Good morning world!

Today I was up bright at early at 6:45 am and get this, without an alarm! Originally, seeing how early it was when I woke up, I thought I would go open shades, let that beautiful sunshine in, and lay on the couch for a couple more hours of sleep. However, 7:30 rolled up and I was still awake, so feeling good about myself, I got up, made some coffee, and cooked myself a full breakfast. I wish you guys actually knew how rare of an event this is for me! You’d be mighty impressed. I mean, I’m impressed with myself. No, I’m happy for myself. I’m now energized and awaiting a great day!

I’m currently back on my couch, looking out my window, and checking out my new bird feeder! I found a new hobby, feeding the birds. Well ok, I’m trying to feed the birds. I’ve been wanting a feeder for a while now, so I finally went and bought myself a large shepherds hook, squirrel baffle, feeder, and seed. The husband and I got it set up yesterday evening, and so now i’m obsessing over it, anxiously waiting for birds to arrive!

You know what I told my husband? I said, “you know you’re getting older when you’re excited about watching the birds!” I have to chuckle to myself because I actually am so excited for the first birds to arrive to my feeder. However, none have appeared this morning so far. I actually don’t even see any in the vicinity of my house this morning. I do know it can take a few days for the birds to the find the feeders, so I will try and be patient and give them time before moving the feeder to another location. We placed it on the West side of our house, so I can visibly watch from my living room couch and kitchen table.

I’m trying to attract the neighborhood cardinals to my feeder, so I have cardinal-based seeds, but mixed so I can attract other birds as well. I see a couple beautiful, red cardinals around every once in a while, and being they’re my favorite bird, I’m hoping to get them to my feeder! Upon doing a little research on them, I know they’re skittish, so another reason I put my feeder on the side of the house was because it’s near a large tree that the cardinals (and other birds) can avert to when scared off. Pictured below is the cardinal that kept coming around last spring! Can you see him in all that green!? We’re still ugly and brown here in Minnesota, but I noticed yesterday that the trees are starting to bud! We’re getting closer and closer to Summer. Thank goodness!

I’m also hoping to keep the squirrels away! I don’t know what it is about the city, but there are oodles and oodles of squirrels and they are PESKY little buggers! So far, they haven’t discovered that there is food hanging from my shepherds hook, so it’ll be interesting to see when they do! I know that squirrels will often do everything they can to get to bird feeders. I immediately put up the squirrel baffle though, and also have the feeder set up hopefully just the right distance AWAY from the closest tree. My shepherds hook is actually quite tall, so with my baffle, they shouldn’t be able to jump or climb up to it at least! I’m just curious when they’ll start trying to jump from the tree. I’m sure it’ll actually be quite humorous to watch, and I do have a plan B if they get to it! Right now, this is just a trial run. Cross your fingers for me and hope for birds!

Anyway, so obviously I’m a newbie at this new hobby of mine, so for any of you other bird lovers out there, do you have any tips and tricks for me!? Please, please, send me all the advice you have. Thanks, and have a wonderful day!