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I was feeding the birds this morning and saw two wasps trying to make a nest about 14 feet up near the roof line and fireplace and noticed a hole through the plastic soffit, a hole that would easily accommodate rodents going into the roof again. 
That wasn’t there just last week, so something had to be making a place to nest in the attic. What is so weird was a couple nights ago it was about 2am as I sat at my desk and suddenly Ringo jumped up onto the outside window ledge looking up at the fireplace, it was like the dead had come alive, I jumped about a foot! I bet it was a mouse or rat scampering up. 
Ringo is supposed to be part of the natural pest control around here.
But anyway, as I looked at the hole I got paranoid about critters going up into the attic and had to do something. So since neither of my ladders was the right size, I borrowed one from the neighbor, it was a perfect size. I cut a piece of Adam’s VCR video plastic box and got superglue and steel wool, I heard rodents hate bumping into steel wool. So I shoved it through the hole and superglued the plastic over the hole. For now it will do the trick… I think. 
I filled in the area with more steel wool while Adam held me steady on the ladder. My neighbor who I borrowed the ladder from lives on the lake also and has put traps every fifteen feet around the perimeter of his house with rat dehydrating bait inside. I might have to try that too, though I am always hesitant with Ringo, what if he grabbed a poisoned rat, would he get poisoned too? That’s something that makes me weary.
As I sit here tonight, I only hope there were no rats in the roof that I have sealed, it’s so hot up there I don’t know why they would want to spend time melting. I do have four traps still up there that I re-bait and check every few weeks. After seeing a rat one in my bird feeder several months back, I know they can enjoy the benefits of left over bird food just like the raccoons. I don’t hear anything above me, yet and Ringo is behind me snoozing, I watch for his radar ears. When he looks concerned, I will too. 
Fishing was lousy, you would think I’d give up trying already rather than complain, but it was so nice out tonight, great breeze despite the fact it was 96 this afternoon. I did catch one shiner which Ringo promptly ate. After that is was a turtle race as usual. The fun part was watching the woodpecker come in to feed his yapping babies. They must be young as I see no faces looking out of the hole when the male leave. 
Here he is grabbing some cut up fries from Arby’s, he knows a good thing when he sees it. 
Here he is with the twins. And leaving 
and more in between! 
I enjoy watching their black and white jackets fly by. 
Have not seen any of the pileated, bigger woodpeckers lately.
just these red bellied cuties. And how about the hummingbird moth, they are so cooperative, I could easily hold it and stroke it’s little soft head. 
Over head were the usual plane routes, They fly right over my head, I always wonder if the Captain of one of the regular routes comes on and says, “see that lady down there fishing? She’s at it almost every night, that’s how I know I’m on the right path to the airport.”
Sometimes those planes are so very very low. 
How I wish I liked to get on them and could fly somewhere! But soon I will be making my way toward Tampa to see my Granddaughter’s birth, we are all so excited, she will be a tiny little birdie.
The afternoon heat has gotten to me, I have been able to mow most of the yard, but gave up feeling like a gallon of water was sweating off me. It’s just too intense, the sky is clear and blue –
I keep thinking about The Gulf of Mexico, I keep waiting for the actual break in the news saying it has been capped. But what does capping mean? Look in the past, they say over 27,000 old drilled wells could also be leaking:http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/07/national/main6653016.shtml (cut and paste) My brother in Key West also sent me photos of his last fishing trip 
showing oil sheen, whether it is associated with the leak??? Will only be a matter of time before they get it. The gov is saying it will be capped by the 27th, but in the meantime, the pollution to our water is significant and sickening. Sickening that more was not done sooner. I can only guess once they hit this “Mother Lode” some 70 + days ago, all that mattered is trying to keep as much oil as they could recapture. It didn’t matter. It doesn’t seem to matter to our president, BP seems to be in control, the bottom line is profit. It’s still a tragedy to me. It seems to really be taking a toll on sea turtles. Nad some whacko had the gall to behead sea turtles… for what purpose?
http://www.wesh.com/video/24177933/index.html
What is with this world of ours? I guess the best thing is to try and make others aware of what is happening in the news and also to give balance to the beauty of nature and what you can easily bring to your backyard, that’s my aim, to keep nature safe and CLEAN!
