I Have Livestock

I finally got around to filling the hummingbird feeder. It came with the house, hanging off a post of the back deck. Yesterday I took it into the kitchen and cleaned it off. Not easy. It was covered in cobwebs--and the Balabusta is arachnaphobic--and then I managed to get it open, and, well, it had not been cleaned before it was left. Whatever had been in it had congealed to a thick jelly-like amber substance--like evil honey--with some dead flies for variety. I managed to flush it out as best I could with hot water, filled the bottle with the recommended hummingbird formula--one part white cane sugar to four parts tapwater--and hung it up.

The main motive behind this was that some time ago I saw a hummingbird come by and inspect the feeder. It flew right up, made a couple of turns around it, checking it out, and seemed to register 'yup, still empty', as it flew away. I figured I should provide something. I'll have to see if they actually come though, and if they don't show an interest, I may have to get a new feeder. I don't know if they care about grungy. The website I looked at said they won't feed if the syrup has gone bad.

So far no visitors that I've seen, but I was out for much of the day.

Also, we have cats in the back yard, I think the neighbors', who wander around, and squirrels. A couple of days ago we got a squirrel on the deck. He jumped into the pot with my sweet potato plant, and I thought he was going to try to eat it, but instead he buried something in the pot. Peanut sized and shaped.

I hope he won't mind that I'm watering it, whatever it was.

The boyfriend is almost well again, but kind of deaf.

And the parakeet needs more seed.