I had a paper route when I was 12 years old and every morning I was out and about delivering the Beckley Post Herald to my 30 or so subscribers in Lewisburg, WV. Lewisburg is limestone country with rich soil, a soil that supports a large night crawler population. On warm, wet mornings, the night crawlers were all over the streets and I had to swerve my bike to keep from running over them. … [Read more...]

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31   The above is one of my favorite bible verses. The very poorest people of that day couldn’t afford sheep or goats for religious sacrifices, … [Read more...]

There are approximately 5 million of us who enjoy backyard bird watching to some degree and it’s hard to watch and observe without scattering a few seeds. As a mater of fact, according to the 2014 Wild Bird Feeding Industry research, 3 million Americans bought bird seed totaling $6.3 billion. Since money – and birdseed – doesn’t grow on trees, we birders need to get the most bang for our bucks. … [Read more...]

Who would ever name a bird “titmouse?” The poor little tufted titmouse has nothing in common with a mouse, or the other part of its name. The regal little bird with the crest should have been named the silver prince or something equally as distinguished, But it’s name is the tufted titmouse and we always have them at our feeder. About 10 years ago, I was blessed to witness the fledging of a … [Read more...]

Some of the most entertaining birds in our back yard are the blue jays. Jays often get bad press because they will bust up nests of other birds. They are very opportunistic and will kill baby birds and eat other bird eggs if given the chance. But they are one of the smartest birds on the planet and I enjoy sharing my back yard with a small, resident flock. Recently, I was in the backyard … [Read more...]

On the second day of Christmas somebody’s true love gave a gift of Two Turtle Doves. Personally, I’d rather have a gift certificate to Chili’s, but to each his own. True turtle doves are European natives. A migratory species, they spend their summers across Europe and the Middle East while wintering in southern Africa. We don’t have turtle doves in the states. What some call turtle doves are … [Read more...]

Fall is the time for local homeowners to prepare their yards and gardens for the coming winter and upcoming spring. Tending to a few simple tasks in the next month or two assures a vibrant and healthy lawn. Yet, fall can be a busy time for many homeowners. There are school activities, preparations for the holidays and the daylight hours get progressively shorter. Need a little help? Then call … [Read more...]

We had a bumper crop of tomatoes this summer – both large tomatoes and the smaller, cherry tomatoes. Our vines were still producing as the first frost approached, so we picked each green tomato that night and brought them indoors. We have since been eating these tomatoes on tossed salads as they ripen in the house. Brown paper bags work great as incubators for the green tomatoes. Simply clean … [Read more...]

For some unknown reason, deer like to cross Route 29 North near my house. And a good many don’t make it. Recently I saw a decent buck alongside the road, which had challenged a passing car and came in second. But his carcass wouldn’t be around long. I also saw 10 black buzzards waiting their turn at the buffet line. They were on mop up duty. If there is an uglier bird than a buzzard, I would … [Read more...]

I love the Monty Python crew and shenanigans. I especially enjoyed their classic movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. In the movie, one of the nights is dubbed Brave Sir Robin, even though he was a coward. The hilarious scene went something like this. Minstrel: [singing] Brave Sir Robin ran away... Sir Robin: No! Minstrel: [singing] bravely ran away away... Sir Robin: I … [Read more...]