wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…Humming Along
- 09/08/26 02:30 PM
Wordless Wednesday…Humming Along
Keep your eyes open for friendly fliers passing through the Houston area on their way south. Or as my husband says…that’s a lot of bird s___!
Our favorite visitors are hummingbirds, and in particular the ruby-throated hummingbird.
You can attract hummingbirds to your yard with colorful flowers, nectar, water, and insects. You can make homemade nectar with 1 part (1 cup) plain white sugar to 4 parts (4 cups) water.
Why are the feeders so important?
They have an amazing metabolism and must refuel every 10-15 minutes.
Hummingbirds consume 50-100% or more of their body weight daily.
Take a look at the bird migration … (11 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…My Daily Vitamin
- 09/01/26 05:13 PM
Wordless Wednesday…My Daily Vitamin
There are only a few days when Larry and I don’t begin our mornings with a long walk. We’ve walked in temperatures as low as 25 degrees and as high as 85 degrees with a feels-like temperature of 96.
We’ve walked through everything from a light drizzle to rain heavy enough to require an umbrella.
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
Henry David Thoreau
If we’re lucky, we catch a beautiful sunrise. And even if clouds hide it, we are there early enough to feed the blue jays, woodpeckers, cardinals, and squirrels the peanuts Larry and I … (15 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…No Substitute For Me!
- 08/25/26 01:58 PM
Wordless Wednesday…No Substitute For Me!
This is a rather delicate topic, but I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t live without it. We almost had to back in 2020, but thankfully, our supply chains came through.
Yes…today is National Toilet Paper Day. I have not gone off the rails!
Think about it. During the Great Toilet Paper Grab in 2020, store shelves were depleted of life’s necessities. Toilet paper, paper towels, Clorox, alcohol…gone in the great grab.
I purchased what I could and stocked up, not just for me but for family and friends if they needed it.
I cut my paper towel usage by … (17 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…Our Texas Dog Day Wonders
- 08/18/26 01:40 PM
Wordless Wednesday…Our Texas Dog Day Wonders
One of my favorite summer sounds is the mating sound of the male cicada. There’s no doubt what it is when you hear it. And when I do, I want to grab a glass of iced tea and sit outside so I can drink in both the lemonade and the sounds of the cicada.
This summer has not disappointed. For several mornings, we found the discarded shell, left behind when the nymph emerged as a cicada. However, one night we were out late and caught one as it was saying “hello world!”
One summer, I was waiting in … (13 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…As I Promised, Lots of Babies
- 08/11/26 05:14 PM
Wordless Wednesday…As I Promised, Lots of Babies
As promised last week in my post, here are lots of babies/hatchlings.
In August 2011, Larry and I witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime (for us) event. For several weeks, we’d been observing the alligator nests at Green Cay Wetlands to see if the eggs had hatched. We got lucky. In an area known as the Gator Hole, the eggs had already begun to hatch.
Make sure you watch til the end!
Mama Gator was … (14 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…The Lion
- 07/21/26 04:47 PM
Wordless Wednesday…The Lion
When you look at clouds, are you someone who sees formations, animals, and shapes? Don’t ever stop!
Our imagination…the creativity that lives within us…is what has given the world our smartphones, AI, medical breakthroughs, and more.
Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination
will take you everywhere.
Albert Einstein
Someone’s imagination brought us Harry Potter and Moby Dick, as well as the music of Beethoven to the Beatles.
When we walked out at Green Cay Wetlands in FL, we discovered this lion on the boardwalk!
It was fun taking our friend’s children to see how quickly they could see the lion. And…they could!!! … (10 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…Just One
- 07/14/26 05:05 PM
Wordless Wednesday…Just One
Since February, we’ve been busy monitoring bluebird boxes for the spring mating season. Our own box in our backyard had its first brood in mid-February.
And, it’s only fitting that the mating season ends with the fourth brood here. Last week, we had 4 eggs ready to hatch. And, last Wednesday, one lone chick emerged. The other eggs were not viable.
