"Seasonal" critters on my tree.......

It rained all day again....so I will show you some of my Christmas tree "critters" instead :-) As you can see, we have a very eclectic tree....a little of this a little of that. However, animals are all over it, since I buy most of the ornaments.
My favorite animal ornament, although I had trouble getting a good photo. This is called "Chocolate Chipmunk"....how cute is that??

The next year the came out with a squirrel version.

Another squirrel from Hallmark.....They used to do really cute animals in the early years of their ornaments, but seldom have ones that I like any more. Good thing....my tree is full!

Two chipmunks on the phone....love it!

"Sweet Dreams".....a little squirrel with his stocking hung dreaming of acorns and other goodies :-)

I also love glass ornaments....a very fat little blue bird. I also have a very fat little red bird.

Another Hallmark bird on a cracker....and a butterfly to his left.

Cat.....I have many cats on the tree as well as a live one that loves to sleep under it.

A fat little owl. I bought this on one of our Arizona vacations. We always buy ornaments on vacations, but I will save those for another day.

2 very different penguins :-)

This was an old Peacock ornament that has lost most of its tail that came from Mike's family tree.

A Charles Harper raccoon ball (one of my favorite artists) and a little bear shepherd with his little sheep. There used to be a craft show I went to every year and one vendor always had these little pom-pom bears and other critters. I bought some every year, but this little shepherd is my favorite.

A big fat white moose.....this came from a trip to Niagara Falls.

Rabbit with a carrot

How about a Mistletoad.....when you pull the rope he croaks!

Ladybug

A bee on a sunflower

Otter from the Seattle Aquarium.

Orcas.....I bought this to remember a whale watching trip we took in the San Juan Islands area one year with our daughter.

Turtle made of sand from South Carolina.

A little white seal on a peppermint candy.

Sheep!

Well, that's my birds and critters for today :-)

Home birds odds and ends......

We had a very light dust of snow last night.....barely enough to turn anything white, but it makes it look like December and winter :-)Look fast....before its gone!
It did bring the birds out early looking for food before I had time to fill the feeders. The Cardinal found a few sunflower seeds in the cup.

A very cute Chickadee from a couple days ago when the sun was shining.
He decided that upside down was the best approach for the pine cone feeders.
The downy gets upside down, too, but in a different way.

A downy in the tree for a change.

Junco. For a bird that comes right up to the door, I get remarkabley poor photos of them. Their pink bill just seems to disappear usually or not focus.

One of the resident squirrels checking out the bench on the deck.

A hawk getting ready for take-off.

We trimmed the Christmas tree yesterday and were out running around trying to get some lights that work, so I didn't get many shots.

Hunting for Hawks.....

Anytime we drive between Mt. Vernon and Evansville I spend my time "hawk spotting". On the way there we saw at least one and a Kestrel on the wires, but I didn't get photos.Hawk #1

On the way home, I got Mike to stop each time I saw one if it didn't immediately fly away. This was a great day for hawks! I've got photos of 7.....probably all Red-Tails......and saw at least two others that were too far away or that flew away as we got close and another Kestrel, which I never seem to get good shots of.
Hawk #2

Hawk #3....this one gave me the best photo of the day.

Hawk #4...this one was very far and the shot is not well focused.

Hawk #5 ....I do believe they think these poles are put up just for them :-)

Hawk #6 ...... The should have named this road "Hawk Drive".

(Just to see if you are paying attention :-)

I liked this barn and thought about Rose, who is always posting her favorite barn shots.

Hawk #7.......

......he gets two shots since he decided to look at me :-)

There is just something about the hawks that really attracts me. I wish I would see a few different kinds. We must have had a bumper crop of Red Tails this year and there must be a lot of food for them, if they were all so close together along the same road.

Squirrel Sunday.....

WELCOME!

MARY'S SQUIRREL B&B and FINE DINING

All accomodations: first come, first served.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner provided....if you hunt for it. "I think you need more seed down here"
"I found some! You just aren't looking in the right place."

Deluxe feeding in the "Oak Dining Room"

"Got room at your table for a friend?"
(the answer was: NO!)

More casual eating at the "Driveway Diner"

Dining in the round at "The Tower".

The special "Country Corn Diner"

......or you can dine in your room if you really 'want to be alone'.

Around back we have "The Rail".....an outdoor dining experience for special occasions. Tails required......

........"I'd look pretty silly without my tail!"