We'll take another little break from England to check up on some real-life at home, books and more! (If you want to catch up on England posts, click on the England 2024 tab above.)
I'd like to think we've survived the polar vortex. So far, so good, but who knows? We still have a few months of winter. Meanwhile, Lizzie and I are hunkering down and doing some bird watching!
Bobby Cardinal has been hanging about. He's a stunner in the snow.
And Mrs. Bobby C. has been around too, often with one of her lady friends.
They seem to get on with Sammy Sparrow and his gang -- and it IS a gang. One day, I counted more than 20 sparrows chowing down, fighting for space on the two small feeders and leaving the big one alone. I've often said these birds are more expensive to feed than Lizzie is -- for months!
A couple of weeks ago, I was so excited to wake and see four deer resting in my back yard. I wasn't able to get a good photo, which was disappointing. But the other afternoon I looked out the window and saw three of these beauties. I was so excited I could barely move! The big fellow is standing in front of the smallest, but you can see his little legs!
This guy was huge and handsome.
He just posed . . .
. . . and then posed some more, with a casual over-the-shoulder look!
I must have spooked him -- or something did -- because after a very long while, he dashed off down the street!
The two does -- one larger than the other -- stood mostly by the back of the fence in the bush area.
They stuck around for quite awhile, and then went bounding over the fence, off, no doubt, to enchant someone else!
I finally got the Christmas things down and now a little winter decor. The mantel was easy, with the return of the snow folk.
And it was time to bring out the little skiers, too.
Jenna posted the cutest Valentine tree. It reminded me that I didn't bring out my pink tree for Christmas so why not haul it out for the next holiday!
I can't resist a holiday!
After all, use it or lose it, right?
I've enjoyed a few delightful lunches with friends, including former work colleagues. We gather together every other month and it's enjoyable to keep in touch with fellow retirees!
For Christmas, my friend Kate and I try to focus more on having an experience, as opposed to gifts. (Well, there's always wine!). So we visited the Julia Child exhibit at Jackson, Michigan's Ella Sharp Museum. I'll have more on that soon.
Meanwhile, Rick hosted another house concert, this time with harpist Belle Coty. I'll have a longer post on that soon! She was magnificent!
Lots to come before we go back to London!
Sharing with: Saturday's Creatures / Friday Face Off / Love Your Creativity / Share Your Style / Rain's Art & Dinner Date
61 comments:
I like the deer showing the best profile! Such a ham.
Cute decorations (and fauna and flyers)! It is currently stinking hot on this side of the pond.
Seeing deer is always an amazing experience. The big fella was very handsome. And love watching the birds. Lizzie has the primo spot. I see she views while she has a snack! The sparrows are always in a gang, but I can't refuse them food. We have a couple of cardinal families that live in our huge boxwood shrubs. I love watching them and they always brighten a dreary day. Adorable pink tree and skiers, Jeanie!
What a treat to see so many birds and deer outside your windows! I always like seeing your holiday decorations. Is winter a holiday? I love the table cover under the Valentine tree!
I am surprised how robins survived this weather
Wow, that is some very bright red on the bird!
Great shots of the deer.
Cute pink bird and yay for the gatherings!
Hi, Jeanie: Great bird and mammals sightings. The stag is impressive. The bird below the cardinals you are referring to as a sparrow is an American Goldfinch. Typically they occur in flocks as you have experienced. They will not have their bright breeding plumage for a few months yet.
May I be envious of your visitors this morning. Better than England and they came to you. :)
It’s your 0 here early this morning, and while I see days temps rising in the next two weeks, they’r all below freezing and there will be some pretty cold nights, but just not quite 0 cold.
Visiting deer is so exciting. You got some great pictures. Lizzie has the best window to the world of birds. What a treat for Lizzie and for you. I love, love cardinals. I love your pink Valentine tree too. I can't wait to get back to thinking of decorating for holidays. Now I know I have some vintage Valentine's somewhere. Hummmm?
Hello Jeanie,
I love your Cardinals and Goldfinch photos, they are all beautiful birds. I also love the cute deer, I do not see them often here.
Your Valentine's Day decorations look pretty. It is a treat to meet up with your friends for lunch. Thank you for linking up and sharing your critter post. Take care, have a great weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.
I enjoyed the wildlife pics you enjoy from your window.
Deer are all over the next neighborhood from us but they don’t seem to come all the way here. Everyone hates them because they eat the shrubbery, especially rhododendrons which are expensive and hard to cultivate. I’m Glad you find them appealing.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
...we are also enjoying out Christmas tree and decorations. And outside our window we have a beautiful cardinal pair. Be warm and well.
Great photos of the deer! Cardinals always look so amazing in the snow. I wonder why the finches are going for the smaller feeders but not the big one? Different seed?
Those a fantastic photos, especially of that buck. Wow, I didn't know they had antlers in winter. One night last week I let the dogs outside when I noticed a deer standing right where the yard and the woods meet. I managed to get Pete inside quickly, but I wasn't worried about Maddie chasing him off since she can't see. Instead she went into the middle of the yard and continually barked for several minutes. The deer didn't move and just watched her. Finally I went outside and rounded her up and inside, all while the deer just standing here watching us. Sorry yours ran off so quickly, but those are fabulous photos.
