This is actually the first Blue Jay I have seen since I have moved here. It was a new neighborhood with trees that weren't quite mature and the downside to that if there is not food to eat or trees that are big enough to hold them. It was a great day for me, discovering them back again.
Last week I had researched why there were no Blue Jays here. It said that this area is populated by them, but, from time to time, for unknow reasons, they left an area for an unspecified amount of time. It could be months or even years. Seriously. Who knew?
Birds have different relationships with trees, and I have to think that this area didn't suit them anymore. There are no insect to eat, bird feeds hung. I have to say, I cannot blame them. If I were a bird, I might have packed in up and moved away too.
Could my day get any better? (Okay, let's put this in perspective. I drove for six hours, got home just in time to enjoy the snow coming down and listened as the weatherman muffled the weather forecast, saying the rain would take it all away. It didn't.) Okay, so, again... Could my day get any better? A Blue Jay and a Cardinal! My two favorite winter guests! They even shared the same birdfeeder. I admit, the Blue Jay is a little bit agressive, but, the Cardinal held her own. All the other little wrens and starlings and tiny birds moved to another feeder.
The hydrangea retain their beauty, long after the bloom has retired. The snow was lightly coming down, giving them a tad of hydration. The blooms looked expressly more appealing. I brought some in and put them on my table for dinner.
Today is a #BeautifulSunday by @Ace108, where we share our day in the most possibly beautiful way that we can. I was a full day as I was at the Shore House, after being gone for a couple of days... finally, I will call it a day, a definitely #SublimeSunday in the making, by the Meister of my morning, @c0ff33a. I do love my @c0ff33 and he likes eclectic! A definite match, made in heaven.
Perfectly made coffee. Tonight, that works for me.
I was delivering something that I bought on Friday and picked up some more pinecones. You ask why? Just like seashells, I love pinecones. Perhaps it is the mother in me. Pincones protect their seeds, holding on to them until they are spring. They can even close up and protect them from a harsh winter. How can you not love them? Conifers are some of the oldest forms of plant life on this earth. Okay, that is not why I collect them, only why I love them. I gather them and use them for decorating or painting and giving away at the holdiays. They are happy pinecones with a little bit of glitter. Yes. These are just sitting on my crystal plate. See? Fancy, right? Not. But, still.
I can see the flower blooming in your heart ❤️ #alwaysaflower
The loveliness of you never escapes me, how can it? So, there were flowers and coffee, it's true. And just like that, this post is over, comeback tomorrow and we will do it again.
A common little footprint for a perching bird. Cute, right? He got right up on the porch and almost knocked on the door. Avon calling!I want to thank both @Ace108 and @c0ff33a for hosting these challenges!
All I have are my words, armed in my mind, written in pen, stand by stand. Oh, yes. Still by hand. It has a different feel. Altered not by keys, backspace, and delete, I write, erase, tear it to pieces and start all over again. And again.
It’s my way. I walk out to the deep end of the page and dive right in.
The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost
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This winter season seems to be changing a lot. It is becoming very difficult for the birds to get food. Birds are forced to travel these days. In other areas, birds face food shortages in glacial areas. Many birds are migrating to our area from the north.
I have three bird feeders and we keep our pretty well fed. Seems we have great foragers here and they do fine.
We are not glacial, although we get some snow. Some of our birds have stopped migrating.
Finally the winter is here and all my dead plants are back to Life thanks for this winter that is changing things in another dimension
absolutely love these birds!
We have migratory birds. For example storks. They go to Africa in autumn/fall, and they return in spring. Maybe the Blue Jays in your area are showing similar behavior.
I give you some !PIZZA and some !LUV.
Have a nice day. All the best. Greetings and much love from Hungary.
@xplosive(4/4) gave you LUV.
Thanks for the LUV!
Not at all. They haven't been here for a few years! They don't migrate, they are truly birds who like winter. We do have some migratory birds, but, because some of them have a food source, they don't migrate. I stop feeding them a month before migrating season, to encourage them to go. :)
Thanks for the words and for the pizza and LUV!
Have a nice day!
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amazing nature effects. Birds have minds of their own too .. So which of the birds is your favorite, the blue jay or the cardinal?
Both! :) I like both. I don't play favorites! :))
I love seeing blue Jay's. I used to see them a lot growing up but less so in adulthood. We used to feed them whole natural peanuts in the shell. They loved that. It's nice that they are back in your area again.
I grew up with them and knew they lived in the Washington, DC area as I had been here before, so it really made me wonder where they were. When I read that they leave areas for a while and come back, I felt better. (they left for years!)
Anyway, I am happy the Blue Jays are back, although pretty bossy, right from the get-go! :))
Peanuts? How cool! I have some! I may try that. They love the sunflower seeds!
