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It has only been a few days since I filled the bird feeders. Apparently, there’s a great communications network among our feathered friends because every day we get more, and different, bird visitors.

These are Northern Cardinals. They are very common. But I like the picture so I am sharing.

It was only after I snapped the photo of the male that I noticed the female sitting on the cat’s head. Did you notice the bird on the cat’s head before I said anything?

As for the new visitors…

Here’s a Downy Woodpecker with its back to the camera.

We had a Wren visit today, too. Look closely, it is hanging off the end of the feeder.

Here’s another shot with the Wren on top of the feeder. Every time I see this picture, I think to myself, “I wonder what they are looking at?”

Here’s an American Goldfinch. These are the little birds that turn really yellow in the Spring and Summer.

There are two American Goldfinches in this shot. One is on the twig beyond the Cardinal and the other is above the feeder.

At one point, there were five male Cardinals in the yard. That’s why, I think, there’s a Cardinal in so many of these shots.

Speaking of the Cardinals, here’s one next to a Junco (on right, in center of image). If you’ve never seen a Junco, this’ll give you an idea as to how small they are.

And speaking of Juncos… this one was a very pretty, dark one. They come in various shades. Juncos usually travel in small flocks, so there’re typically several in the yard at any given time. They’re ground feeders, too, which is why there aren’t a lot of pictures of the Juncos on the feeders.

Wonder what new bird(s) we’ll see tomorrow?

So, earlier today, as I was pondering what to blog about, I actually considered poop as a topic. Mostly because at the time I was thinking one of the best things about winter is frozen poop. It is so much easier to pick up that way. I quickly decided poop wasn’t a great topic. Then, THEN, as I sat down to write this, I checked someone else’s blog first. When I commented, the secret password I had to type was “poopho.” Like, I’m a poop ho!

Sorry, I am easily amused by weird stuff.

I do have pics to post today. Quite a hodgepodge, really.

What’s this? An accident scene? Nope. They’re Eric’s toy fire trucks. The grand kids LOVE them. Double thanks go to Mawsie and Pop (my parents) for saving the things AND installing fresh batteries before bringing them to my house when they heard we were having grandchildren.

I haven’t talked much about Hubby lately. He was kind enough to let me take this picture of him last night. That’s ’cause I was whining about having to work all day and not being able to take any cool pictures to blog about.

So, like, he knew I was going to post this picture on my blog. And he still let me take it. He’s cool like that. And he loves me. What’s love got to do with it? He doesn’t want all of my adoring fans to think I’m a loser for having nothing to post about and/or a picture-less post.

Speaking of Hubby… you know the cool bird feeder that you see in most of my bird pics? You know, the big one…

He made that for me for Christmas one year. It has a little, removable copper roof over a bin that holds two quarts of seed. Isn’t it awesome? It’s way better than any old bird feeder you could buy.

To the untrained eye, this is a nice picture. It’s a good snapshot. But it’s nowhere near the quality of a salable image. I shot it through a window with a zoom lens and wasn’t using a tripod. A tripod is a must for high-quality, zoom lens work. Even the slightest shake is magnified, causing blur. But they’re okay pics for my blog.

That red bird is a Northern Cardinal, by the way.

I like this Cardinal pic better. Still no tripod, but I was outside for this one.

Here’s another through-the-window shot. I Photoshopped it a bit to make it clearer, but it’s still not a high quality image.

This image is better. It’s clearer. That’s a Tufted Titmouse on the left and a Black-capped Chickadee on the right.

This is a White-breasted Nuthatch. I was outside for this shot, too.

I’m on a mission to get a picture of all the different birds that come to our yard. The hawks will be the biggest challenge.

I told you it doesn’t take much to amuse me…

The good news is, I’m feeling much better. Not 100%, but better. My head still feels all clogged up, but I guess that’ll pass in time. I did work yesterday, which is good. I’m working today, too, which is also good.

Unfortunately, that’s about all the excitement I have to talk about.

Riveting, eh?

Perhaps today will bring all sorts of cool stuff to blog about. One never knows. Check back later if you want to see how today pans out.

I can’t breathe. My eyes are watering. My nose HURTS from all the wiping. The trashcans are filling up with used Kleenex…

TMI? Okay, I’ll be more succinct. I’m still sick.

I don’t know where this cold came from. (Eric, I think, but I can’t be sure.) It doesn’t matter really. I’ll get better. But for now, I’m happy. Since I am sick and there’s not a lot for me to do at the office, I took a sick day. What a day to be sick. I can lay on the couch, all snuggled up with my critters, and watch TV.

That’s not usually a very appealing thought. Since usually I’d be stuck watching stuff like Jerry Springer, or reruns of old movies, or perhaps a How It’s Made marathon. But today, I have a warm, front row seat to the most historic inauguration in history.

I’m not a political person. I didn’t vote for Obama. But how can you not be moved by this occasion?

I’m a sentimental sap. I admit it. But this is huge.

The National Mall is a sea of people. It’s been packed for hours despite below-freezing temperatures. I can only imagine the energy.

There was a very old African American man on the news last night. He’s lived through a lot. Just imagine what this day means to him. A man who himself picked cotton. A man who himself was told, numerous times, he wasn’t good enough to be in the company of white folks.

Can you imagine, really, what this day means for him and others like him?

I’m not thrilled to have a Democrat in power. But I am thrilled by what today represents. And now, I’m going to sit back, wait for the drugs to kick in, and enjoy it.

Most of my readers know my longtime friend, Carol. Carol’s niece, Kelsey, is not as familiar. But she’s familiar to me. Kelsey is a year or so older than my baby, Eric. I still remember the shock when I learned she was getting married. Where does the time go!?! Then I learned she was to become a mother. Kelsey, a Mom? Wow.

Here’s a picture of Kelesy with her hubby, Larry, and 4-month-old daughter, Madison.

Don’t they make an adorable family?

I met Larry very briefly a couple of weeks ago when he stopped by my house to pick something up for the baby. It was midday, the dog was barking, and I was in the middle of work, so we didn’t exactly get to visit. But from stories Carol tells, he’s a very nice guy. The perfect complement for Kelsey. He also happens to be an Iraq war veteran who barely escaped the war with his life.

Why am I telling you all this? ‘Cause they got invited to an inaugural ball and made the news as a result. Watch the video to see for yourself.

Isn’t she gorgeous? I still can’t believe our little Kelsey is a wife. And a Mom! But it all sure seems to agree with her.

Well, the Ravens lost to the Steelers today.

This picture, which was sent to me by e-mail by my cousin last week, pretty much sums things up.

Family photo day was fun. Actually, the photo shoot was a ruse. My mother in law got some old 8mm film converted to DVD and she wanted the family to see it together. It was lots of fun.