And your pink tree is a great idea for Valentine's day. I took my winter tree down yesterday, in hopes of an early spring-not. It's snowing like crazy now. Keep having fun and share more about the Julia museum visit please.
Happy new month to you. hugs-Erika
You and Lizzie spotted saw some beautiful birds and got some wonderful photos of the deer and birds in the winter wonderland. I love seeing it all from warm sunny Florida.
I( like your little Valentine tree. That's a cute idea that I might just copy. The house is a little sad after Christmas. Have a great weekend and take care.
Good shots of the deer and the birds. That’s a very handsome buck… I think your sparrow may be a finch!
Such a nice buck, as well as does. I have some deer hanging around.
They are wonderful to watch.
Nice decor!
Sounds like a wonderful time back home! Enjoy the birdwatching and the winter coziness.
Your deer captures..so dear!! Lucky you and what a great group shot of your gang:) You're so photogenic!
The Valentine Tree is pretty.
Oh Jeanie, I love your posts of home. Those birds are fantastic that keep coming around at the feeders.....and the Cardinals! What a sight those deer were also, and you got some great pictures of the Buck. He is truly grand. What a good idea to put the Pink tree out for Valentine's Day. It's such a delightful tree filled with many red and pink goodies. That pink bird with the crown is sweet. That was special that you got to listen to harp music. My blog friend, Anita, plays the harp, and every time I see one, I think of her. I look forward to more of your sweet home posts, Jeanie. And by the way, your winter mantel is so charming.
~Sheri
I LOVE all the deer pictures! Wow!
The sparrows do really flock up for the winter. I've had flocks of over 30 of them here. They are so cute and perky--even in the freezing cold.
Harp music is so soothing to me. Can hardly wait to hear about that.
Julia Child--what a character! I still haven't seen that movie about her life (Meryl Streep?).
What a fun thing to have a pink Valentine tree!
Have a wonderful weekend, my friend! :)
No deer in my yard, but birds? Oh, my goodness. Squirrels, too, although Pavlov seems to have disappeared since our snow. I hope nothing bad happened to him. In the meantime, a trio of gray squirrels have taken over his place at the big tree, and slowly are getting used to the fact that the big creature with only two legs often shows up with goodies!
You took super photos of your deer Jeanie, how exciting and such a gift to wake up to in the morning. Lots of snow! Your bird photos were super too and you're right about the cardinal. I enjoyed seeing all the other photos you shared today. Your decorations are lovely and a great photo of you with your friends, and I would dear love to have a harpist performance in my home.
I always love to see the wildlife around your place. This post was especially interesting because of being able to see both close-ups and more distant shots of the animals in the context of the neighborhood. I am so glad we have cozy houses with windows out to the wintry world!
Good catch on those deer, excellent shots. Love the bright red cardinal. Enjoy the weekend.
What a lovely post with all the birds and deer. Really good pics. Good to see you doing some events to feed your "spirit" this winter. do keep warm on these cold winter days!
Great winter post. The photos are amazing, but the deer are AMAZING! Thank you for sharing with FFO and have a nice weekend.
That big Buck really was something to see! WOW! And I love your feeders right out your window to enjoy. It's fun to get together with friends too.
Awesome nature photos enjoyed them all, Love your Valentine tree-cool idea Happy new month hugs Kathy
I love seeing all the birds. I wonder if that last bird is an American Goldfinch. We are having flocks of them at our house right now.
And your Valentine tree is very nice!
Cardinals are some of my favorite birds! The male’s red plumage is so striking! I love the pink tree, perfect for Valentine’s Day. I love hearing someone play the harp. Happy February, Jeanie!
Nice to see cardinals and deers...lovely
How cool to see those deer in your yard. We see tracks in the snow but have not caught them yet. I have been seeing more cardinals, both male and female and yesterday saw a woodpecker. He flew near me outside and went for a nearby tree to peck away. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your Valentine tree. How fun! I too am getting out my reds and a few pinks. Janice
I enjoy seeing cardinals and all birds really during the cold months, especially this year. We were hunkered down as well but yesterday we had a more normal day for us, warming in the high sixties. It was wonderful, Jim tuned up the grill for a change in our meal plans. The deer are beautiful and we would occasionally see them at our other home. Haven't seen any since we moved so thanks for sharing. Such beautiful creatures! Love your pink valentine tree and sweet card underneath. I have a winter scene in my dining room other than that I went wild putting everything away from the holidays. Well, after this morning's declaration from Mr Punxsutawney Phil, guess we are in for more winter days......Happy February Jeanie.
I love watching wildlife in the wild! Esp deer, however, I see them less in this wooded area than I did in an old well established subdivision. I learned the difference is, so much empty space around out here in this rural area that they don't have to come out around the humans. They have lots of wooded untapped spaces to roam and live. I saw a video on FB the other day that showed to bobcats out on a main road, just five mins from my childhood home.....oh, and in the middle of the day.
