Baby 4 is here!

The last Robin egg hatched last night.
Four healthy, hideous babies.
I know, soon they will be adorable, but right now? Oy.
Weirdly, i can stuff my head and hand in their shrub without drama. But, God FORBID the dogs are with me. All Robin hell breaks lose, and I get yelled at and swooped!
How is this MY fault?! Dive bomb the dogs, you crazy birds!
I removed the broken shells on the ground under the nest. No reason to encourage jerk possums and raccoons. Fingers crossed for the wee Robins.

Babbling (big shock, right?)

There's a robin nest just behind the garden..
I've been stuffing myself in the Mock Orange where the nest is located, and thank baby J the Robins aren't ripping my face off.
Yesterday, FINALLY, we have BAAAAABIES!

I tend to get this expression on my face when there are birds involved. My *demented with joy* face. Please note Michael looks like he wants to kill me.
I wouldn't hold still for a pic.  We were at the national aviary, for God's sake! I couldn't hold still!!!

The storms are beating up my poor peonies, but they are still stunners. This plant came to me from my mom, who got it from my grandmother.  I love growing plants with history :)

I'm off to mix up a Shakeology shake, as promised to a dear friend.  I have a terrible habit of not eating until dinner....
and then I tend to eat everything in my path.
I'll be posting a review of Shakeology soon.  Cross your fingers.

I warned you this was a Babble post! ;)

birds in May

we've had a few new birds around...or I've finally gotten semi decent pics..

scarlet tanager couple

black-billed cuckoo

Why I relate to deer

Loving mother is beating on her "teenager"... over food.

I totally get that.
Which is why my childless state is a Good Thing.

"You ladies are hardcore about the food thing"

Gender roles/arachnids/bad for you/Pig

My two big, burly garbage men complained about the weight of my trash. (!?)
I'm not throwing away concrete block, people.  It's regular old household trash.

I asked if they needed my help lifting it into the truck, since I'm the one that carried it all the way down to the road.
"Oh, we figured your husband did." (!!??)
Sigh...and who says that?
"No, he was washing dishes when I took the trash out.  We have our gender roles confused."
I think I confused them, as both of them glanced at my chest.


We've had a ton of gorgeous spiders this year.
Please note: my spider photography sucks.  Most often, I'm in some crazy position trying to avoid webs!

I know a lot of you are ready to slap me for giant spider shots, but I love me some arachnids.
They kill stinkbugs.  They can do no wrong.
Plus, they scare the shit out of Michael...and it's just plain funny when my 6'2 husband runs.. screaming.

  I made a few dishes to freeze..snacky, side-dishy things.
Of course, I had to taste test.

Mushrooms with bourbon cured bacon and a little brown sugar.
I'm not a huge bacon fan DON'T HURT ME!, but these...I could eat my weight in these.  They didn't make it to the freezer.  After we ate a portion with dinner, well, there was no point in freezing the measly amount left.  Waste of freezer space!  I'll make another batch to freeze.  And I won't devour them like some shroom crazed beast. This time.

Michael is a fan of jalapeno poppers.  I am not.
They are tasteless blobs of deep fried nothing-but-hot.  
Unless...you use seasoned panko and a special blend of cheeses and perfectly ripe peppers from the garden.
I even bake the suckers, so we don't have DEEP FRIED SIN..
I'm all about deep fried goodies.  That part is more for people that worry about their arteries.  Unlike me.  Apparently.  Mmm.  Deep fried swiss cheese.  When the hell is the county fair?! 

They are absolutely delicious, except when I got my peppers confused and made some with Michael's OMGWTF peppers.  I have no idea what type they are, except they are yellowish and contain enough heat to make the sun sweat blood.  After I put out my face-fire, they were quite tasty.
Michael LOVES them and declares all other poppers "a waste of time".  How can I refuse to make giant batches of these stupid things?

___________
PIG UPDATE:
For those that asked, Pig is gone.  Or in witness protection. Or at Fat Camp.
I fear she's gone to the Great Bakery in the Sky.
We had one incident with a Pig-that-maybe-wasn't...and that ghog hasn't been back.

I miss her, kind of.
I do not miss her breaking and entering, harassing me, harassing the dogs, eating my yard, etc.
It was kind of nice not to worry every single time I let the dogs out.
   Wherever she is, I hope she is fat and happy and full of caaaaaaaaaaaarbs.

Backyard, Oct 17

Looking out the east kitchen window-

The birds are enjoying those bird cakes a little TOO much...

I can see myself making bird cakes and neglecting my own cooking.

Everyone's a freaking food critic nowadays....