Crop updates, rainfall totals and gossip aren't the only things served up alongside bacon and eggs at Joan's Cafe in Stafford. And grape jelly isn't just for putting on that whole wheat toast that cozies up beside the breakfast special.
Randy heard through the grapevine - so to speak - that grape jelly attracts orioles. A plethora of blackbirds dominate our backyard branches. In hopes of enticing more colorful visitors, he decided to test the grape jelly theory. He cut down a 2-liter pop bottle and plopped in a hefty spoonful of grape jelly, then hung the contraption from an unused TV antenna wire.
Huh ... Joan's breakfast crew appears to know what they're talking about.
On the other hand, this amateur photographer has only been able to "capture" the backyard tourists through the porch window so far. But I'll keep trying, since we're now on our second jumbo jar of grape jelly (and we haven't consumed a single spoonful).
Our fishing trip last week netted a somewhat blurry photo of a red-winged blackbird. That was the only bird who lit on a branch long enough for me to click the lens a few times.
The spring afternoon trip was a success even if we didn't catch a single fish.
We caught a clam.
We caught a turtle, though there is no photographic evidence to support that claim since Randy had to cut the line to free it.
I caught some time reading. (I moved the lawn chair to the shade shortly thereafter and was much happier.)
We caught a glimpse of the two bulls and the cow-calf pairs since they came up to investigate who was invading their summer vacation spot.
And we caught some beautiful scenery.
Let's hope the Monarch butterflies "catch" the news that there are milkweed plants blooming in the pasture.
And it's always good to catch a beautiful sunset, especially when the news of the world is so bleak.
From Romans 8: 26-27
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know
how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too
deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind
of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to
the will of God.
I love that you now have oriels visiting. I wish I could entice our pretty blue wrens back in the same way but they are insect gatherers.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you were able to take time out and recharge yourselves at the beautiful Ninnescah pastures. I'm sure its peace and serenity was much need in this stressful time in the US.
We haven't seen any feeding in the last several days. One of my friends who knows more about such things said the orioles likely have young now, so they'll be searching for insects to feed their brood, rather than dining on the jelly.
DeleteThank you!
ReplyDelete