And for you to enjoy some photos along the way –
Have a wonderful weekend….
The mockingbird blasts the crow.
Don’t mess with doves, this interaction just out my window…
and that was that! Jays were forced out, AGAIN! (But only for a matter of minutes) — Now go make sure your birds have fresh water, they are thirsty
I voided my own rule of only using straight photography on my site, but thought I would leave you with my Abb-Strax, and photos of things, some I hope to sell one day soon on a website.
Ringo “in dreams” 
Last night went over to our very quaint Lake Mary Historical Museum, it has a doll show. All dolls were on loan. They had wax dolls and others over 100 years old. When I grew up, we had dolls like ‘Pitiful Pearl’, Shirley Temple, then on to Barbies, which were the most fun because of all the accessories. I remember having handmade clothes for my Barbies, I don’t know where my Mom bought them, only wish I still had them, I kept all my Barbie dolls and clothes and my mother gave them away while I was in college – bummer, I had wanted to save them for my Andrea. Oh well, that’s so almost 40 years ago – Never mind that psychological trauma, haha.
Here’s some pics.
That last one kind of looked ‘corpsey’.
This shows the bulk of the one room museum, it holds all the documentation for incorporating Lake Mary, Florida. It was used as a social hall for many years.
Ever hear of Golliwogs? They were black, male dolls and it became acceptable around the 1930’2 for boys to have dolls, but now they are called Gollys because golliwog has become an unacceptable racial term. I never knew these things. All I know is, little boys have little killing machines like GI Joe and metro sexual Ken to balance GI Joe’s aggressive behavior. Though I don’t remember my brother having a Ken at all. I know my young boys liked Stretch Armstrong so they could pull his arms and legs and punch him. 
My boys were more into video games and outdoor sports.
They had a lot of Barbies, I didn’t even know they beamed Barbie up to be with Captain Kirk and Spock. 
The exhibit is fun, the museum interesting, so go have a look if you are near Country Club and Lake Mary Blvd. Call them for their hours, they have odd opening times. 
These are really old. 
Now to wildlife, lots this morning, maybe because the storms are coming in later today. So many blackbirds, crows, cardinals. It sounds beautiful out there with the doors open.
Here’s a view:
The crow up on the branch was all alone until another joined it up there, they kissed 
Then stood together looking south. 
Then went to separate branches
then parted, hopefully on friendly terms.
The male heron was busy getting branches again, I enjoy watching his ability of manuvering them around the big branches up in the tree. He brings them to his wife and she shapes them in the nest. 
He them moves upward again and again. 
He passes it off and she in true female genetic glue, makes the nest a home. 
Look how large it has become.
So that’s it for the am, gotta go before it gets stormy. Kids are coming for weekend.
Here’s a few more pics. 
And this ballsy little grackle who walked right in the porch despite the cat and ate cat food as if to laugh right in Frankie’s face.
What a sense of humor these birds have! That’s why I have to take their pictures…
I can’t stand feeling so cold, but this am when I woke it was in mid thirties – I am a person who needs hibernation from the cold, (anything below 70 degrees) – but I guess that equates to wearing a short sleeved shirt under a turtle neck, under a sweater and my bathrobe, and panty hose under jeans and thick socks, and I am still cold with heat cranked to 74 degrees! I should have on my gloves as my hands are cold too. Actually I need to move and make energy, but sometimes it’s easier to sit and bitch.
I was standing in the kitchen and saw many shadows falling across the driveway. I grabbed my jacket over my bathrobe, sweater, turtleneck and t-shirt and ran out the back — crows were everywhere. Big big numbers of crows were settling in trees and then something would spook them and they would move. I enjoyed watching them and at one point they were over my head and I could hear splats of bird crap falling around me, my camera took a hit, but it was for a worthy cause, and yet, I really don’t think I got a photo to use for my crow exhibition in April.
