They're back...

The barn swallows have returned to their nests on our porch, and I'm sure these are the baby birds who fledged last year because they sit on the edge of the nest and watch me coming and going on the porch. And is it possible that these birds are going on their third season with us? I have no idea how long these birds live, but this isn't the first time that we're had swallows in that nest who seem very comfortable with us and our routine.

Sweet Pea has resumed his favorite spot by the screen door of the TV room. From that vantage point, he can see three nests and he watches them all very closely. The birds aren't bothered by our cats either... they've  probably learned that Sweet Pea is inside all the time, Gatsby couldn't be bothered with chasing something he's not likely to catch, and Mickey is too busy catching lizards and flies.

I'm happy to say that the latest stray cat (the gray/white) hasn't been here for weeks now. So I guess it's true--- if you don't feed a stray, they will go elsewhere. I kept my promise and didn't feed that cat, nor did I even feel badly about it. After the problems with the orange/white cat we had out there for so long, I'm cured of the stray-cat syndrome. The rule now is Do Not Feed a Stray Cat Unless You Want To Keep It.  We have three cats here... more than enough.

We went into Houston one night this past week (to see Barry Manilow's last concert in our city) and we didn't get home till after midnight... just in time to see about eight or ten deer in the pasture around our pond. My husband has a deer feeder out there in the field, and the deer probably ate their fill and then walked to the pond for a drink. There were so many deer by the pond that night, all babies and females, and as our headlights lit up the grass around the pond, the deer just stood there and watched our car going by.

As we were driving by the deer, my husband looked at them and said "And that's why we live way out here."  I will tell him to remind me of that the next time we see a snake instead of a deer.

The stars have been spectacular lately, and I have Savannah to thank for that. In all the years we've lived here, I never made it a point to go outside at night to look at the sky. All that changed when we got Savannah, and her last walk for the night gives me the perfect opportunity to have a look-see at the moon and the stars. The night sky out here does not disappoint.                                                

You just have to make sure to be aware of bats because you don't want them to get caught in your hair if they're flying too close. Just the thought of that makes me cringe. (Is that another reason we're living way out here?)