire feeders!)  While out this morning, I heard a lot of twittering at the feeders so I left the garden and slipped around the side of the house.  Birds were everywhere!  The feeders, however, were being dominated by the House Finches.  Those little rascals were gathering in such numbers that no other birds were allowed to eat.  The migrating birds were going hungry while these local birds ate their fill.  Well, now. This would never work! Explaining to a bunch of local birds that the migrating ones are our guests and should be treated as such did nothing to correct the situation.

  I hurried in to get more seed and fill another feeder.  Son watched as I shooed the finches away to allow the buntings and grosbeaks a turn at the feeders.  "I see now why you want a bigger feeder." he said.  I turned and nodded.  Bigger feeders and MORE feeders!  If we cannot keep the House Finches away, we will add more feeding stations so everyone can be happy!  Even if they are a bit bossy, I do love the House Finches so they can stay....as long as they play happy with the other birds!