After a while, I went back in and crawled back under the electric blanket and went into dreamsville set on high. so here’s a flavor of crows-
The crows were around for several hours. I would go out in short bursts taking in their huge numbers, snapping pics then retreating back to the heat inside. I enjoyed all the cawing coming from the sky and trees.
I did notice on the porch I had a bird, so I got my flea market net and tried to get it, but it was too bulky for what I needed to do. 
My hand worked better. 
Soon it was on it’s way to find it’s friends and I am glad that Ringo missed it.
He was looking the wrong way!
When I went to get the mail, my mailbox mockingbird was there sunning. It really is the best ‘poser’ — 
There were also lots of oleander caterpillers, so I am hoping we get lots of oleaner moths!
Did look up at the heron as she looked down at me 
And there were a few vultures near the crows just soaring around the lake on the wind currents. 
The first one had beautiful white tipped wings — So I leave now with a photo of Ringo who was enjoying the dying sunlight of late afternoon. 
As for me, the darkness has swallowed the light and the void is cold, damn cold. I think I will make some soup and hot tea, and watch the telly – tomorrow I will take pics at the Gateway. P/S , the fox hurried on through today. The humane society gave me the number for animal control for a trap, BUT, they did not know what the Animal Control does with the animal once they trap it, must know that answer. I am hoping it could be treated, and released somewhere it would have a chance to thrive…
I have very busy birds around here. In the morning, one very bossy woodpecker who thinks he owns the yard, comes to eat . He has a wife and a couple little “Woodys” up in the hole. The babies are demanding a lot of attention lately.
The woodpecker is the first at the stump in the morning when I put birdseed and old bread out. He doesn’t fool around, he doesn’t mind my close ups anymore, even poses for the camera. The female comes after he gets his bites first. 
Last year they nested in one of the bird boxes, this year they have moved to one of the dead trees still standing. They seem quite ambitious and move from hole to hole each time they lay eggs. The babies are now loud and hungry and demanding. Their little heads are out peeping loudly for more food. 
At one point they lived in another lower hole, now they have “moved on up” to the second from the top. Next year it might be the top.
The crow loves to harass the woodpecker, the mockingbirds and blue jays then harass the crows, it’s a vicious cycle all day long. When the other birds are chasing each, that’s when the doves and squirrels sneak in. 
It’s great seeing these birds perpetuate their generations inside my dead trees. They bring a three ring circus each day for my amusement, I train them well, don’t I… 
It’s hot out there, really hot, but felt like running up to the used bookstore in Sanford. Wanted to rumage around the shelves and see what was new. I stopped by the marina to see if anything was floating around, water was flat and nothing visible, not even ducks swimming. So I went toward the businesses up on the “island”. I can’t figure out how this concrete slab is considered an island, I have been to Sanibel, that’s an island, but then again in Florida, we call drainage ditches “ponds”. Anyway, the familiar ducks were out and about and do seem to stay all together. I saw the one with the hair standing up, 
and I saw the baby ducks which have grown. 
I also saw a duck walking around with a broken wing. 
It looked kind of pathetic. When I walked up to where the ducks live, suddenly it looked like a mass march toward the human. 
When they realized I had a camera and no food, they ignored me. I still did not see one muscovy anywhere, even at the pond that is across the street.
The City of Sanford has built quite an elaborate exercise track and have lots of new playground equipment.
The osprey in the nest are flying now. 
I took a few minutes to watch
them fly from post to post.
Upon returning home, I checked the little mother moorhen on her nest. She has at least 5 eggs now,
I got a bit worried as the crows began to gather, and they were digging away on the property. About five crows bossing each other around. One was digging and digging and I watched to see what it would extract.
Turtle eggs! They had found a hole, 
and I shooed them away and took the shovel and got the only two remaining eggs and buried them in the garden so the birds would not bother them. Those birds were rather snippy about that, and finally left. Now I am going fishing. I hope something is biting, last night didn’t catch anything, if fact, I put down my rod and my son and I went for a walk. Now ask my son how annoying it is to seriously walk with someone who wears a camera around her neck, he will gladly tell you…(wait, when I look at that hole, it looks more like snake eggs, might have to let the crows have their raw omelets)
Abbe's world of wildlife 