So that you don’t suffer from nesting withdrawal, here is a red-winged blackbird nest that was in Green Cay Wetlands (2011). One of these thought I was getting too close to the nest. It not only dive-bombed me but … (13 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…Still Waiting
- 07/07/26 04:35 PM
Wordless Wednesday…Still Waiting
The eggs in our Bluebird box at home should be hatching any day now. They are on their eleventh day. The average incubation is 12-14 days.
Larry placed an umbrella over the box this week to minimize the heat in the box. It’s been in the mid to upper 90s here. Inside the box can be 10 degrees warmer. Prolonged temperatures of 107℉ can be fatal.
And…the bees are back!
Every living thing needs water! And the bees are no exception. These are a few of the bees that stop by for a drink. They take the water back to their hive … (17 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…A Sneak Peek
- 06/30/26 05:19 PM
Wordless Wednesday…A Sneak Peek
Last week, our bluebird box at home had two eggs. Since then, two more have been added. Now we wait for them to hatch! It’s been in the high 90s this week, so we may have to put a small umbrella up over the box.
One box out at Kickerillo had 4 eggs, but 2 went MIA. And then there was 1.
This poor chick must be scared. It has another 5 days before it fledges. When we approached the box to check on the chick, we could see it peering through the hole. He's hungry and calling for his … (15 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…She’s Not Done!
- 06/23/26 04:26 PM
Wordless Wednesday…She’s Not Done!
The “feels like” temperatures have been over 100 degrees this week, so we were hoping the bluebirds had completed their nesting season. The inside of a nesting box can be 5-10 degrees hotter than the outside temperatures. 107 degrees can be lethal for the birds, so when it’s 95 degrees plus, we become concerned.
The last brood (#3) in our bird box at home fledged on June 15. To our surprise, Mama Bluebird began building her 4th nest on June 17th!
As of yesterday, June 23, look what we have now!!
Larry will have ot bring out our misting system in … (11 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…A Short and Precious Life
- 06/16/26 06:13 PM
Wordless Wednesday…A Short and Precious Life
The downside of caring for our bluebirds is that you end up caring for them. For Larry and me, this is true for all of God’s creatures we see. (except for snakes)
The bluebird chicks fledged on Sunday. We could tell they were ready to meet the world. All 4 had grown so much and were scrambling to test their wings. Three of the chicks flew out and up, immediately…one at a time…up, up, and away!!!
… (11 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…It’s Winding Down
- 06/09/26 04:32 PM
Wordless Wednesday…It’s Winding Down
It’s only the beginning of June, but mating season seems to be winding down. In a way, it’s a good thing because our temperatures have been in the 90s this week. The internal box temps can be much hotter!
One box (#1) contains two chicks that are expected to fledge this weekend.
At home, our box of chicks is getting bigger. I know they’ll be leaving us soon.
And, our box #3 that had two eggs last week now has four!
Mating season isn’t only about baby bluebirds. We saw this mama black-bellied whistling duck and her chicks out for … (11 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…A Wonderful Surprise!
- 06/02/26 04:14 PM
Wordless Wednesday…A Wonderful Surprise!
Ready for an update?
We’re waiting for the two baby bluebirds in Box 1 to fledge early next week. Larry and I peek in every few days to ensure the two chicks are there and doing ok.
Boxes 2 and 4 have vacancy signs, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
Our box at home has four chicks that hatched a week ago. When I check the in-box camera, I’m usually staring at four babies with their beaks wide open, waiting for food.
And our wonderful surprise…Box Three not only has a nest, but there are now two eggs in it. … (14 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…Like a Maternity Ward Waiting Room
- 05/26/26 04:23 PM
Wordless Wednesday…Like a Maternity Ward Waiting Room
Finally, our bluebird chicks in Box 1 began hatching on Memorial Day! We checked again on Tuesday, and only one other egg has hatched. We’re concerned because they usually hatch on the same day.
That’s two out of five or 40%, which is lower than the expected 80% hatch rate.
We had more activity on Memorial Day when the lone chick in Box 4 left. This box had 4 eggs; two hatched, then one went MIA. We took this picture the day before he fledged.
