Sing me a Song of Four Chickadees, Two Nuthatches, and One Robin and Too Many Flying Pigs to Count

The Princeling Keeping Me Company by the Sewing Machine

I thought we had lost one of the nuthatches and one of the Chickadees to window strikes. But yesterday, we had four chickadees and two nuthatches, one robin singing, and multiple blue jays absolutely demolishing the fresh suet block that I put out.

Most of the new block was gone by afternoon, hence the new moniker for the blue jays.

We are now out of the twenty blocks of suet bought last week but the small bird feeder has two fresh blocks getting pecked down as we speak. We will buy more blocks today. Just as well that I'm working. The cat and bird food bills are really quite high.

The surprise was recording a robin yesterday. It's the beginning of February and yet a robin is here already. Where there is one, there will be more. It's not even the middle of winter here in the mountains and all I can think of is, what does the robin know that I do not?

The chickadees now flutter and sit all around me as I put out fresh suet bits for them. One of the nuthatches has also taken to coming in quickly, picking up a big bit, and flying off to enjoy the feast in private.

Seeing the birds around makes me feel a bit like Francis of Assisi must have felt when the animals and birds were all around, not that I have any delusions about who I am. There is such happiness to be found in the company of birds and beasts.

In the downstairs of the cabin, usually wherever I am, there is the Princeling, sitting on the table while I quilt, or spread full length on my chest when I try to sit in the comfortable chair by the window to read, his face a few inches from mine, his paws tucked in, a loud purring emanating from him, and a look of complete contentment on his face. He is a heavy cat these days-the size of a Norwegian Forest Cat, along with the thick multi-layered fur, a pointed face, and a huge ruff.

I am going to go sit outside now and drink my coffee, with my Merlin app recording to see if the robin is about. After that, a quilting day awaits.