Happy New Year! I saw the new year in with my grandkids, we assembled a hard jigsaw puzzle (all those shades of off white!), watched some fireworks out of the frosty window, and drank a toast at midnight.
"Quit shoving!"
"I'm cute!"
Especially when I'm leaving, when I resemble some eyebrows, whether menacing or deep in thought.
Today I am linking with-
Wild Bird Wednesday hosted by Stewart M.
Saturday's Critters hosted by Eileen
Today's Flowers hosted by Denise
Macro Monday 2 hosted by Gemma and Mystical Magical Teacher
My bird visitors have been very busy eating seeds in our frosty weather, a group of Pine Siskins showed up, with the hilarious name of Spinus pinus. I had never seen them here before, they are very social in their large bubbling group. "Cheers!"
"Quit shoving!"
"I'm cute!"
Especially when I'm leaving, when I resemble some eyebrows, whether menacing or deep in thought.
I was surprised by some short-lived blooms on my Ric Rac Cactus, Epiphyllum anguliger, first photo from last year when there were more flowers-
Like other Epi's, they are tough houseplants, hard to kill, surviving dry soil well, and easy to propagate with cuttings. I just wish the flowers would stick around a little longer. But at least I have a Friend who will never leave me or forsake me.
Make 2015 your best year ever! Hannah
or cameras are macro
©Weeding on the Wild Side, all rights reserved. I like to visit your blog and leave commments, but can't do so if google+ is the only option, so will comment here.
We get lots of pine siskins here, they are such peculiar birds, with so much personality. Your Ric Rac Epiphyllum is a neat plant. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alison, you are so enterprising showing your whole garden year in retrospect. I'm not that organized.
DeleteLovely cactus bloom!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the bird's tail end view! We get Pine Siskins at our feeders here, too.
Happy New Year!
Lea
Thanks, Lea, I really wanted to see their wings spread out to see what the yellow looks like. But they are very quick to fly. They have interesting patterns in their feathers. I liked your turkeys.
ReplyDeletelove the last image,
ReplyDeleteso peony alike.
smiles.
take care,
happy new year.
Thanks, Marissa, they are strange, with levels of different colors of petals.
DeleteHannah, really a cute shot of the back of the bird. Don't think I've heard of a pine siskin.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda Kay, they don't stay still much. Since they live in forests
Deleterather than cities they probably aren't seen much.
Happy new year Hannah. Your photos are superb.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bob, I'm hoping for a great new year. I enjoy your wonderful bird photos.
DeleteYour cactus is beautiful. I love the Pine Siskins, they are so sweet. I am missing them this year.. I wish they would pay me a visit.. Great post and photos.. I wish you and your family a happy, healthy New Year!
ReplyDeleteYour pine siskins are cute little birds. I like the look of the puzzle also, must have been a challenge to fit together. I enjoy puzzles but do them on line these days. The cactus blooms are lovely! Happy New Year Hannah!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Denise, I'm enjoying the groups of the Siskins. But they may just be flying through so I don't know if they will stick around. When all the color pieces of the puzzle were in place, we had a lot of off-white to solve.
DeletePine Siskins look like Finches...cute little birds..Love the cactus flower..tough to get those sometimes..Happy New Year..
ReplyDeleteThanks, Missy, you're right, they are a kind of finch. I've had moderate success getting the cactus to bloom, this year they are a little high so get less light, and didn't bloom as well.
DeleteLove Pine Siskins. Such energetic little birds. Some winters we have a great influx of them here, but we're not really expecting any this winter. So far, we haven't even had many goldfinches.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dorothy, I don't remember ever seeing them before here, they are such fun. I will really be amazed if I ever see Goldfinches here. That would be neat!
Deletelove the pine siskins! we get them visiting every few winters. :) love picture puzzles, too, and that looks like a fun one!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Theresa, they are a fun bunch. My grandkids are really into puzzles, they put them together really fast. Even the 5 year old on the right is becoming a skilled puzzler.
DeleteThat puzzle does look like a challenge! Nice birds.
ReplyDeleteCheers - and I hope you are having a good New Year - Stewart M - Melbourne
I enjoy assembling puzzles. I love your cactus. The leaves don't look like much, but the flowers are stunning. Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gunilla, I like the ric rac pattern of the leaves, the flowers are only around for a couple of days. The puzzle was frustrating but did get completed by all the avid puzzlers, and then it turned out the piece I was looking so hard to place was a duplicate of one on the board!
DeleteGreat post and I thank you for linking up and sharing your post..Have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Eileen, I envy the people with time and places to go for nature walks to photograph waterfowl. Thanks for hosting!
DeleteIt's always lovely to be with family. Your bloom is just gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Betty, it was great to have my distant daughter and family here as well. We had a lovely caroling session.
DeleteWhat a gorgeous blossom!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Betty and Judy, I wish I had seen it before the deeper orange petals folded back.
DeleteWe have Siskins in the UK but your Pine Siskins are very pretty.Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Margaret, they may be the closest birds to Goldfinches I will get.
DeleteWonderful pictures, I love these birds!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Leovi. Feliz Ano Nuevo!
DeleteDearest Hannah; Hello so sorry for my long absence. What lovely birds your pine siskins are♡♡♡ And the Cactus is really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you had a great new year with your grandchildren. Never saw wonderful jigsaw puzzle of birds like that (^_^)ｖ
Belated Happy New Year to you, my friend!
Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend, xoxo Miyako*
Thanks, dear Miyako, it's hard to keep up with blogging during the holidays. I was so impressed with the Japanese light displays, the dramatic figures outlined in lights are very elegant. Hugs and love from the PNW.
DeleteYou saw the new year in with your grandkids, and with many birds.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rainfield, it's strange doing puzzles with a 5-year-old, he tries to grab all the pieces and leans across the board so no one can see.;-) It's great to see him getting some skills.
DeleteCool puzzle. How great that you had help putting it together. I haven't seen any pine siskins yet this year...but my eyes are peeled.
ReplyDeleteThanks, it was more like I was the helper. Jigsaw puzzles are like torture but also hypnotic. The Pine Siskins are exciting but don't come back much, perhaps they were just flying over and saw some food action going on.
DeleteYes - cute bird :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd a beau-tiful flower!
Thanks, Villrose, it's great to have flowers decide to bloom in the winter indoors!
DeleteYour Pine Siskins are so similar to our Eurasiaw Siskin. The same chattering habits and behaviour too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Phil, they are such charming busy visitors. I liked your Goldfinch with the red face.
DeleteWonderful photos! These birds are really cute! And these yellow blossoms are so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mary, I'm wondering if they were just flying over and if they will ever come back. Your sweater you knitted in such a short time is phenomenal!
DeleteTime with grandchildren is always fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Janice, it was great to have my whole family there.
DeleteThanks, Felicia, they are just like the ric rac used for sewing, I enjoy looking at them.
ReplyDeleteAhh the annual Christmas puzzle, we didn't do one this year but we have a few on the shelve so maybe the dark days of January will offer up an opportunity
ReplyDeleteMollyxxx
Thanks, Molly, I'm not responsible for the grandkids' puzzle, I just joined in on the fun, but they frequently do them. This one fit in well with Wild Bird Wednesday.;-)
DeleteCute birds....wishing you a Happy New Year Hannah
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna, today I ripped out my old tomato plants and put down some black plastic to kill the weeds before spring planting, so that should make it a lot easier.
Delete