Wow!!! Matt is a very beautiful bird!!! so cool that you can enjoy them! we don't have such stunning red birds at all. there are sinks but they are too shy and there are not many of them. I love cones!!!! great post, Denise! 😀
Pinecones are pretty cool, yes? :)) I use them all around the house. The cardinal was such a special bird growing up. They were shy and we saw them on occasion, but, I could always hear them chirping in the forest.
Thanks so much, @tali72!
I have never seen these birds alive. only in pictures and photos. yes, I also have pinecones all over the apartment))) these are wonderful aroma diffusers. I have a few pinecones on my bedside table. before going to bed, I put a few drops of essential oils on these pinecones and I sleep just wonderful
Pine cones are one of the most underrated object to decorate with. I have all different sizes from so many different trees and I love to use them as much as I can. Plus, the fact that you can get them almost anywhere. I never thought to use them with the essential oils! Thanks for the idea!
different cones is great!!! they probably smell different. any natural things: cones, twigs, corks, stones and even sand can be used as aroma diffusers. I have three cones lying in front of the front door. I like to drip essential oils of cinnamon, coniferous trees (any) and citrus (also any) on them. somewhere drops 9 in general. it is both a pleasant smell and disinfection. try! I'm sure you'll like it. only if you and your family are not allergic to smells and asthma
One of my daughters is sensitive to cleaning agents. (she has a smart body!) but, nothing asthma. I am going to try! I love that idea and I promise to let you know how I like it! Thank you so much @tali72
O! asthma! how sad 😥 if your daughter lives with you, you have to be very very careful with essential oils
Nooo! Nobody has asthma, she just doesn't like cleaners.
Oh how good!!!!! Perhaps I misunderstood the translation. then she will definitely like the smell of essential oils. I would suggest trying citrus essential oils first. I love them!!!!
Sundays are usually my best days because I get to fellowship with my brethrens. I'm glad you had a beautiful Sunday as well.
Sounds perfect! Just like a Sunday should be.
Yeah!
The Cardinal sort of reminds of the times I was living in Kansas City.
I've never seem one but we cannot miss hearing about St Louis Cardinals
Hahaha! Isn't that true, Ace! :) The home team is the one they love bragging on! I hope all is well with you and I hope to buy more time somewhere. I feel so absent from here!
It's a beautiful morning! Snow everywhere!
The birds are so amazing.... thanks for shared
They are pretty cool, it helps to have three bird feeders. :)
Yeah exactly I love them so much
So cool you got to see both the Blue Jay and Cardinal my two favorite birds
I know, isn't it? I was so excited to see them both together. It has been a rare event for me to see them, although I am sure it probably is not a big deal. The pictures are not the best, with snow still coming down, but, perhaps later in the week. You know how bad I am at photographing animals. :) They move!
Happy Monday to you! I hope your day is going well. Warmer temps are melting where it was shoveled last night. So I am down to the pavement again. :)
That melted away quickly
It poured down here last night and this morning saw streets flooded around town when I went to the market this morning
I to don’t have much luck with animals and birds but hope to do better this year
I will usually get some cardinals in the trees right beside the front windows. The cats will sit, chirp, and twitch at the birds through the window. I'm pretty sure the birds taunt the cats, knowing they can't get out. It's funny to watch.
Hahaha!~ Yes! My front door has side panels that are windows on either side, complete with the requisite front door carpet that the cat has claimed as her own.
She sits and makes little noises! Yes.... chirps and almost silent meows. The birds know. I know they do!! The boldly come almost up to the window, but, only the doves, who have no sense at all.
It is funny to watch. Also, I let her out on occasion and her favorite spot to lay? Under the birdbath. :( I bring her back in when I can catch her.
Hey, Victor! Have a great day!
Colours find you @dswigle
Flowers and now the birds - one blue and one red in a face-off, close enough so you can take a pic ;D
I don't see them together very much as the Blue Jay (obviously the blue one!) is aggressive and bossy. :) He demands the whole space usually.
They were close enough, the bird feeders call out to them when there is snow. A free source of food. :)
Happy Monday from here!
Thanks so much @wesphilbin! Have a great day!
Nice! I've heard the blue jays, but haven't seen them here yet. Or the cardinals. How lucky to grab them both in one shot!
I really like both of them, I cannot tell you if it is their striking good looks or their personalities. Although the Blue Jays are bossy and aggressive! :) Still, they make a striking contrast to the landscape or would on a better shot.
You can hear them in the woods/forest? The cardinal has that distinctive chirp and I always recognize it even if I can see it. The Blue Jay on the other hand is like a screaming hawk when they arrive in numbers more than one.
Nature is amazing, isn't it? You get plenty of it where you are!
How wonderful to see a pretty blue jay in the winter Denise, especially in the white snowy garden. While our feathered friends stay outside there is nothing nice than to bring in bits of nature into the house. I enjoy the look, the smell and the feel. Your creative arrangement of pinecones on crystal makes for a lovely touch.
