Let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ, and let us go on into the invincible future with Him. (Oswalt Chambers)

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Chat Back for January 15

Responding to comments left since the last time I did Chat Back.

Alwen asked . . .
What feeder is that?

It's the No-No Tray Feeder. The food does not drop into the tray. I guess the tray is for perching. This Downy thinks it makes a great sheltered resting place while he feasts.

When I first saw this, I thought the Downy was injured. He isn't. He's just taking it easy.


NMjewel asked . . .
And do you mean there's no such thing as a squirrel-proof feeder?

The way to insanity is to get obsessed with keeping squirrels out of the bird food, although many companies have made money selling feeders and devices claimed to do so.

Some feeders are much better at keeping squirrels out than others. With the No-no feeder, the squirrel can find peanut pieces to eat, but it can't haul away entire peanuts.

Click here to see an amusing picture of a squirrel baffle at work outside my kitchen window.


Kathy asked . . .
I looked at the scarf pattern and yours is much more ribbed than the image she puts on her page with the pattern??????? Would I see her pattern in a closeup??? It looks very different to me...


It's the same pattern. Really.

There's probably a few reasons my scarf looks different to you than the picture in the One-Row Scarf Pattern:
  • My picture was taken in window light which is shining on the raised stitches that are knit through the back of the stitch and shadowing the garter pattern.
  • My yarn is stiffer and the finished scarf is unwashed, unblocked.
  • I knit at a little tighter gauge than the pattern.
  • My scarf is knit holding two strands of fingering together. The pattern scarf is knit from handspun.


This is a scarf I knit last September from a wonderfully soft 100% alpaca. Same pattern, different yarn, different gauge, different look. It looks more like the scarf in the pattern.


Mom asked . . .
Are the bluebirds finding the meal worms in their feeder??
I've moved the bluebird feeder into the back field by the bluebird nest boxes. I don't expect bluebirds to be exploring for food this time of year. They're off in the deep woods trying to survive. But once in a while they flock in to visit their nest boxes and I'm hoping they spot the feeder. Don't know if they'll eat frozen mealworms though.

I may have to wait until spring to attract them to the feeder. Then I can start moving it nearer and nearer to the house so by next winter they'll know where they can find food.

6 comments:

Sheri said...

Like you, we go through about 40 pounds of sunflower seed every week to 10 days. We quit worrying about the squirrels too. They'll find the seed somehow. This year they ate or buried every pecan in our yard, and we have 7 pecan trees. I think they should be full by spring.
Sheri in GA

Judy S. said...

That squirrel picture is too funny! I love the way your scarf turned out; you're right, that pattern looks different in every yarn, and that's what makes it such fun to knit.

kathy b said...

M;

Thanks for the explanation of why the scarf looks different and for the image of the one you knit that looks more like the pattern image. Fascinating that it can look so different !

Alwen said...

I like that feeder! I have an "Original"
http://www.sweetcornproducts.com/product_detail01.asp

No-No Feeder, from before they made them with the extended roof.

The dogs think the squirrels come into our fenced yard to give them something to chase! The squirrels jump into the yew bush and tease the dogs from the roof, but the dogs are just sure they'll get them someday.

Jean said...

I had so much fun looking at these photos, the first photo of the lounging bird was darling. The squirrel antics just make me laugh, I miss the little guy who used to visit me at work, he knew exactly who I was and would follow me around waiting for his almonds. He got so spoiled that he didn't want what anyone else offered him. They told me I couldn't feed him anymore, needless to say I fed him out of sights of the cameras. Don't know where he went to, but haven't seen him in a couple of months.

Susan Wike said...

What is a good feeder for cardinals? We've got 3 pair at the feeding station this year, but I hate to have them pecking away on the ground.