The Wordsmith's Forge

Today is sunny and quite cold.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a large flock of sparrows, a pair of cardinals, two starlings, and a mourning dove.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 1/27/26 --  I did a bit of work around the patio.

I put out more birdseed.  I've seen a male and a female cardinal pulling kernels off the corncob.

EDIT 1/27/26 --  I did more work around the patio.

I refilled the hopper feeder again.  I've seen a flock of mourning doves and two male cardinals.

EDIT 1/27/26 --  I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

It snowed yesterday, probably about 4 inches.  The ground is covered.  The trees still have a little sticking to them, but this is light fluffy snow so most has already fallen off.  The temperature is frigid.

I haven't been out to feed the birds yet, but they're active.  I've seen a flock of sparrows, a flock of mourning doves, two starlings, and a downy woodpecker.

EDIT 1/25/26 -- I fed the birds.  I've seen a male and a female cardinal.

I put out water for the birds.

It's snowing slightly again.

EDIT 1/25/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

Snow is sifting down off and on, but the wind has picked up so it's drifting more in places.  Surprisingly the snowplow has already passed by at least once.  That usually doesn't happen until the day after the snow stops, because we're out in the country.

EDIT 1/25/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 1/25/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

Today is partly sunny and cold.  Heavy snow and deep cold are predicted for the weekend. :/

I fed the birds.  I've seen a small flock of sparrows and a male cardinal.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 1/23/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I've seen a large flock of sparrows and a female downy woodpecker.

EDIT 1/23/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 1/23/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night. 

Today is mostly sunny, breezy, and cool.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a flock of sparrows and at least one starling.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 1/21/26 -- We installed the first of the new latches.

EDIT 1/21/26 -- We installed the second of the new latches.

EDIT 1/21/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 1/21/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 1/21/26 -- I put out a peanut suet cake.

EDIT 1/21/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night. 

Today is partly sunny and cold.

I fed the birds. I've seen a flock of sparrows and a lady cardinal.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 1/19/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 1/19/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I've seen two starlings and a male cardinal.

EDIT 1/19/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night. 5:20 and I can still see light in the west. :D

Today is cloudy and cold.

I fed the birds.  A few sparrows approached as soon as I put seed in the fly-through feeder.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 1/18/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 1/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 1/18/26 -- I put out a fresh peanut suet cake.

I've seen a flock of sparrows and two male cardinals.

EDIT 1/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.
 

Today is cloudy and chilly.  It snowed last night, just enough to leave a blanket of white over everything.  Most of it has already melted away.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few sparrows.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 1/16/26 -- I saw a mourning dove.

EDIT 1/16/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
 

Today is mostly sunny and cold.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a flock of sparrows and a starling.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 1/15/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 1/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 1/15/26 -- I did some work around the yard.

I've seen a downy woodpecker drumming on a branch, and a pair of cardinals flying away.

EDIT 1/15/26 -- I dumped out the cloverleaf pots and stacked them upside-down on the patio.  Last year I tried growing wild strawberries in towers.  This didn't work great because 1) the berries weren't very good, 2) the towers were difficult to water, and 3) they were prone to falling over.  However, I learned some things so it wasn't a wasted effort.  I'm not sure what I'll try next.  Certainly I could plant better strawberries, either my wild ones or the pink-flowered Toscano that produced excellent berries last summer.  Watering should be easier with a hose.  Stability, hmm, I might try stakes or just spread them out.



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Today is cloudy and cool.

I fed the birds. I've seen a flock of sparrows.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 1/13/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 1/13/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 1/13/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 1/13/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I've seen a pair of cardinals and a starling. I heard a woodpecker but didn't see it.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It fills the "In the Wilderness" square in my 1-1-25 card for the Public Domain Day Bingo fest. It was sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred.

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