Wonderful deer photos..and the birds, too. I have been dragging my feet putting up my little pink tree but I feel like I should do it. I have put away my winter stuff in the hopes that the Spring Gods will look down and see that I am ready....lol. xo Diana
My parents can relate to the expense of feeding birds! The most expensive time of year for them as a summer when I get a ton of Orioles. They buy jelly and wow can those birds eat. How fun to see deer in your yard!
I love red and pink so enjoy seeing everyone’s clever Valentine’s Day decorations. I tried to find a bunting for our fireplace at target but didn’t have any luck yesterday. But I’m going to keep looking as some ponk, red, and hearts would really brighten our living room.
I was just saying this morning that I feel like I'm going broke feeding all these birds! LOL. Weirdly we only seem to see the male and female cardinals in the spring and summer. This winter we have a few different species of woodpeckers I've never seen before. You got some great photos of the deer!
What a happy post!! It makes me love winter all the more! Love your animal friends, love the pink tree & the Valentine stuff,, love that you get together with fellow retirees, love that you have house concerts (like right in Rick's house?) My former colleagues are scattered all over...sigh...I did just put out a few Valentine Decorations and have been painting panels for a Valentines accordion book...(I still haven't sent all my Xmas cards out, never mind Val's Day!)
I saw the Julia Child display at the Smithsonian years and years ago. They had her kitchen all set up just the way she had it.
Your tree is darling and yes the birds are very hungry around here. I feed only now because once the bears wake up all bird food is gone.
Cathy
A lovely post Jeannie, you certainly see a good variety of birds and deer! Bobby Cardinal is wonderful and I love how the deer seem to be posing for you.
Wishing you happy February days.
All the best Jan
How wonderful for you to have visitors. Deer are always fun to see as long as they do not eat my flowers! I love your pink tree full of Valentine's cheer.🩷💕🩷
Cardinals are always a joy to see. I love them.
Happy to see you get together with retirees. How fabulous!
Happy new week to you!
Pleasant interlude filled with music, exhibits, decor, and friends. Way to go!
The pictures of the cardinals and deer warmed my heart and stole my breath.
Lovely animals pics.. the red of the cardinal is perfect against the white of the snow. Cute skiers.
Cardinals and sparrows are such wonderful winter companions -- forever entertaining. And I'm amazed by the number of deer you've seen, including that splendid stag, especially in an urban area. There's a tribe of 10-20 that sleeps outside our house, and I often see them waking up outside our living room window as I enjoy my morning coffee. But we're in great rural wilderness with state woodlands nearby. To see so many of them in your urban backyard... wow!
This series of house concerts that Rick has been hosting sounds amazing. Looking forward to hearing more about the harpist! And the Julia Child exhibit, too.
Welcome to February! Soon, we'll be enjoying daffodils...
Oh goodness Jeanie!! I would have been thrilled to see the deer too, what amazing sight!. Lizzie must be having a great time watching the bird show :)
I love that little pink bird at the very end!
Oh my gosh, birds are so expensive to feed lol - they eat so much! They are so fun to watch though, it is worth it. I can't do it anymore because we have to neighborhood cats, one who lives under my deck. It would not be a great set up for the birds. And those deer!!! How awesome is that!!
I am glad that you are doing well!
Another cold one today!
I love that you have all these creatures, a pink tree and in-house concerts :)! It's truly a wonderful life <3
I loved seeing your beautiful cardinals Jeanie! And those stunning deer! I am so happy to have inspired you to bring out a Valentine tree, it looks adorable! I love the little skiers too, so cute!
Jenna
Hello Jeanie :=)
Sorry I'm late in visiting but real life commitments kept me from blogging for a while. Your photos of the Cardinals and Finches are lovely, but that beautiful Stag is magnificent. How wonderful to see deer in your area, a sight I could never see in my patch. How classy to have a harpist perform in your house, I love the sound of harp music. Lovely photo of you with your old work mates, and lI ove those Valentine decorations.
All the best
Sonjia.
I hope you are surviving the winter. I love your birdie and deer pictures. I think deer may have the most amazing hearing. They seem on guard when we are watching them.
Somehow I missed this post, so I sure enjoyed it today ! Love the little skiers and the pink tree...and that lovely big buck. What a joy to see him.
Jeanie, you got.some.fantastic shots of the birds and deer! I love your little tree and winter decor. I have a winter table set, but I am yearning for spring. With two warm days in between mostly.cold.ones, I've gone outside and done a few garden chores already. I'm just happy to see the snow gone (for now) and my pansies perking up.
I bet the happiest guest was a real treat!
Lovely photos -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
Your post put a huge smile on my face, Jeanie. What's not to love about birds and deer? I think sparrows are sweet birds, so I'm happy many gathered for you. Poor kitty ~ Looking at the birds around the feeder must be frustrating. The Valentine tree is darling. Wishing you a week filled with love and adventures!
I keep hoping the cold weather is over for a while, but it keeps coming back.
The deer are beautiful! We never have deer in our yard, but I bet that's amazing for them to come so close. Our bird feeders have also been very popular. It feels like I can barely keep up with refilling them!
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