The jokes abound about leaving up the outdoor Christmas lights well into January. It’s always more fun to put them up than to take them down (says the woman who does neither). The outdoor lights are my husband’s thing.
That said, I had a vested interest in their removal this year after noticing a small deposit of bird droppings at the corner of the front steps just before Christmas. I looked up hoping to see a bird’s nest but alas, no nest in sight.
I got a jug of warm soapy water, rinsed the steps and carried on with my day.
A few days later the droppings were back, but still no sign of my feathered neighbor.
As luck would have it, we drove up the driveway around 5 pm one evening and I got out of the car to fetch some packages. In the process I startled a small red-breasted bird who is apparently sleeping on the edge of the extension cord used to hang the Christmas lights.
Possibly a house finch, common to the area, and probably male with the red breast
House Finch under the eaves, December 28, 2018
My feathered guest leaves during the day, then returns at dusk for the night. He tucks his head toward the edge of the overhang, perched on the cord, and though it looks inhospitable to me, he’s clearly content. We replaced our Christmas lights several years ago with long-lasting, cool-to-the-touch LED’s so it’s not the heat that attracted him. Why he’s chosen this corner we’ll never know, but when the lights came down yesterday, the extension cord remained.
Still visiting, January 2, 2019
It’s a lovely start to the new year and a softening of the inevitable melancholy that follows when both boys head back to university for another term. I’m immeasurably happy to see this little bird perched there each night, and hope he remains year round.
What’s new in your corner of the world?
Gardening Nirvana 
How cute is that! That is a sensible little fellow to make his dwelling in a house that cares for his comfort. We tend not to have outdoor lights in this part of the world as its still light until about 10 pm. I think we should do it in mid winter though……
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Yet another difference in our Christmas seasons that I never thought of: long days. Even our summer days usually see an 8:30 pm sunset. How remarkable for you to have so much day light. It was like that when I visited Kelly too.
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One of the advantages of living away from the equator Alys 😀 I do love the long hours of day light! I would have loved to spend some mid summer days in Greenland – or northern Alaska even – just to experience what it is like when the sun never sets – but not the converse – well certainly not for more than a weekend! I can’t imagine what that perpetual darkness would be like – our winter days are short enough!
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I read a fabulous book a few years ago called My Year of Living Danishly. The British author relocated to Denmark for a year when her husband got a job working for LEGO. It’s considered one of the “happiest places to live”. and she wanted to find out why. I highly recommend the book. The Danes embrace the dark and cold and find wonderful ways to experience it. Let me go find the link.
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I have heard of that book but not read it. And once I was headed to visit Denmark but never made it ….. that’s a whole other story 🙂
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I hope you’ll share that story one day.
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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23282062-the-year-of-living-danishly
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Thank you darling – it’s now on my wish list 🙂
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I love it! And, I understand. Nature can provide such comfort. Best to you in 2019!
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Thank you, Michele. Happy New Year.
I’ve been reading your posts, but continue to have trouble posting comments (or at least seeing that they post). It’s the strangest thing.
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It’s funny…you’ve said this before, but I can usually see them. Technology is so exasperating sometimes! Thanks for reading. I very much enjoy reading your writing!
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Your home is clearly a haven for all and sundry. I love your little lodger!
What’s new for me is that I’m playing the guitar again and going swimming. One advantage of having my boy leave for uni is that I get some 10-15 mins extra to myself every day. Happy new year!
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Swimming is great exercise! Good for you. And how nice to be playing the guitar again.
I love having a feathered lodger and hope his presence continues well into spring. It’s such a happy little highlight to me day.
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How nice of you to give this little bird a perch! I hope you don’t mind cleaning up his leavings and that if he finds a mate to nest with in the spring, they build in your back yard! Happy new year, Alys.
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Oh Lisa, the idea of a nest nearby is wonderful…mostly. We do have a young Tessa roaming that yard, but birds are usually smart enough to nest high in the trees away from traffic. I’ll keep you posted. Happy new year.
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How sweet is that! Everything knows the house to go to with the most warm hearts. Lights came down Jan. 1. I put up the porch lights and tree lights but am required to have help for the driveway. Got them down alone though. ;)))) Don’t tell. I used the dandelion plucker to push up on the cord to have it come off the hook. You are so kind to leave the extension cord for that sweet little fellow.
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Marlene, I’ve done the very same thing only with a broom. I push it up and out pop the string of lights. No ladder necessary.
Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me…and the internet. LOL
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🙂 My kids don’t often read my blogs so no worries there. I do keep my phone always in my pocket, just in case. 🙂
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That’s a good habit for anyone living alone. My sister does the same thing. She also has an emergency alert, because should she fall, she is unable to get up on her own. The call comes to me first, then two other numbers and finally 911. It’s for “I need help” situation, not a direct need for 911.
We’re getting some rain here today, but it’s warm (57). What’s your weather up to?
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We are getting another rain tonight and tomorrow. I’ll take it over the wind we had 2 nights ago. Flat scary. Very wet but way too warm. 50 at 4:30 pm. ???? It will make Heather’s move easier but we need real cold. Maybe later. Snow in the mountains though. 😉 I’m glad your sister has a button. I’m not quite there yet but the phone is good insurance.
