The Woodpeckers Welcomed us Home

All of the birds have been busy visiting us since we got home. They were fed while we were gone ---but when I'm home, I spoil them with extra fruits and nuts. SO---I'm sure they missed me!!!!

We have had FIVE Woodpeckers at our feeders just since we got home on Saturday. All of them love the peanut suet (which I have on three different feeders). One of my favorite woodpeckers, the Red-headed Woodpecker, came to the feeder --but I didn't get his picture... Darn!! Hope he comes back soon!!! In the meantime though, here are pictures of the other four, taken this week.

Above is one of our many Red-bellied Woodpeckers. He likes the suet feeder attached to one of our house feeders. They are year-round visitors (except for the fact that they disappeared for a month of two in early spring ---probably mating). Below are more!

I love the little Downy Woodpeckers. They are small---and they love the wire suet feeder. Thanks to MARY , I added some wood at the bottom of the feeder for them to sit on while eating. Isn't he a cutie?

You can barely see this woodpecker. He was playing "Peek-A-Boo" with me!!!! He's a Northern Flicker... You can see part of him hanging under the house feeder.

Here's another picture of the Northern Flicker ---as he left the feeder and flew to a nearby tree. These are gorgeous birds, don't you think? I'm so glad that they feel safe enough to come to the feeders.

And finally, here are three pictures of one of my all-time favorite birds, the Pileated Woodpecker. This silly bird is almost too big to do the things he wants to do. In this picture, he was trying to get to the wire suet feeder--by balancing himself on the clothes line above. He was really struggling! I just laughed and laughed!

While he was 'trying' to balance himself on that clothes line, he was using his wings --like we do our arms when we are in a similar situation. Wish you could have seen him. The pictures aren't very clear because I was laughing so hard.. BUT---you'll get the idea what he was trying to do!

He finally got some bites and stayed there for awhile just looking around. He was probably wondering why I was laughing at him. Shame on me!!!!!!

Hope you enjoyed seeing some of my Woodpeckers. I love all of my birds--but the Woodpeckers are very special!!!!

Hugs,

Over the Ocean

As I mentioned, this is the fourth year we have gone to the Islander Inn at Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Every year is a little different from the previous year. The picture above of the MOON over the ocean was taken LAST year. Look at the next picture to see where the moon was this year!!!!!

Look up---at the top of the picture... Can you see the moon????? It's there for us this year---during the DAYTIME... Not quiet the same, is it???? ha

Uh Oh----what's that in the sky above those beach houses, as we faced inland??? Looks like some rain may be coming!!!! (NOTE: Another thing we love about Ocean Isle is that the island consists of lots and lots of houses --like those pictured above-- and NO big high-rises. Well---there is ONE high-rise on the south end, but that is ALL, and we hope that no more high-rises are ever allowed to be built here. Unfortunately, that is what has happened to the Cherry Grove area in South Carolina. What a shame!!!! Progress!!!! BAH!)

The rains are getting closer to the beach!! (We only had one day of rain while there, and we really enjoyed watching and listening to the rain.)

A couple of people managed to walk on the beach during the rain---and it was NOT us. We sat on our balcony and just enjoyed it while staying DRY.

Late in the afternoon, after the rain, guess what???? The SUN came out in the west. AND...

guess what we saw?????? WOW---it's a DOUBLE RAINBOW... How gorgeous is that!!!! We were so excited ---and I think we took a zillion pictures of it. I was upset for not seeing a 'Night' moon this year, but after seeing the rainbow---I was definitely a 'happy camper'... Thank You, God!!!!

What happens after a good rain????? Well---this was the next morning---and everything outside was as clear as a bell, and very very clean, with almost no humidity. Talk about the perfect day---after a good rain!!!!

SO--what did we see 'over the ocean'???? We saw a MOON (even if it was during the day), some CLOUDS, the RAIN, a wonderful RAINBOW, and then the SUNSHINE. See what we enjoy when we go to the beach?????? Of course, there's alot more ---but that is for another post!!!

Have a wonderful day, and please take a minute to remember a couple of people today: Dorothy's son, Joe, who was severely burned in an accident; and Darla's Daddy, who has cancer and heart problems. And don't forget the people who lost so much in the floods throughout Tennessee. Thanks!

Hugs,