Feed the Birds

I've been wanting to catch up on some events of the summer (the events that are on a much smaller scale than airplane rides and days spent out of town) so I thought I would start with our family's new fascination with feeding the birds in our neighborhood!
Back in July, we had an afternoon of a whole lot of nothing that we wanted to fill with a little bit of something. So, JC determines a plan. He called his mom and invited our nieces over to make peanut butter/pine cone birdfeeders. Probably a little shout out to his scouting days..
Anyway, I took advantage of the kids' occupied time and spent the hour cleaning while he and Grandma Teri helped the kids with their little project.

Grandma helps Bethany get things rolling.

James thinks he needs to sample this stuff before the birds get it...to make sure it's top of the line

Bethany hides her face when she's caught shirking her pine cone duties for a refreshing swing.

James gets down to business

and then rewards himself heartily.
Ben enjoys a breezy ride in the swing, courtesy of Carrigan.
James eventually joins in all the swing action after "feeding the birds"...yeah, he's not fooling anybody. But how can you not love a face like that?

And...the finished product. Our first Ballard Birdfeeder.

Fast forward to a later date in July...it's gotten too hot to actually engage ourselves in outside craftiness but we've taken a liking to having birds hang around our yard. Especially because it gives the kids something...alive...to look at! The summer is so desolate!

But, after visiting my grandparents in Texas and discovering my Grandpa's birdfeeder and how much fun the kids have filling it up, then watching the birds just FLOCK to the yard, I come home raving about it. JC, being the good daddy he is, goes out and buys one for us! It doesn't hurt the situation that he's been wanting a hummingbird feeder for as long as I can remember and we just never got around to getting one. SO, now we have a couple birdfeeders hanging on our back balcony.

This one draws all kinds of birds I had never even noticed around here before! I love the red ones.

It sits right outside our big kitchen window. As we eat our meals as a family, we get to watch the little birds come and be replenished as well. It keeps the kids quite entertained!
It may be hot and miserable outside and not quite as green as other places get in the summer, but don't all the trees look beautiful? I love our backyard because there is such a variety of foliage in our neighborhood and it seems between us and our neighbors, we get a good sampling of everything!
Here's the long-awaited hummingbird feeder!


I can't wait to do more in our backyard! But, for now, when we don't venture past our balcony at least nature can come to us!