Sandy Miller Pottery & Garden

The January slog continues.......

Kirby has taken to walking out the door and squatting on the patio, first thing in the morning. He can't even lift his leg, the wind has been so stiff. Squat and don't take in any cold air, retreat! Morning aerobics done, feed me!

Not so fast, let's walk out and check on the chickens, Kirby grumbles all the way to the coop. I toss a bit of snow on him and it's game on. He really does love this weather! Me, not so much but life is more fun with a dog.

Breakfast is served buddy.

My phone records that I have walked 946 steps, only 9,054 more to go. Not happening!

Until Bird Buddy, the smart bird feeder with a camera, sends me a postcard.

YOU HAVE A VISTOR! or IT'S RUSH HOUR AT THE FEEDER!

Remember when email made its debut; Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were teenagers. Remember that little bell on your computer; The icon; "You've got mail" popped on your screen?! And we salivated over each pop up, until we wised up and turned that button off! Bird Buddy has tapped into that same pavlovian brain wave. This is akin to crack for birdwatchers. How can you not look? Talk about clickbait! Who has visited the feeder at this ungodly, barely light breaking hour?

Always, before the sun is up in the sky, this guy sends me a postcard, every morning. Who needs a rooster. The female cardinal is next, she likes to sleep in.

and the parade begins..... finches, titmice, juncos, blue jays, song sparrows, woodpeckers, a flicker

I can check with livestream from my phone. Bird buddy tells me it's waking up.

and then this......

Excuse me, did you know you're out of feed? Would you like to buy some girl scout cookies?

Or I just get a squirrel butt.

And then I leap from my chair! I can be doing anything and I can launch myself out the back door faster than a woodchuck hitting the electric fence and yelling like a crazy person. One squirrel can empty out this small feeder in one sitting. The juncos and doves, ground feeders, are at the base of the feeder having a party because squirrels are just tree pigs! On my mad dash to the feeder I step on pile of frozen, snow covered dog poop and go down like....... a woodchuck hitting the electric fence. These are my morning aerobics, tuck and roll.

This is not an endorsement for Bird Buddy the smart bird feeder because it takes me forever to pair with it my phone and hook up to the wifi every time I charge it. I think this might be my problem though and not the feeder but time will tell......

Meanwhile Rufus and his little brother are watching the show out the back window......