At Casa Streib, we’re waiting for the five eggs to hatch.
I leave you … (16 comments)
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wordless wednesday: This Week…Wait and See
- 05/19/26 05:32 PM
This Week…Wait and See
Bluebird season will be coming to an end in a few months. This season has been a strange one, but we’ve only been monitoring the boxes for seven years. Who knows…the birds are mum!
We are awaiting the hatching of (fingers crossed) 5 beautiful baby bluebird chicks this weekend.
Our Box 4 originally had 4 bluebird eggs. Two hatched. Something happened to one of the chicks, so there is only one chick. Look how much it’s grown…
At our home, we have a third brood of five chicks (there were only two last week!).
Warmer weather here in Texas means snakes. … (15 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday… We’re Egg-cited!
- 05/12/26 05:39 PM
Wordless Wednesday… We’re Egg-cited!
Ready for another bluebird update?
Our always dependable Box 1 had us concerned this year because Mama Bluebird got off to a late start. Sadly, none of the 5 birds from the first brood lived to begin a life in the wild.
Last week, there was a nest, just waiting for a new family! We now have 5 beautiful blue eggs.
Two of our boxes at Kickerillo are vacant but we are keeping our fingers crossed.
Box 4- We had 4 eggs, and as of this week, only 2 have hatched.
Our Bluebird Box at Casa Streib- Mama Bluebird did not waste … (18 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…Empty Nesters
- 05/05/26 04:38 PM
Wordless Wednesday…Empty Nesters
We are waiting for 4 beautiful bluebird eggs to hatch from Box 4. The “due date” was May 5, but they’re crack when they’re ready!
Exciting Update: Fingers are crossed for a second brood in Box 1 at Kickerillo. All hatched chicken mysteriously died in the first brood.
Empty Nesters: Last week, we were waiting for the 5 surviving bluebird chicks to fledge. It was getting crowded in the box, and the camera showed them peeking out of the small hole. Friday, it rained all day steadily, so I understand the hesitation.
Finally, on Saturday morning, they slowly…one by one took … (16 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…M.I.A.
- 04/28/26 04:34 PM
Wordless Wednesday…M.I.A.
More news from the world of bluebirds! We still have two empty boxes. We’ll even take a brood of wrens or chickadees.
Our Box 4, on its second brood had two eggs last week. Two more were laid, so we’re now waiting for 4 baby chicks to hatch.
The Box at Casa Streib still has six chicks but they’ve grown so much that they are ready to fledge.
Now for the M.I.A…
Last week in Box 2, there was one unhatched egg and a baby chick. All was well when we checked the box on Saturday. However, look what I found when I checked … (13 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…Ever-changing
- 04/21/26 04:09 PM
Wordless Wednesday…Ever-changing
Monitoring the bluebird boxes has allowed us to experience Mother Nature’s twists, turns, and surprises in the animal and plant world.
Our latest updates:
Our previously most prolific bluebird boxes are slow this year. One box has not had a nest… yet, and our best box out at Kickerillo had one brood, but none of the chicks lived long enough to fledge.
The hardest bluebird box to reach (it’s down a small hill) had two eggs. This is the fewest number of eggs we’ve ever had in a box. We checked on Tuesday morning, and so far, we have one that has … (14 comments)
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wordless wednesday: Wordless Wednesday…A Lull In the Action
- 04/14/26 04:14 PM
Wordless Wednesday…A Lull In the Action
We have three boxes that are sitting empty for now…Boxes 1, 3, and 4. The breeding season has at least a few more months, so we're hoping for more nests.
In Box 2, there are still just two eggs, but Mama bluebird continues to incubate them.
Our Box: Five of the six eggs have hatched and Mama is feeding and caring for them!
We had a treat yesterday when we walked at Kickerillo. Besides checking on the boxes and walking, we were privy to the “other” animals in the Preserve.
We saw our usual squirrels and Blue Jays, whose vision … (15 comments)
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Wordless Wednesday…Humming Along
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