Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Hump Day


NO!  Say it isn't so!

I took this picture not 20 minutes ago, coming back from the feed store, a mile from our house on the levee over Stranger Creek Valley, with bean fields on either side. 
SNOW! 

The weatherman said yesterday that we would get a blast today, the last blast for a while. 
As you see, there is no sun. 


Side view to the north, looking over the bean fields to 24/40 highway a mile away. Normally you can see the cars from County Road 6, where I was. 

It's already over, thank heavens. 

It would have been the straw that broke the camel's back for this woman. 


We will not be feeding from an open platform this year after the winter. 
It has created a huge area of spilled seed, and it's this that draws the hordes. 
The starlings prevent the other birds from getting anything, except that I put seed out for the little ones early 
in the morning and late in the evening, for the last feeders, the cardinals, juncoes and mourning doves. 

I'm going to invest in two nice feeders with spacious sides for the birds to perch on.  We'll make it just a tad harder for them to work for their food. 

Remember that I showed you the full feed can on Thursday? 

It is empty today.  I just got back from the feed store, fetching more. 

It's an expensive hobby. 

As soon as I finish this post, I'm going out to shovel (again) in the old henyard, and 
put some fresh straw and some prairie hay out, so the ducks can finally leave
the henhouse.  They are miserable penned in there, and they have created a mess. 
In fact, I'm going to have to go to Garnett and get grandson Chris to come up and help dig it out... it's solid pack of wet straw and partially frozen, but will thaw the next few days. 


The sun has tried to peek through off and on all day. 


This is the wild area across from our house, ten acres never developed.  It belongs to a chuch who has intended to build on it as long as we've lived here. 
There is an entrance up the road to the right. 
So... file this under Strange Country Stories. 

People think that because we are in the country, anything can be dumped here. 
Dogs, cats... these are routine.  Trash. Christmas trees. 

So, Keith got a call from the Emergency Manager of Leavenworth County, a friend of his. 

Someone dumped a truckload of human excrement up here. 
Can you believe that? 

I heard machinery coming from there a week or so ago and thought it was strange, in the middle of a snow event. 

It has already been cleaned up, but, my gosh. 

We reported roadkill deer being dumped there by KDOT workers two years ago, and they 
were cleaned up promptly after we complained... it just goes to show. 

I happened to look out the window a few minutes ago and did not see any starlings at the feeder. 
I did, however, see this. 



For this poor little fella to be out in the middle of the day in the middle of the yard, he must be very, very hungry.  I don't know whether to go out to put new seed down for him... I am sure he is digging through what's out there... or to put the last of the bread from the pantry out.  I feel so very sorry for all the wildings, and so grateful that Lilly, who was asleep on the porch, did not smell this little creature and kill it. 

I can't tell if there is a baby clinging to it's back, and I have taken several pictures. 

I will post as I can for the next few days.  I hope to get out there in a few minutes and get the ducks sprung. 
I'm going to put their lettuce out for them so that the chickens won't gang up and eat it... the ducks go nuts when they see it.  I can also kiss off my duck eggs because they will freeze outside if I can even find them, and I have enjoyed getting them clean from the henhouse for the last week! 

I'm going to put some bread out in case the possum comes back to eat... it's still out there, moving slowly... I'm glad it found the seed. 

Everyone stay safe, and our friends in the southeast... our sympathy is with you as this storm batters you again... and our prayers. 


9 comments:

  1. Mary Ann,

    It sounds to me like maybe someone has been dumping their septic removal over at that property. I bet a company is being lazy and not getting rid of it properly.

    I absolutely hate when people dump their trash, trees, tires, animals ect.......in wooded areas. I'm constantly picking up trash people get rid of when their to lazy to wait until they get home.

    With the snow it's hard for so many critters to find food. Possum found your bird seed, don't be surprised if you don't find him/her in your hen house later.

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  2. I don't like it when people dump stuff on our country road. No excrement though, thank goodness. Just animals & trash, mostly. You are such a kind hearted sole, it's nice that you are. I think there are so very few who are these days.

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  3. Oh my gosh,it never fails to amaze me what people will do. Bless you for taking care of that possum. I like those little guys. They don't hurt anybody. My daughter and husband are flying to Kansas this weekend to look at a job on Hays. Hope the weather clears up for them.

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  4. That would be an expensive hobby when you have a flock of starlings like that coming to eat. This winter is so hard on everything and every one. Take care doing all those chores you have ahead of you.

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  5. Hi Mary Ann,,
    We came across a possum not long ago- and it was very smelly. I am surprised Lily did not smell it.
    That is just awful about the dumpers,,,, they dump stuff around here too,,, but a truck load of human waste! Gosh!
    You have such a big heart wanting to feed all the hungry animals.
    love
    tweedles

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  6. birds sure eat like pigs don't they? glad you only got a bit of snow. we are still not sure how much we will get from this southern storm.

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  7. We put up an ag bag of high moisture corn for the cows and now all our starlings have moved to that, there were hundreds of them up there today. I usually get quite a few blue jays that overcome my bird feeders so the littler birds can't get any when they are there.

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  8. My parents had two small feeding trays that attracted unbelievable numbers of birds and squirrels. They had such pretty birds--unlike here in the city. Most of the birds at the apartment complex are pigeons, doves, starlings, sparrows and crows. A blue jay occasionally shows up. They will eat you out of house and home if you don't pace the feeding!

    People will dump anything, but I believe human excrement is the worst I've heard of!

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  9. I can believe any thing Mary Ann. They dump on our road and it's a mini-highway to town.

    Those people have a lot of nerve.

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