Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Doo Doo Doo Lookin' Out My Backdoor

Well, not my backdoor.
Not anymore. 


I spent the weekend with my parents in my childhood home.
Growing up, I loved my backyard, but I never remember it being as entertaining as it is now. 
There's so much going on between the birds, squirrels, plants, and neighbors
I could spend hours just staring out that backdoor... and usually do.
Join me for look?



I miss blue jays. 
My dad doesn't like them - they steal the squirrel's peanuts. I think we've convinced Daddy they need to eat, too.


But he's still partial to the squirrels, even though they mistake his thumb for a peanut every once in a while. 
I took my standard photos of the squirrels with the peanuts, but my favorite is the one above.
Peanuts make me thirsty, too.


Morning Glories grow rampant on a section of chain link fence - these spiral buds caught my eye.


But of course I took some of them in full Morning Glory glory. 


When I was little, we had a succession of blue parakeets just like this one, all named "Pete".  
I wonder if this one escaped from someone's house? 
It's been coming around to Daddy's feeder for a few weeks now.


Tom spotted this Blue Jay taking a dip.


"I just washed my hair and can't do a thing with it!"


This fig bush is older than I am. It grew from a cutting in my Great-Grandmother's yard, so as my dad said, technically it's even older than the house.


Pete came back several times while I was there, to my delight.


One of the neighbors celebrated a birthday. How could I resist taking this shot of all these girls in their tutus playing on the trampoline? 
I especially love the little cowgirl ballerina, don't you?

Hope you had a wonderful weekend, too!


Whoo-hoo! 


I've been honored with a Post of the Week from Hilary at the Smitten Image for my backyard tour.
Thank you, Hilary!!!







27 comments:

  1. I love these photos, Barbara. There sure is a lot of life happening back at your old home.

    That parakeet is surely lost and won't make it through cold weather if/when it approaches. Maybe your dad could hang a few posters around the neighbourhood announcing that it comes around to eat at his feeder. I'll bet someone is missing that little sweetie very much.

    All of my childhood budgies had the same name, also.. Vicky. :)

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    1. Actually, there are quite a few of these parakeets flying around, I've heard. Even some larger ones. I'm wondering if they've started migrating to and from Mexico?

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    2. Oh, and what color were the "Vicky"s?

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  2. i am loving that little blue parakeet! hopefully he'll survive with the help of feeders around town. :)

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    1. I think they're thriving in that area! The suburbs are the place to be these days, I think!

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  3. Look at that parakeet!!! Love all the shots, but that parakeet is fantastic!

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    1. Thanks, Ms. A. I was told there was a flock of parakeets congregating in different spots in Deer Park last year. Did you ever see them?

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  4. They were always blue.. just like this little one.

    That's interesting about migrating from Mexico. Could well be, I suppose. I never thought of them as wild.. in North America, anyway. And I didn't think they were native to Mexico. Must Google.. ;)

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  5. What glorious flower shots! That blue jay is delightful but it's Pete who has stolen my heart!

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    1. A couple of years ago a greenish yellow parakeet kept coming around. As pretty as it was, I kept hoping for a "Petie Bird" to come around. Got my wish!

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  6. I wish we had a few Pete's around here, but much too cold come winter. LOVE the cowgirl ballerina! So much action going on in your folks backyard. I'm sure they stay very entertained!

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    1. They do! It's hard for them to get anything done, and I understand why! I stayed mesmerized!

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  7. Oh my goodness Barbara! Growing up, we had a succession of parakeets, and yes, each one was named Pete! What a strange coincidence!

    How fortunate you are to be able to go back to your childhood home, and experience what you may have missed as a child. Your photographs are wonderful, and thank you so much for taking us along!

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    1. I love that your parakeets were all Petes, too! How funny! I do feel fortunate to still go back to my childhood home... except when I lived there, it was full of Beagles and we hardly had any trees. Now that I think of it, we did have a big honeysuckle vine and a passion flower vine, though, and one year I had a tall row of sunflowers. Guess it's always been pretty special!

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  8. Barbara, these photos are all so, so good! Blue Jays can be kind of aggressive, but they are pretty birds. That parakeet must be on the lam, huh? I've never, ever seen one in the wild. Those little ballerinas are beyond adorable.

    Congrats on getting POTW! You deserve it.

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    1. Thanks for telling me about the POTW, Gail! I've been working all day and haven't had time to make my rounds!! Yay! (Thanks, Hilary!!)

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  9. My mother in law feels the same way about blue jays -- she just can't stand them! Lol. Lovely photos from your parents' home -- amazing story about the fig tree. I had no idea they lived so long.

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    1. Thanks, Nancy! I know the jays can be mean, but gosh, their feathers are so beautiful!

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  10. very cool perspective on the morning glories...and i love squirrels!!!! congrats on the POTW!

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    1. Thanks, Brian. I love squirrels, too, vermin though they are.

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  11. Love the squirrels! Congrats on the POTW!

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  12. these photos are all delightful

    I love the tutu girls
    and the bird washing his hair

    just lovely

    brava on POTW

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    1. Thanks, Dianne! I couldn't resist taking a photo of those little ballerinas!!

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  13. Barbara, I enjoyed my visit to your sweet blog. lovely photos! Our bird bath has been a busy place lately too. Love that last photo of the girls in their tutus on the trampoline. Hugs

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