Rain rain go away

/ Roadtirementvintage / 53 Comments

The rain started last night at midnight. Sixteen hours later it has let up, but more is forecast tonight and tomorrow. This is really putting the damper on preparations for our Highway 40 Yard Sale.

We have set up some of our tables, put out a little bit of merchandise, and covered up with waterproof tarps. All day we have been watching the tables, but no wind to speak of and tarps have remained in place. Other vendors are also waiting to get set for the sale that was scheduled to start today.

Wet and disheveled

/ Roadtirementvintage / 8 Comments

After a pretty good rain storm a while back we noticed that a hatchling had fallen out of a nest in a tree limb in our backyard. This little fella looks quite wet and disheveled. One of the parents did come down to the ground in front of the hatchling, and the last we saw of the two (adult and youngster) they were still together across the yard. We can only hope that this story had a good ending.

Getting ready for the sale

/ Roadtirementvintage / 29 Comments

This shows the beginning of our set up for the Highway 40 yard coming this week. The sale is an annual event and it follows old US 40. Hundreds of folks set up and thousands shop along the route.

We’ll keep you posted as the week goes on. Sher and I always enjoy this event. We missed it last year due to Covid-19.

A yearly backyard favorite

/ Roadtirementvintage / 6 Comments

Who hasn’t seen this early bird  getting the worm in the morning in your yard? This classic backyard favorite bird ranges from coast to coast in the US and Canada.

Did you know robins can raise three broods each season? Probably a good thing, as only 40% of the nests successfully produce young. People say that robins are a sign of spring. They actually winter over, however and spring is when you’ll see “the first” robin in your yard!

 

 

 

No singing here

/ Roadtirementvintage / 17 Comments

That is right. Downy Woodpeckers do not sing like most birds. They communicate by “pecking” or drumming on wood or even metal. Surprisingly these woodpeckers make very little or no sound when going after their insect prey. They are capable of feeding on insects that larger woodpeckers cannot catch, like fly larvae in weed stems.

Male Downy, the female does not have the red on her head

We see both male and female Downy Woodpeckers quite often in our backyard. They like the suet feeders, and we have spotted a male on our hummingbird feeder. Like the White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpeckers like to flit from branch to branch, lighting on the suet feeder, grabbing a bite or two and then off they go.