eyesview: The Nesting Place

The Nesting Place......a visit to my brother and sister-in-laws home

Going to my brother and sister-in-laws house is like visiting a small nature commune. The birds that grace his yard range from the Bluebirds that return each spring to raise their multiple broods, Blue jays, Gold Finch, Downy & Pileated Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Robins, Purple Finch , Humming birds and of course the ever present Starling. The yard is filled with squirrels, which some have become quite tame coming up to your feet. This year even the baby squirrel visited my brothers' leg, quickly scampering up for him to hold and pet.

Phil & Deb

This squirrel came up to my leg, where I got freaked, thought he may be rabid and bite! At the time I didn't know just how tame some of these guys were....sorry little guy!

The yard is full of trees and the gardens free of weeds, but filled with flowers. Bird baths, bird feeders and bird houses grace the property in multiple shapes and sizes. Collecting bird houses is one passion of my sister-in-laws'. Her first passion is her cats; better known as "her children", of which she has seven. I would name them but I have a hard time remembering my own name.

Pea-Pea

It seems like a contradiction having birds and cats, but Mother Nature always has her world balanced. The cats lay in wait, stalking the feathered friends, while on the other side the birds sense the cats and spread their wings and fly away. The proverbial cat and mouse game... so to speak.

The drive up to my brothers is very scenic, lots of horse farms, large expanses of lush land, fields and woodland. Something that is becoming sparse everywhere. The drive is a pleasure to the eyes and soul, traveling into the open space free of blacktop and buildings.

A horse farm in the distant acres of land;

One of the estates along the way;

This is one of the many Christmas tree farms planted along the way;

One of the seven kids gracing the front door;

Buffy

Rounding the sidewalk along the driveway garden there are flowering grasses;

another child sunning or laying in wait for a mouse?;

Yoi

delicate blue flowers adding specks of color to the autumn foliage;

the garden sphere standing lonesome without the clematis blooming around it; the clematis & day lilies in bloom;

blossoming balloon plants interesting indeed;

the prey mantis looking for a place to cocoon her eggs for the return of spring, and in the summer the lantana in bright yellow blooms;

the garden horse and buggy vane with the hummingbird feeders hanging beneath it;

the ivy along the drive and the house wall and the face ornaments in Terra cotta, you might even see a frog leaving his abode

and one garden fly....

along the ivy wall the decorative pots and geraniums

and the sitting porch outside the basement doorway that keeps the eye moving, catching all kinds of decorations;

some birdhouses tucked into a corner...

& in flower pots with little tiny watering cans

that actually work!

Heading around the other side of the house the bricked walkway leads up to a rose covered trellis with birdhouses at its' base and in the background;

Ivy covered bird houses;

a stepping stone here.....

a birdbath there...

even an ivy covered dinner bell!

the Nuthatch walking down the tree;

a majestic Blue Jay pecking seed from the ground;

Gold Finch eating till their hearts content;

the purple finch....

even the Hummingbird gets a drink now and then;

Inside the house a variety we'll see of knick-knacks, flowers, birdhouses and cat figurines.

the fireplace with its' summer dress....

tiny birdhouses tucked in the armouir

steeple birdhouses

game pieces of topiaries and watering cans

birdhouses with trim

going into the kitchen the window sill holds tiny little houses and a corn husk doll

a shelf holds recipes, roosters, baskets & books

fresh flowers on the table

miniture replicate houses on one side of the door

the other, white birdhouses on stands

then onto the sun porch and off to the right I see the nieghbors' cat, who came for a call

Tucker and/or Dudley!

the sun porch quaint, decorated in white with bird houses, weather vanes, colorful Zinnias so bold and so bright

During the visit I took a walk to see what nature had to offer in the neighboring lots. This is what my camera lens found while looking over the land and sky.

Butterflies gathering nectar in the open field;