Hummers At Play

I have a hummingbird feeder at home and it is guarded closely by a somewhat rare breed called a Lucifer Hummingbird. I used to call her Violet, due to her bright purple head but come to find out, she is a he. So now, I just call him Peanut.
I digress.
I wanted to add another feeder at my house so maybe the other birds could get something to eat since the one I have is guarded by Peanut. I bought this little suction cup hanger that adheres to the window and you hang your feeder off of it. I was unable to use at home because all of our windows have sun screens on them and there was nothing for the suctions to stick to. I have a window in my office nook but it faces the back of the shop where all of the trucks are parked and come and go.
I brought it to the office and thought "what the heck!". I wasn't really expecting to get any visitors. Although our company is nestled within a neighborhood with plenty of plants and flowers, it's very noisy and thought they might be too shy if they even found it.
I secured it to the bars on the outside of my window and watched and waited all day. The next morning I had one!!!! I think we were both screaming with excitement when our eyes met.
Ever since that day, I have about three or so hummingbirds that fight for food. They each get a chance to eat. They visit me all morning and then come back in the late afternoon.
I can't tell you how much I enjoy seeing them buzz around while I work.
The other day it was a bit balmy out, and one just hung out on top of the feeder chillin'. It was so cute! That's what the picture is above. It's not a very flattering angle of her. She looks like a sparrow, but it really is a hummingbird. :)
I brought my little video camera to work to see if I could catch them on tape. It's a bit unsteady, but you still get a glimpse at what I see all day.
Enjoy!

Sisters...

Just a few short month's ago, my mom broke down and decided to get a dog. I think it was a very healthy decision. She needed a companion around the house now that Fred has passed. After many months of searching on petfinders.com website she found one she wanted to meet. (Well, she found another one, but waited too long to contact and by the time she did, the dog was adopted out already. But we aren't going to tell Bella, that would be rude.) We brought Paige, my dog, with us to meet the new dog. They got along great, which was a good start. Because Paige and I spend a lot of time at my mom's and if they didn't get along, it wouldn't work. Paige is ten and a half or so and Bella is just a youngster of a year, maybe a year and a half. She's had a hard life. She had She had already had at least one litter of puppies and maybe even one before that. She was picked up by pound and had her babies there. She greeted us as if to say "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I have been waiting for you!" We went home and slept on our decision.

The next morning it was unanimous, we had a new member to the family. We arranged to pick her up the next weekend and went on a shopping frenzy preparing for her like it was a newborn coming home from the hospital! It truly was exciting. Fred would have liked her. But as we soon came to find out, she wouldn’t have like him very much…

She had a name that just didn’t flow off our tongues, so we renamed her to Bella. The original name started with a B too, but I can’t remember what it was. My mom and I picked her up and brought her back to the house. I was anxious for D to meet her so I asked him to stop by and say hi. From the minute that gentle giant came in the door she ran the farthest away from him she could. It was then apparent that she had been abused. D persisted on proving that he came in peace but by the shaking and trembling of her body she wasn’t buying it. Fred and D are about the same build, so that is why I say she wouldn’t have liked Fred very much either.

Time has passed and she has gotten used to him, as well as other men that come around.

Fast forward to the present evening as I watch her while my mom is in Tucson visiting family with family. Bella has settled into her own and tolerates Paige, but refuses to play with her. She gives her the evil stink eye every chance she gets. There have been a few teeth snarls and couple mishaps, but no blood shed. They have been vying for a spot on this leather dog bed all day, even though there are two beds side by side. Paige has been dominating it and Bella finally got her chance on it. Paige walked right up to her and laid her butt down on that dog bed with her. They were spooning, but only one of them was feelin’ it. She jumped up when I went to get my camera phone.

Ahhhhh, sisters.......

Jenny Lewis Concert

Went to see Jenny Lewis play at the Marque this Saturday in Tempe with Valerie. The Marque took me back to my high school days of watching bands in obscure locations. It was a temperature breaking weekend and I was a bit worried. But they had fans going and the air seemed to move quite well. Music was loud. That has to be the first time in my life that I thought to myself, "I wish I had some earplugs..." I must be getting old.
At the wise age of 35 with a birthday coming up in the next few months, I was still older than most of the college grads there. I was happy to see a few people from older generations as well. And by older, I mean, older than mine.
I can't take credit for the picture. It was just too hot to even wear a bra and underwear, more or less carry a camera!
For the record, I did wear underwear. ;)
It was a nice break of the monotony and had me yearning for another concert to attend. I read on a paper flyer someone handed me on my way in that the Cowboy Junkies are coming this week...hmmmmmm...