Dare I hope that this is one of the baby robins I rescued a few weeks ago?
I asked him if he had lost a leg, and he told me he was just keeping his toes warm, one leg at a time, while he waits for a bug to check out the beans growing next to him.
Crispin has been at work high up in the fir trees, cutting down fir cones. They fall from a great height with a loud bang each time one of them hits the metal roof of the wood shed. Maybe I should get a hard hat for him. Then he comes down to gather the cones and stash them in secret places nearby. I made the mistake of helping him by bringing about 25 freshly fallen cones to the wood shed for him. I hadn’t counted on the sticky sap getting on my hands and had to go looking for some WD-40 to dissolve it. How do the squirrels not glue their mouth shut when they eat these sticky cones? I guess it’s like eating toffee.
Mrs. Hummer is resting on the Florence fennel, watching the nearby scarlet runner beans. Their flowers are so bright red, and they must have some delicious nectar in them because there is a line up of hummingbirds waiting their turn to get at them.
While Mrs. Hummer watches the beans, Mother Rabbit is watching her. Do you see them both in the photo below?
Bunny Junior doesn’t have the patience to sit around watching hummingbirds. He’s on the lookout for any weeds that might still be green in this dry spell. Luckily for him, the weeds are the last to die of thirst, and rabbits love weeds.
Have you noticed that for each of them, it’s all about food?
If that’s what it takes, then “I’m some kind of animal.” Interpret that any way you like.





July 13, 2026 at 12:02 pm
Such lovely pictures, Anneli. And, once again, how lucky that you speak various animal languages and can translate for us!
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July 13, 2026 at 12:10 pm
Aw, Helen. 😁You make me chuckle. But yes, I do happen to be quite skilled at many “animalanguages.” Thanks for listening to my interpretations.
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July 13, 2026 at 12:10 pm
I can relate to you and your family of critters. I’m all about the food too Anneli! 🥗🍲🍔🍉😊
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July 13, 2026 at 12:13 pm
That is really good to hear, Brad. Bon appetit!
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July 13, 2026 at 1:09 pm
Thanks! 😃
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July 13, 2026 at 1:07 pm
So cute! They are all always on a food quest. Crispin must have WD-40 on his face and mouth…
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July 13, 2026 at 3:19 pm
I don’t know how they manage it.
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July 13, 2026 at 1:10 pm
What a busy yard!
I hear Diana Peach is throwing in with Canada soon. You’ll be (virtual) neighbors! What fun for both of you.
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July 13, 2026 at 3:18 pm
I love Canada, except for the politics. I guess there’s no escaping politics these days. But if Diana is established in the States, she’d be wise to stay there. Everything is bigger and better there.
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July 13, 2026 at 5:24 pm
It was amazing watching the videos of the European influencers who came to the World Cup. I did try to find negative ones, but couldn’t find any. They were all amazed that America wasn’t what their news told them it would be.
I did notice we’re much heavier than most other countries!
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July 14, 2026 at 5:06 am
It’s all that good food.
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July 13, 2026 at 1:44 pm
You have lots of bird and animal life in your garden, Anneli, but my, your lawn looks very, very dry. We are here, too. So great to see your photos, though. Crispin must have really enjoyed your pine cone present!
I learned when I was growing up to use a mixture of butter and baking soda (that was the solution in my family for anything sticky) to get pine gum off my hands when I stacked wood to dry for my mom. I recently used it again to get chewing gum off the bottom of my shoe – because of the heat it was really on there. Worked well. Cheers.
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July 13, 2026 at 3:13 pm
Thank you so much for that tip, Lynette. For sure I’ll be needing it again. So much nicer than WD-40.
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July 13, 2026 at 2:14 pm
Awe cute birdie!
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July 13, 2026 at 3:07 pm
Thanks, Lauren. I love birds.
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July 13, 2026 at 3:23 pm
I’m glad you do. Birds are so sweet! 🙂 I learned something new about a fellow blogger. I subscribed to be friendly.
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July 13, 2026 at 2:31 pm
I thoroughly enjoyed this! Your observations always make me smile, and the way you give each little visitor its own personality is such a delight. I especially hope that robin is one of the ones you rescued. Thanks for sharing another glimpse of nature’s everyday wonders!
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July 13, 2026 at 3:12 pm
Thanks for your kind comment, Mervin. (Do I have the name right?) I do hope the robin is one that I rescued. No matter, I’ll continue to do what I can to help them along.
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July 13, 2026 at 3:13 pm
You got the name 100% correct Anneli!
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July 13, 2026 at 3:34 pm
Thank you. Pleased to meet you. My name is Anneli (rhymes with Emily).
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July 13, 2026 at 3:35 pm
Great meeting you too!
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July 13, 2026 at 5:19 pm
It’s nice to see and read about the goings on in your garden. A busy place and fun to observe I bet:
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July 13, 2026 at 8:03 pm
There’s always some little thing going on. Thanks for sharing it with me.
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July 13, 2026 at 11:24 pm
Nice.
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July 14, 2026 at 5:04 am
Thanks, Cindy.
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July 14, 2026 at 4:40 am
Great photos Anneli. There was a male cardinal at my place for a few years that did have only one leg. Pine cones are all over the place here. Wind and squirrels are knocking them down. The photo of the hummingbird and rabbit is amazing, Thank you so much for sharing your great wildlife photos. ❤️
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July 14, 2026 at 5:04 am
Poor little cardinal. I think there is a lot of “cruelty and hardship ” in nature. Luckily the beauty outweighs it. Always nice to see you here, Mags.
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July 14, 2026 at 5:17 am
He made it and stayed around my place to eat for around 3 years. I made sure food was easy for him to get to. I agree about the cruelty and hardship in nature. But you are right about the beauty outweighing it. I enjoy your blog posts very much and it is a pleasure for me to visit, Anneli.
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July 14, 2026 at 9:52 am
Thank you so much, Mags.
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July 14, 2026 at 5:19 am
I love the creatures within your yard space, how you take care of them, and how they reward you sitting still for your camera. 🙂 My biggest tiff now is with our woodpecker families. We feed them (well) with hot pepper suet (keeps the squirrels off) but nearby we have a hummingbird feeder. The baby woodpeckers think that this sweet water is just for them. I watch them sucking it up with their baby beaks – in a few weeks they won’t be able to use it, but for now, the hummers are staying away. 😦
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July 14, 2026 at 9:52 am
It will all work out because the hummingbirds have lots of other things to interest them this time of year. Right now, mine are not using the sugar water that much, but they visit the scarlet runner bean flowers and all sorts of things on other plants (fir tips – maybe for insects? I don’t know). It all works out. Meanwhile it’s nice that your woodpeckers are thriving.
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