On the Hunt...

...for a summer cottage, garden views preferred.

The pair of bluebirds spent a lot of time in the garden today, assessing three different nest boxes - him doing much fluttering (see Extra) and singing, while she perched and watched.  At one point, the bird we all dread (the English House Sparrow) showed up and perched atop the box Monsieur was assessing and a high speed chase broke out, with both bluebirds after the sparrow.  As soon as the bluebirds have selected a box, I'll have to rig up sparrow guards.  Unfortunately, the sparrows can be quite vicious in claiming a box - puncturing eggs and tossing them out and even killing baby birds before throwing them out of the box.  It's horrid and every good bluebird landlord frets about the sparrows.  

And, as if bluebirds in the garden weren't enough today, Scooby (the garden chipmunk) emerged from his burrow and has been running back and forth between his exit hole and the birdfeeder on the deck, filling his adorable little pouches with seeds.  He also hoovered up a bunch of dried corn and peanuts.  The cats have been glued to the windows, gnashing their teeth and dreaming about how much fun it would be to chase a chippy.  They'll never get the chance.

Predictably, I am extremely fatigued today.  Kind of felt like I was dragging a 100 pound weight around.  After lunch, I took a long nap.  If this runs true to course, I will be fit and fine in another couple of days.  And, I'm here to say that the fatigue seems a small price to pay for the wonderful time I've had this past week in Arizona!  

Speaking of Arizona, I've gotten through one SD card and have posted 4 shots on Flickr, starting HERE with a very alert roadrunner  More to come... you've been warned.

Rain in the forecast tomorrow so I plan to finish all the AZ pics and also, hopefully, start getting caught up here.  As always, thank you for stopping by.

xo
Debbi