IT’S 84 F DEGREES with scattered clouds and Carolina blue skies in Charlotte. Buds are swelling on the trees.
WE CELEBRATED St. Patrick’s Day by sitting on the patio with shamrock sugar cookies and a cold Brown Cow.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT RECIPES for a brown cow. One calls for a chocolate liquour, milk, whipped cream and chocolate syrup… a refreshing drink really.
OUR BROWN COW is a drink we had as teenagers in Indiana. The Black Cow of my adolescence was made with coca cola and ice cream. The Brown Cow that I loved best contained root beer, vanilla ice cream, a dash of chocolate syrup and sometimes whipped cream on top. Hmmm!
MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN FIGHTING what is likely a losing battle with Sammy squirrel trying to keep him out of the bird feeders. We have a large wind chimes just outside the sunroom door. When we’re in the sunroom, we can see the back yard with the various feeders.
ONE FEEDER IS beside a tree. The cardinals and woodpeckers love this feeder. Sammy climbs up and jumps on the roof of the feeder. He then climbs down and and hides his body inside the feeder, with his fluffy tail hanging out giving him away. When my husband sees Sammy’s bushy tail hanging down from the feeder, he opens the door and rings the chimes. The squirrel runs like the wind two or three yards away.
WE SET OUT oranges cut in half for the Baltimore Orioles and a suet, peanuts and mealworms cake by the sunroom window hoping we would attract Bluebirds.
SAMMY must have smelled the peanuts in the mealworm cake hanging at the top of the tall pole with a big hook at the top. It was too high for him to jump up and there was no tree nearby. He was soon struggling to climb the shepard’s crook. After sliding down many times, he finally figured out how to get on top.
HE STOPPED AND STARED at me through the window, like he was thumbing his nose at me.
I GOT THE IDEA to grease the pole to inhibit his climbing. I greased it well with butter. It didn’t take long for him to attempt the climb again, sliding down each time. SO FUNNY. I wish I had a picture of him sliding down the pole holding on for dear life. He left finally, deciding to forego the peanut treat – at least for today. I have no doubt, he will be back. Sammy is clearly the clever clown of the back yard.
Happy Spring! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Sue Marquis Bishop 2015
Women Living Life After 50 
Got a kick out of the image of Sammy sliding down the pole. Haven’t thought of brown cows in ages! Thanks for reminding me of them. I’ve got some vanilla ice cream in the freezer and will have to keep them in mind since today was almost 90F. Ugh.
90 degrees. Wow. Be careful what we wish for. Summer will be here soon enough. Sue
Sue,
I am so jealous you have 84 degree weather! Here in the Boston area, we are expecting 3 inches of snow tomorrow, the first day of spring!
I loved your pictures of the cardinals and of course, Sammy. He is so cute! That brown cow is making me drool!
Great post!
I just heard your weather report. Wow! Hang on. Won’t be long. I am really enjoying your blog. Sue
I had to chuckle reading about Sammy. He drove Tom “nuts” as well. You notice the top of the white feeder had a wooden piece now rather than the pendant top that matched the feeder? Sammy kept taking the other top off trying to climb down the opening in the top as well. We finally ended up changing the feed in that feeder to safflower seed because Sammy was not a fan…. but anything with peanuts or sunflower seeds he can smell a mile away.
Good idea to change the food in the open feeder. The squirrel does make things interesting. I didn’t know if your ducks would return after so many were taken away but tonite two drakes and a female came to back yard. And waited to be fed. Probably ones born here you fed. Sue
Awwwwww. He’s hungry, too.
Why must he be Sammy?
My children called them Sammy. Just a family thing.
Sorry Sam. Just an affectionate name the kids used.