February 5 Meet JEFF

Thursday: I nearly ran over this turkey while pulling into Jesse's driveway this afternoon! I had no idea he was a neighborhood "regular" and has been named JEFF (this, according to Kaity-Bug). I noticed Fred after I had put on my brakes and saw his face looking at me over my front bumper with his eyes rather hostile. Trust me, I had no evil intentions!

Kaity and her friend, Royce, came out the front door as I was getting out of my car and filled me in on the history of FRED. It seems he hangs out around the "Clark" neighborhood, and according to Jesse, FRED isn't always nice. He has cautioned Kaity NOT to chase Fred or aggravate him in any way. 

Fred was squawking (do turkeys squawk?) up a storm at us as I was trying to coax him a little closer for his premier photo shoot; but he wasn't having anything to do with it whatsoever. I think he is rather cute, don't you? He's larger than he appears in these pictures. I hope he hangs around all winter!

These icicles are hanging in double rows on the side of Jesse's house. Jesse says that's because the insulation and roofing are so poorly constructed on this house. All the heat rises and shoots through the ceiling and roof, melting the snow like crazy.

They are pretty cool looking!

The picture below was taken out my side window. The squirrels have finally successfully dismantled my trusty (!!) squirrel guard, which now lays at the bottom of the feeder station, covered in about 6" of new snow. Now they don't have to make a running leap for the feeders (which they successfully do all the time) ... they just use their little legs to climb the pole like it's as easy as can be. It's a good thing squirrels are CUTE and soft and very fun to watch ... or they would be in big, fat trouble. I'll take squirrels any day to Starlings! Starlings are mean and come 4-6 at a time and scare all the little birds away.

There are about four squirrels who hang out at my feeders, and I can't really tell them apart; otherwise, I would name all of them and try to keep them straight. The blue painter's tape on the red-roofed feeder is because the top pops open sometimes and then snow gets inside the feeder--not good. The tape looks ugly, but it does keep the top closed.