Sunday Birds

This Summer Tanager hasn't come in close enough for a good shot. Since it is a first for me, I'm still excited.

I believe this is a female Baltimore oriole and if so, it is another first for me. Your opinion please. 

Where there is a female painted bunting, there must be a male. Waiting impatiently for him to show up.

This tufted titmouse was a little nicer and posed on the fence. 

Linking to The Bird D-Pot

It's Saturday!

This is a picture with a variety of critters. Mama horse, baby colt, geese, and brown-headed cowbirds. 

Roosters on a rail.

Mama cow enjoying some of that green green grass of spring.

Linking to Saturday Critters

Weekend Roundup - S

Today's assignment: Starts with S, Favorite, and Straight.

Starts with S: SKY starts with S. The picture doesn't do it justice, but this was an amazing SIGHT to SEE. It was right before a STORM rolled in. The horses were heading for SHELTER.

Favorite: My favorite SITE in my favorite city to visit. SAN FRANCISCO.

Straight: This driveway, which happens to be at SOUTHFORK Ranch. It's where the SERIES Dallas took place. The drive looks perfectly STRAIGHT to me.

Just Because: This happy little bird is an Upland SANDPIPER. 

And Finally: Since Mother's Day is this weekend, I thought I would post this SWEET message from my SON who chose to go to the beach rather than come visit his mother. Okay, so this was from this past SPRING and he hasn't avoided on this SPECIAL day. Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there.

Linking to The Weekend Roundup

It's Sunday - Birds

Here are a few of the feeder visitors this week. 

Mr. Mockingbird made sure the coast was clear before hopping down to eat his fill.

Mr. Cardinal hung out on the fence next to the feeder...

...while his woman enjoyed breakfast.

This Carolina Chickadee wanted to make sure the feeder offerings were up to his standards. I guess he approved. He hopped down and spent quite a while pecking at the seeds.

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the joys of spring.

Linking to The Bird D-Pot

Hay Barns

These barns are for storing hay to feed the cattle and horses during the winter. Yesterday I saw several ranchers in the hay fields getting ready for a new supply. 

Linking to The Barn Collective

Saturday Critters

Baby Critters

Linking to Saturday Critters

Weekend Roundup - R

Today's Assignment: Starts with R, Favorite, and Red.

Starts with R: ROOSTER starts with R. Sometimes, I would spend the night at Grandma's house. The early morning sound of the rooster's crow meant breakfast would soon be on the table. Grandma didn't serve cold cereal. She served a hearty breakfast of biscuits and gravy, sausage and/or bacon, eggs made to order, and pancakes with homemade syrup. YUM!

Favorite: Of course, my favorite has to be a horse. Meet ROCKET. Shh. He's still sleeping.

Red: This male cardinal certainly meets the RED criteria.

Just Because: Gus loves to bark at RABBITS and we have plenty. Good thing I'm not trying to grow a garden. Although I am going to grow tomatoes in a tub. I miss having a garden, but in Oklahoma there are lots of poisonous snakes. I fear they might hide under the plants.

And Finally: I've saved the best for last. Whiskey is a very photogenic horse, especially when you can see his REFLECTION in the pond. 

Linking to The Weekend Roundup 

It's Bird Day

I was so happy to see the hummingbirds were back, I failed to notice this was not the usual ruby-throated variety. In fact, turns out to be a black-chinned hummingbird. According to my bird book, they are not normally in eastern Oklahoma. I first spotted him on April 15th.

When the ruby-throated hummingbirds came, the black-throated disappeared. I guess he was only here due to migration. 

Linking to The Bird D-Pot

Horse, Bunny, Bull, Horse

The grass is always greener, or at least this horse thinks so.

This rabbit comes into our yard in the evenings. Gus, our dog, knows when it is time for him to show up and begs to go outside. Gus is inside a fenced area and the rabbit isn't. Gus barks his meanest bark possible and the rabbit merely sits there taunting him. Smart rabbit.

We saw this bull lounging in the sunshine. Had to stop and take his pic. He looks like a nice bull. Although, he could really be a cow. We didn't get out of the truck to find out. :)

Time for a cool drink of water on a hot day.

For those kind enough to leave a comment, please know I do appreciate you and will visit your blog when I can. I have RA and carpal tunnel, which makes it difficult to type.

Linking to Saturday Critters

Weekend Roundup - Q

Today's assignment: Starts with Q, Favorite, Quantity.

Starts with Q: My favorite time of day is sunrise. When the weather allows, I like to have morning coffee on the porch and watch the day unfold. It's my QUIET time.

Favorite: Oklahoma and Texas had 20+ tornadoes this week. This was my view from the front porch while the sirens were going off. The poor horses stood out in the pouring rain and wind. Not sure why. They looked miserable. Fortunately, no tornadoes touched down at our place.

Quantity: A large QUANTITY of pelicans stopped by the lake during migration.

Linking to The Weekend Roundup

Saturday Ramble

In keeping with social distancing while trying to get out and enjoy the beautiful day, we went for a drive. We drove from home, down to Tishomingo, up through Wapanuka, and back home. Our short road trip took us by the eagle's nest. I couldn't see the babies, but either mama or papa was standing guard.

We also drove by the lake where we saw 2 great egrets, a blue heron, and a flock of double-crested cormorants.  I got one pic of three, although I think there are actually four...

...but when I tried to get a pic of the whole flock, they flew.

Hope everyone is finding fun things to do while social distancing. Stay well!

Linking to Saturday Critters

The Weekend Roundup - P

Today's assignment is P: Starts with P, Favorite, and Pair.

Starts with P: PIANO starts with P. This one is at my granddaughter's university. 

Favorite: Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love to take pics of critters and especially birds. Yesterday, we were driving one of our favorite back roads which goes by a small lake. On the far side were hundreds of American White PELICANS. They are only here during migration. Sadly, they were all on the far side, so had to rely on my zoom to get a few decent pics.

Pair: This is one fine-looking PAIR of mules pulling this wagon. 

Just Because: Since we are all social distancing and the restaurants are closed, I'm posting a bucket of PEANUTS from our favorite steak house. Looking forward to another visit when we are all back to normal.

And Finally: Happy to have found this PIED-billed Grebe enjoying this sunny day. 

Linking to The Weekend Roundup

Randomosity

The Good: When I lived near my daughter, we used to have cooking contests. Gumbo was the subject of one. The gumbo recipe I used required the rice to be added to the pot, which I did. The designated time for daughter to show up with her version came and went. Her late arrival caused my rice to swell up and turn into a thick mess, while hers was perfectly fine. I say, not fair! 

I haven't made gumbo since until this past weekend. This recipe called for the gumbo to be spooned over the rice on the plate. I like this version much better. Since we are social distancing, I made do with what I had in the pantry and freezer. Instead of andouille sausage, I only had boudin. It is spicier and I think tasted much better. I also had a chicken breast that needed to be used, so added it in with the sausage and shrimp. It was very tasty! Hubby even ate leftovers, which he doesn't normally enjoy. 

The Random: In order to get out of the house and still stay away from people, we often go for drives in the country on nice days. Yesterday was a warm and sunny day. However, as we drove out of the drive, I noticed clouds gathering. We decided to go anyway. But, by the time we came back, it was pouring down rain. This wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, except we have horses in front of our house and 2 gates to get through between the road and home. Guess who wasn't driving and thus required to open gates? Yep, me. 

The Fun: There is nothing better than watching the horses being playful, unless it is colts running around the pasture. Sadly, we don't have colts, but enjoy the horses' antics. Yesterday morning they were having a little fun out by the pond.

Linking to Random-osity