Neighborhood Visitors........June26-29, 2010

We've had some visitors lately. Some more friendly and inviting than others.

The first visitors we have had are...........

It's hard to see on the picture but it's skunks. It started out with a big fat mamma one a few nights in a row, right on schedule every evening at 9:00ish. Then........she sent her 6 children over. They were very docile and were not very scared of us and my big flashing light of the camera. We were really hoping that they were not here to stay or that they had already made a home in our yard. While talking to some pest control people they told me that skunks can have multiple homes.......hope our yard wasn't one of them. We don't think so, we think they may have been living in the yard directly behind us. That house was closed up this winter because it was a grow-op......full of marijuana, smelled pretty skunky when the police had that one all opened up. Anyway, the yard had not been cut for months and finally someone was there to cut the grass. It was after that that we had these lovely visitors for a few days. Dave put wire up all around and in the ground at the base of our shed in the back corner and patched up any holes in the 'lovely' fence in the back. It seems to have worked because we haven't seen them lately.

Our next visitors maybe don't want to be blogged about in the same entry as pesky skunks but they are still visitors. Arnold and Valerie live a short little walk from our house and they came to visit one Sunday between church. Their kids do a LOT of our babysitting.....we're supporting the college cause.....and our kids are always excited to have them over.

Matthew loves it when 'Big William' comes because he makes really cool things out of Lego and he doesn't even use a book to make them!! William thanks for being so patient with our way younger kids! They love you!

Nicole is in her glory when Nadine and Kristin come over because they too are very patient with younger kids. I guess that's a pretty good quality to have if you are a sitter! Nadine gets right in there with Nicole doing her jewelry and drawing stuff. Nadine and Kristin........thank you too for all you do with our kids. We REALLY appreciate it. This summer they have been taking our kids to the outdoor pool in the neighborhood for afternoons too! WOW! is all I can say, that is the best! Thank you!

Our latest bird feeder visitor has been what Jake and I have identified via our bird book, to be a Downy Wood Pecker. Correct me if I am wrong but this is what we thought it was. This one was going nuts against the tree.

Apparently one day when I was out at work the neighbor saw a very special visitor at our bird feeder, or rather on the ground under it. Believe it or not but a Bald Eagle was here too. THAT I am sad to have missed. Maybe it will be back again one day!