Sending sunshine and heat to you from The Sunshine Coast.🌞
Ah, the Sunshine Coast is always welcome here! I love that you share your beautiful words with me here. I love the pops of blue and red that the winter brings. I don't really see that much of the color with all the explosion of flowers in the spring and summer, but in the starkness of winter we're all is white or in a peaceful slumber trauma the red of a cardinal or the blue of a blue jay totally makes my day. I hope you're doing well and I apologize for not getting around as much I want but it seems like I don't ever have enough time. Have a lovely day!
That Cardinal is striking.
Thank you so much oh, I love that punch of color in the middle of winter.
That photo of the cardinal and blue jay is wonderful! I love those colour contrasts. Don't they just bring joy to a wintery scene? As for those pinecones! What a lovely analogy.
They absolutely bring joy to my heart to see such vibrant color in the subdued landscape. In case I had forgotten to tell you, you are probably one of the most positive and eloquent commenters on Hive. No matter where I go or who I read, if there's a comment from you, it doesn't matter what the subject is, there is this way about you that writes such positive words, making each writer feel good about themselves. It's a gift.
Denise my new rule is that I need to keep tissues with me when I read your comments. My eyes tend to leak when I read your words. Thank you for your special comment. It is something else hearing from another person's perspective - I didn't feel my comments would make such an impact. Thank you for those thoughtful words.
And from my BuckarooBabies they send a cyber hug and a big "Thank you Aunty Denise! Today was my best day - but the bestest of the best day was our sheep". The short version is that during the drought I sold most of my 60 goats and my entire flock of Dormer sheep. I have longed to have the beautiful wool sheep again. And your kind gift has made that possible! We have been able to purchase 5 young Il 'd France which are going to be my children's flock - and part of their inheritance. Thank you for making it possible dear Denise!
Look at those beautiful babies!! (and the sheep too! ) Kidding! That is so awesome, and they are so adorable! What a wonderful inheritance to give them, one that they can see grow and multiply, right before their very eyes. You have such good ideas and I am so very sorry about your goats and sheep, I really am. I know how much they mean to you and your lifestyle. I am sure that was a decision that did not come easy to you, but, you did what was best for everyone concerned. You are an amazing woman with a wonderful little family.
Your comment made my day! Sorry it took me so long to see it! Thank you for your warm and wonderful words.
Your gift is bigger than I can fully express! I knew you would be delighted about the sheep
Oh! Tell those Buckaroo babies Auntie Denise sends a hug right back! In case you didn't ad-lib for me! :) You have no idea just how delighted I am about the sheep and how smart I think you are for choosing them. It was truly brilliant and I absolutely love it!
Every one keep talking about the blue jay In the comments section forgetting about the poem in the post ( the road not taken ) by Robert frost ,
I don't think they forget so much as I have put that on here for a couple of weeks at the very bottom, mostly because I love it and always because it means so much to me. Thank you for your words.
I had never seen a bluejay or a cardinal in my life until I came to this land. They are extremely beautiful, so I always try to take a picture of them, but I am very clumsy as a photographer. I make noise and the birds fly away.
You got him and it is in focus! That is a win for me! I am terrible at birds! If you scroll through my posts, you will see that I never photograph them. Bugs either, they move too much and I must not be patient.
Flowers on the other hand don't move much, so I can take my time with them! :) I think you will do fine! You could even crop this shot and make the Blue Jay stand out a little better.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving your words~ Have a wonderful day!
My daughter has had me on the search for pinecones for her crafts. All I can fin are the slim ones. Something has happened to the round ones. I dont think animals eat them and there were loads around before. Ben thinks some animal may use them for their nest, but it is a real mystery now. Very jelly of yours!
Pine trees don't produce the same number of cones every year. In wet years, trees put more energy into growing than into reproduction, so they have fewer pinecones. In drier years, the trees focus more on reproduction and produce more cones.
If you have squirrels, they love them and eat them like corn on the cob. Mystery solved! It must have been a lean year for your squirrels and mice! They like them too!
Pretty soon, you will live where there are tons of them and you will no longer need to be jelly. You will be throwing them at the squirrels to get rid of them.
OKAY! Bluejays!
There is something special whenever I see a bluejay or cardinal. so vibrant and so sporty!
I leave my hydrangeas to rattle around all winter and pop above the snow beside the hot tub. I especially love the little cute footieprints in the snow.
I loved those little feet in the snow too! You were the only one that mentioned them and I thought it might be the first thing people would see. Funny how that works. I will admit to being in love with the blue and the red there. They make a statement, wherever they go! Don't they? Cardinals were not seen as much in Connecticut when I was growing up, but, they are really abundant down here in Washington, DC~ Who knew? Thanks for stopping by and leaving you words!