Berries and Baking

For several days, I have picked blackberries...
now, the birds and deer are welcome to what's left.

~

Five days straight...after having morning coffee...

I would cross the field in the early morning dew...

sometimes having to tell a deer to leave...

so I could pick the berries...and while there...

~Virginia MountainMint~

...also enjoy smelling the scent of the
honeysuckle vine growing among the briers.




Usually, I easily picked in the open...
down the side of the field...but once I ventured
deeper...after spying berries on the other side...
going through and behind the vines...





to an area I had never been and probably
won't tackle again...
it was a little rough to say the least...
but I found the unreachable berries.
~
It's like a no man land back there...
maybe 15 ft. wide of thick brush...lined on the
left by the berry brambles and on the right
by a barbed wire fence and the woods.




After making my way out...first I heard...
and then I saw a Eastern Towhee...
their song sounds like "Drink your tea!"




While leaving I noticed a new wildflower
growing in the field...I think it's Veronica...
I once "bought" the same for the flower garden...




There are times while leaving the field...
I find the mother and 3 fawns watching me...




I think maybe their routine was disturbed...
for they looked as if to say...
"Now where to?"



Other times while in the field...
I come across more bees of course...
but a few butterflies as well...


~all photos enlarge~

This one appears to have eyes on it's wings...




and this one was just perfect in it's
stained glass appearance...



So during all the blackberry picking days...
I still made meals...




between the freezing of all those berries.
I now have 6 large bags in the freezer.
So what dessert did I fix...




Zucchini bread!




Annette had some rather large zucchini and
since she's very busy with the summer reading
program at the library...I baked them...
and we shared the 2 loaves.





Mine did not last very long!




When checking on my tomatoes...

I thought of Eileen at Umma's World...since she

found the same visitor on her tomatoes...

although she most likely doesn't have these...

visiting her tomatoes...they also are known to

steal our peaches.

To remind us how sweet raccoons look...

our grandchildren once gave us this photo...it

hangs in our bathroom as a constant reminder!

But...looks are deceiving sometimes...and
to protect my small garden...
Herhusband surrounded it with a small...

"gentle" electric fence...we had no choice!

So while Herhusband was busy with that...
I was inside baking...because...

~
Today is his BIRTHDAY!
~

and we've already cut the cake...

a triple chocolate cake with choclate icing,

crushed heath bars, and chopped pecans,

with chocolate creme filling inside

drizzled with bittersweet chocolate...

and a cherry on top.

~

...which Herhusband

pronounced the best yet!

The past few days found me without the use of

the computer that holds my photos...it was

"down for maintenance"...

I haven't posted since last Wednesday...

...so it left me time to clean the house!

Thanks for visiting!
Come again!

Why I Feed the Birds

~

Why you ask do we feed the birds here...
since worms and bugs are all so near.

~

~

The sunflower seeds are needed to lure...
the songbirds closer in order to hear!

~

We buy a 40lb. bag...usually one or more.
If the price starts to rise...then it's 3 or 4...
neatly they're stacked on the basement floor...
if we catch a big sale, we even buy more.
~

~



Birds are messy so they drop some seeds...
that grow into flowers among the weeds.





Very tall some grow, maybe six to seven feet





with sunny yellow faces, that are so sweet!



~

That's it...end of the poem Marcy!


~

We do have several feeders that keep me busy
filling them with the sunflower seeds...and we
do tend to stock up...when it goes on sale.




This one is on a pulley, just off the deck.
Empty, as you can see...blogging is to blame!

These were taken through the window earlier

this summer...the squirrels always manage

to get their share...and so would the raccoon

if not for the stove pipe.

The Cardinals share the feeders with the

Red-bellied woodpeckers...note the deer and

all the piles of leaves...blogging again probably!

This is a small Downy Woodpecker...

and a Goldfinch caught in flight!

This is newly fledged baby Carolina Wrens...

they would sleep overnight on the porch blinds.

Here we have Alivia looking for ants and worms...

which she found!...and I don't even do that!

I found this single locust just out of it's shell

Monday morning...

A Sunflower just before blooming...

These came up together in a planter...possibly

they were stored there by a chipmunk!

Sunflower in full bloom with visitors.

The main reason we buy Sunflower seeds...
other than to feed the birds...

and attract them here...

or have the enjoyment of watching...

dropped seeds grow...

into beautiful sun-like flowers

is to share nature

with grandchildren as they grow.

Alivia...a few years ago!

spreading Sunflower seeds...

...and examining them closer!

That's why I feed the birds!