Texas Wildflowers

It hasn't been a very good year for wildflowers around here, especially for bluebonnets--much too dry. But some have popped up anyway, mainly Indian Paintbrush and Evening Poppy. Here are a few pictures I took across the street tonight. Unfortunately I don't know the names of all of the flowers that have sprouted.

   
  

Bring Me Squirrel

The Bird Feeder

Susan has always wanted a bird feeder in our backyard so we can watch the birds from our breakfast nook. So, this year we put one up. It has been a great hit--both with us and the birds who have a new source of food. From an earlier post you know that it has also been popular with the local squirrel population, but more on that below.

Here are some shots of the birds we see most often. Some of them may be a surprise.

We have finches:

We have cardinals (who get along with the finches):

We have other birds, too, some of which we haven't yet identified. Here is one of them (some kind of sparrow we think) with a cardinal (eyeing one another warily):

While fortunately they don't try to sit on the feeder, we also have turkeys coming around to pick up leftovers. Here are two hens and their gobbler suitor, who played rear guard when Ginger spooked them.

Squirrel Dog vs. Public Enemy Number One

We have been having a problem with squirrels getting into our bird feeder. A plastic guard has pretty much solved that problem, but they still hang around picking up what the birds drop and generally scaring them away. So we have had to resort to sterner measures.

Here's squirrel dog alertly guarding the yard from her post on the patio:

Here is public enemy number one busily munching on bird seed:

Here is public enemy number one near the top of our house (about 25 feet off the ground) after squirrel dog roughed him up (Ginger had him pinned with her paws, but being a pacifist puppy, let him go) and ran him out of the backyard. It turns out if they are frightened enough, squirrels can run right up the side of a house.

We hope he has learned his lesson and that Ginger won't have to adopt a more harsh approach.

Grandkids and Bluebonnets

Tim, Chris and Maya came out on Sunday for breakfast and a chance to shoot some pictures of Maya in a field of bluebonnets. Fortunately, there is a nice stand of flowers next to the second tee on Cowan Creek and Sunday is not a busy golf day in Sun City.

Here are some pictures.

It was very sunny.

Wow! Look at these bluebonnets!

Unfortunately bluebonnets don't have much scent.

Lazy Puppy

Some days it's just too hard to get out of bed.

Backyard Display

Public Enemy Number One