Safflower Sucks…

…even squirrels won’t eat it.

So why is it an ingredient in most packages of birdseed? Same reason as cracked corn, which squirrels will eat in a pinch but birds won’t—heft, I say, bags sold by weight, not by volume. (Theoretically, cardinals will eat safflower, but, as far as I can tell, only reluctantly.)

Here’s what I think should be in birdseed mixes, in addition to sunflower and millet:
Quinoa, rice, barley, oats, farro, milo, soy beans, bulgar, field peas, triticale, spelt, dried crabapples, and peanuts.

That would make you want to be a bird.

Wrastling With The Dishwasher

The old machine, here pretty near as long as us, gave up the ghost, which generated, overnight, considerable removal dread and task avoidance fantasy. However, this morning we faced the monster, a thing seriously built in, including a floor excavated to accommodate our exceptionally low counters. Getting it out required removing trim (sawing, chiseling, prying), lifting the counter top (removing anchors, jacking up), and then heaving and hoisting (with a pitchfork using a big block of wood as a fulcrum), and a whole lot of yanking.

Oak Tree Planting

Six sprouted white oak acorns planted in home-made squirrel-proof cages by a few of us Urban Forestry Commission folks and one high school student! We consider one student a good beginning, with the hope that a year from now we will have dozens.

Forgot to bring phone/camera to the planting, so actual photos will have to wait until tomorrow.
Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

We’ve enjoyed watching the Australian “soapy” TV series, Royal Flying Doctor Service, which we found on PBS of all places.

Below Freezing…

…almost all day.

But, kayak work continued, outside, though I had to come in to warm up every so often. Today’s project consisted of sanding down the epoxy and (minimal) glass repair completed a few days ago in the basement, where conditions are warm enough for epoxy to cure. Can’t sand down there, though. Tomorrow, the remaining outdoor work, and then it’s back down the basement for varnish.

Out Exploring…

…with the boys while Becca, Maddie, and Ellie got Covid vaccinated. Will and Katy got the shot today, too.

And after inspecting this tree, we tore a big, old, rotten stump quite in half. looking for grubs, beetles, and ants.

Lunch on the grounds of Holy Hill after a tour of the basilica. James and Ben whispered softly while inside, but seemed more interested in the green marble pathway around the nave than the barrel-vaulted ceiling immensely high overhead.

After Holy Hill we explored Glacier Hills County Park, nearby, and found many things of interest.

Six Robins…

…in the locust tree. Taking turns dropping down to Vi’s crab apple to pluck a few of the small hard, but apparently very tasty and nourishing, fruit; to then flit back up to a perch high in the locust. The number of apples on Vi’s tree is rapidly diminishing, but still counts to many thousands. All will be gone before the end of this month, since squirrels are helping, too. Then again, I’m thinking that these robins might want to be contemplating all the protein waiting for them a little farther south.
BTW, did you know that the American robins’s scientific name is Turdus migratorius? Maybe that’s because of eating too many crab apples?

Messy farmer