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The phone is good insurance. Your ambulatory and Sharon is not. Never in my wildest nightmares did I think my younger sister, not even sixty, would need such a thing. Life hands it out, it’s up to us to deal with it. 😦
Wind is really scary. Here is it often the contributing factor in fast-moving wildfires. It’s not just the speed, but the direction, too. I impinge you really feel it living in a manufactured home, too, since the foundation is off the ground.
Best of luck to Heather with her move. Do you feel ready?
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I’ll send you an e-mail at the first opportunity with some photos. It’s wild in here but a good thing. More purging.
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Thank you for your email. I’ll try to catch up this weekend. xo
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Good luck with that. 😉
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Ooops…
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Check out this little free library.
https://jenniefitzkee.com/2019/01/08/a-little-free-library/comment-page-1/#comment-23672
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PS Your kids are missing out if they don’t read your blog.
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What a sweet story!
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Thank you, Mary!
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Oh my goodness, Alys! You definitely have a little friend who must be drawn to the peace in your home. 🙂 I think it’s very sweet to think that something has made him feel safe and I, too, want to be as hospitable to these little creatures as I can. I’m glad it worked out and you didn’t have to make a choice about keeping all the lights up indefinitely! We are currently feeding a stray kitty and there’s something very heartwarming about knowing you’re a safe haven. I wonder how long your little bird will stay. So delightful!
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Hi Debra! I agree with you: it feels good to be a safe haven for the vulnerable critters of the world. I’m so glad you’re hosting a kitten and hope to hear more as time progresses. I’m glad we found a sensible compromise so that we could retain his safe perch and also get those lights packed up for another year. I hope you are doing well.
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Bless the little bird and bless you for leaving his perch.
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Thank you, Nana Cathy. Happy New Year.
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What a lovely way to start the New Year – I’m sure that little bird is a harbinger of good things to come for you and your family.
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It is a great way to start the year, and I think you’re right, too: it’s a sign of love and goodwill in the air. We need it now more than ever.
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How lovely that this little one chose your home as a place to rest.
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It feels like such an honor to have this little bird trust us. I’m so glad he’s here.
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Hear, hear! A lovely way to start the New Year, with a generosity that will surely ripple back to the giver.
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That is sweet of you to say, Laurie. I’m so glad he’s returning every night.
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Alys, the columns of the front porch at our York home form a tiny square ledge on the inside corner of each side, facing our front door but invisible to anyone who isn’t standing on the third or fourth step of our staircase and looking through the transom windows. Some years ago Jeff pointed out to me that there was a fluffy bird settled in for the night on each tiny square. More nights than not, in the cold weather, they seem to be there. Their faces are always turned inward to the corner, so that I can’t see anything but a fluff of grayish-brown feathers and have no idea what kind of birds they are. But as you say, it’s a warm fuzzy feeling to see them there, as I still do frequently. I likely would never have noticed them, though, if Jeff hadn’t pointed them out to me. Re; your Christmas light visitor — I wonder if it’s a learned behavior that dates back to the days (or places) where older bulbs do make warmth?
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Thanks for commenting, Julia! There must be an extra sense of protection at the corners that make the birds feel safe. It’s also impervious to the wind and rain since it’s under the eaves and well protected. My feathered neighbor is back tonight. I check on him every day.
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Alys, leave it to you, to put a small bird’s needs first!! I love your kindness to all living things . . .
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Thank you, Kerry!
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I’m obviously a big bird lover and I wish we lived in a more temperate location so I could see them year round! How wonderful that you can still enjoy your fine feathered friend after the lights have come down! Happy New Year Alys!
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Thank you, Sara. I love having birds in our midst. We get lots of visiting squirrels as well. It’s always a treat watching them.
BTW, I’ve been having trouble commenting on your blog posts. I tried leaving a handful of comments last week, but nothing would load. Any chance that they got through?
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What a delightful story 😊. Your feathered friend has found himself an unusual tree!
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Thank you, Helen! Yes, an unusual tree indeed. :o)
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😊
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Lovely Alys. You provided shelter for a feathered one. We have clear lights around the tree trunks and I try to persuade my good man to leave them on for weeks more. He takes them down when I am not watching…
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Thank you, Cynthia. White lights are lovely around tree trunks. I love the quiet glow. We’ve been lighting candles in the evenings and dimming all the lights. It’s soothing.
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I am so glad you could leave the cord there for him – and for you, too. Seeing nature up close is always a comfort. 🙂 Hope your year is getting off to a good start Alys!
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Cathy, you are so right. There is comfort when you get to live up close with nature, as you know well. You live in such a beautiful place. My new year started well. I hope the same is true for you.
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Pingback: A Tale of Two Wrens – Gardening Nirvana
hello sweets, I read your delightful news a bit ago but thought I’d respond the next morning…fast forward two weeks later…how can I not keep up?
I’m happy you have a small and tender visitor to put a smile on your face this month. January is tricky isn’t it?
I can’t imagine balancing on a cord with my eye’s closed and who know’s what birds dream off when they doze off. I’m sure they must right? Maybe they dream of sunny days and puffy clouds. Oh for a birds eye view of life when the notion takes you. I haven’t dream’t of flying for so long, but have had those sort of dreams. It’s odd at first, but then, WOW 😀
Truth, my tree is still up…not a stitch of Christmas is put away. Just scrambling to finish up store stuff before we holiday. Miss you and your sweet face xo K
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