It has been over a year since my last post so I will post an update. SUCCESS! I am happy to report that all the hard work has paid off! I've had three RTH's vist my garden since the last posting! Two males and a female, the males came in March. They were both migrants and only stayed for a couple days. Both of them showed up on tail ends of cold fronts, feeding only from my feeders. The female showed up around the end of May and stayed until the end of August. She would feed only from my flowers, she would look at my feeders but would not feed from them. She wouldn't stick around all day either, rather she would come and feed and then fly off somewhere else. There was a point where she wasn't seen for two to three weeks. I assume she was sitting on a nest? The flowers she seemed to favor was coral honeysuckle, black and blue salvia, batfaced and matchless cuphea. Was a little sad to see her go for the winter. But I'm hoping I can get some winter birds to spend some time with me this winter....we'll have to wait and see! This post was edited by TroyinLargo on Mon, Oct 28, 13 at 13:48

here the finches eat the thistle or nygier seeds before anything else. I tried the net socks but they spilt too much. so i mix the thistle with millet and put it in the tube feder. I put a mix of cracked corn millet and boss in the small platform feeder which is mostly sparrows and juncos and a few finches and the chickadees and one lone flicker that eats from it twice a day. The other woodpeckers and the nuthatches and chickades eat on the woodpecker block mostly but do eat some from the homemade suet tray. the big plaform tray is loose nuts and corn and raisen and dried fruits and is mostly bigger birds. During the spring and summer i have necter feeders for the hummingbirds and orioles and a fruit tray for the grosbeaks and orioles I have some pine rounds stood on end like stumps and spread mixture of seeds and bread scraps and nuts on them and get a whole variety of birds on them. and the ground feeders cleanup everything that is spilt or dropped on the ground. the juncos and towhees normally eat on the ground but do try the stumps and feeders at times. The doves and jays and magpies eat on the stumps and the ground. I am lucky that i only get the red wing blackbirds in spring and summer because they eat a lot of everything. The starlings come through here but don't stay long and a few cowbirds are here some summers. get a rare hawk or owl and a raven or crow once in awhile.

Clink! Hey Nancy! Happy canning I didn't get to do much this year. Hope all is well with you and Kim. Man, it's been five years since that wonderful time in the Smokey Mountains.... Ann, hope all is good with you, Moe, and Matt. Sorry you have to work this weekend. I know for a fact that doesn't hinder your cooking and baking. Hey Sharon! It has been five years, YIKES! I was thinking about my Mayhem gals this week too. I still have pics but we agreed not to post most of them...LOLOLOL Guessing Sara is out of High School and in college by now. I'm sure Dad is having fun. No grands from Chris or Meredith yet?? Eileen, hope all is well with Alice and Danny. Been catching up and Darla is a dead ringer for my Lucy if you remember her. Got a lump in my throat when I saw the pics. She was lucky to have you there to take here in and find her a new home. Nothing wrong with starting the weekend early! Annie, I know you will have a great day tomorrow with the kids. Can't wait to see the pics, it's been too long for me. I have vague memories of Grandma going to the back yard to grab a chicken or two for dinner. A lot of work but so well worth it for some good fried chicken. The dust storm was crazy for sure, it was worst west of us but we did have to drive with our headlights on for yesterdays evening commute. Hope Elery, and all the kids are doing okay. Pam, hope all is well with you too. What's up with that crazy neighbor of yours? LOL Hope those boys of yours are taking good care of you and all is well with you Mom. Enjoy those ribs! I'll be putting a rack or two in the smoker in the morning. Cathy, hope all is well with you and Raymond, the grandkids too. I've been a sealing fool thanks to you! Like I mentioned to Nancy, five years since U-turns and table clothes and more. LOLOL! What a great week! Lars, glad to hear you are enjoying your smoker. Sounds like a fun weekend you and Kevin have planned...hope you share some pics if you get a chance. So sorry to hear about you Mom and I hope your health challenges are getting better. I still have the readings you sent me years ago for my Birthday...... Sally, sorry y'all have that dang flu/crud that's been going around. Not fun! I saw the news about Big Tex today, that is just crazy. I've been there a couple of times for the OU/TX game back in the day. Hope your place down in Talaquah is coming along too. We need to try to get together one of these days. I'm rubbing my meat down with dry rub tonight and doing some household chores. Have to get up early to fire up that smoker so the meat is ready by game time. Gooo Soooners!!! David

New position of Mirror isn't working for me, sorry. Neither are the 2 wicker boxes...it looks like the LOVELY table has developed 2 eyes over a huge square mouth! And there is too much of nothing on the table. Get rid of the 3 heavy candle holders, the 3 flat balls and the boudoir lamp (or at least swap out the shade). Less is more. Put on one pretty shallow vase or bowl, to anchor the table, with a nicely framed oval mirror behind. (It will not interfere with the light switches if it is oval). That table is gorgeous in it's simplicity. Don't over work it or force it! JMO