I’m not sure whether I’m in a ranting or raving mood right now! (Oh, and I want to warn you, this has absolutely nothing to do with Cozy Mysteries.)
I just got back from the grocery store where I found out they no longer carry my Goldfinch nyjer thistle. Doggone it! I hate it when my grocery store just stops carrying items. We have a grocery store monopoly (of sorts) down here in San Antonio. Good grief, I’m not happy about this! (And by “this” I mean the grocery store monopoly as well as the discontinuance of the thistle!)
Those of you who have been with me for a few years know that after our beloved 16 1/2 year old puppy left us, I was pretty sad. When she left, it was sort of a changing of eras for me. Sprite had grown up with our children. She had seen them from elementary school all the way through college. She was an integral part of our family.
We decided not to rush out and get a new puppy, and just see how things went. I have to admit that we didn’t miss taking her on daily walks in +/- 100° with high humidity, finding new methods of trying to get her to keep down her medicine, or having to get home after being out four hours. Long story >>> short, I ended up moving my computer so that I can look out on our back yard and I put up bird feeders and a big bird bath. Obviously, watching birds didn’t take Sprite’s place, but I truly enjoyed all of the daily shows the birds put on for me.
Unfortunately, we also ended up attracting squirrels, which were attracted to the seeds and water, but seemed to prefer our house’s wood. We had to repair our house four times. Four times was the charm: I got rid of the seeds and the water. (Many of our neighbors were feeding the birds, which helped alleviate my guilt.)
I missed the daily bird shows, especially when they brought their fledglings and taught them how to take off, land, and eat on their own. Sometimes there would be dozens of the little fledglings hip-hopping all over the ground under the feeders. They certainly didn’t take the place of a puppy, but they had been fun to watch, and I missed that.
A few months ago, someone commented (right here) about something called seed hoops. I decided to put up a Goldfinch feeder with a 16″ seed hoop and see if it worked. We already had squirrel-proof poles so I just attached the seed hoop to the hanger. And guess what >>> they work! They totally keep the seeds off of the ground!
Now I get to watch the little Goldfinches bicker with each other over which of them will get a perch. Every once in a while a squirrel will pass through our yard, but we no longer have them nesting here. Ya-hoo!
So I guess I’m ranting about our grocery store dropping the nyger thistle (which I just bought on line) and I’m raving about these seed hoops. (I’m also wondering why on earth I didn’t come up with something as practical and totally obvious as a seed hoop!)
Jenny says
Dear Friend,
There are a lot of stores around that do carry your thistle. Our local Do It Best carries it (there are 4 DIB in San Antonio), and yours would be happy to have your business. They are family owned and operated. I’m sure there are other places, feed stores, other groceries, other hardware stores, but I know the DIB quality and service and can recommend them to you. (Hope this doesn’t come across as a commercial)
I also LOVE your idea of a seed hoop! I will pass this on to my bird-loving friends.
-Jenny
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jenny, I just looked up Do It Best. Thank you for suggesting them. My husband thought Walmart might have it, but when he suggested Amazon, I just went with them.
I was amazed at how well the seed hoop works. The drawback is that you have to dump the seeds into the trash every 3 or 4 days, depending on how much seed the birds drop into it. I then hose it off to clean it. Not much of a hassle, but not as easy as letting the seeds drop to the ground.
marion says
Last time I looked Tractor Supply had it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you can get it from Amazon, too.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marion, thanks, I ordered it from Amazon. I decided to just one-click it VS. looking all over the place to find it.
Lisa says
I was buying the Niger thistle and other bird seed at Home Depot, Lowe’s and Wal-Mart, until I realized I saw only 2 finches here. (Near Houston). The seeds were also attracting mice and even rats from the bayou! Enough was enough, so we stopped feeding birds. Our dogs were going crazy barking at all the critters the seeds attracted.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lisa, I go to WalMart a few times a month, so I will probably end up getting the thistle there in the future. I just ordered a bunch from Amazon, which should last a while.
Yikes (!!!) on the mice and rats from the bayou! We didn’t put up our bird feeders until our dog was gone. They would have driven her crazy! If there was a squirrel passing through our yard she would scratch at the window and bark until we let her outside. She would then tear off after the squirrel. I always worried about that since I’m pretty sure that the squirrel could have taken her on if it had waited to confront her.
Mary Joy says
I totally understand your rant about stores not carrying products they once had. I comment about it all the time and have switched grocery stores. However, no one carries ALL of what I need! Grrrgh!!
I also understand about the squirrels and other pests. We once put up a hummingbird feeder. It was wonderful for us as well as the boys to watch. Just fascinating! Then, the yellow jackets caught on. There was no way we could keep them away, so we had to take the feeder down as it became dangerous in our back yard : (
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary Joy, “Grrrgh!!” is right!
When a bee becomes interested in our Hummingbird feeders, we just move the feeder (it hangs from a pole that we can move) about five feet away. The hummingbirds can still find it but for some reason, the bees can’t. However, we wouldn’t have tried this move-the-nectar trick when our children were young. We would have just taken the feeders down like you have had to do. Those bees are pests!
Mary Joy says
We may just have to try the feeder again in the spring. Ours was up centuries ago. We now have grandchildren who would enjoy watching those little hummingbirds. Thanks for that bit of info, Danna.
I have too much to say to get specific on our love of dogs, how much they mean to us and how their loss affects us. Suffice to say I understand and commiserate with all of you. Right now, one of our current two is in the hospital after a second eye surgery. We are hoping this gives him large shadow sight in his right eye. He lost sight in his left eye on Christmas Eve of 2013.We have been struggling with his right eye following laser surgery since right before Thanksgiving. Almost two months of constant stress. We are hoping for a positive outcome – it’s the final resort. We thought they would have to remove the eye!
We never thought we could love any as much as the one we had before them (17 1/2 years) but here we are again. Shih Tzus again, and only 10 years old now. Sister is in perfect health.
On a lighter note, thank goodness we have our books to take our minds to another place, keep us intrigued and make us laugh!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary Joy, my son knew how much I wanted to have the Hummingbird feeder up so he went online and found out about that five-foot trick. I had to move the feeder twice in one summer.
Oh my gosh, how awful about your pup! Poor little guy. You’re very lucky to have an animal hospital right there in town. I sure hope the surgery worked, and that he has shadow sight in his eye.
So right about good books keeping our minds busy!
Joan in VA says
My favorite story about a store that stopped carrying an item … I went to my local grocery store to get a specific cheese. A cheese, I might add, that I had purchased at that store a number of times. I couldn’t find any of the cheese. I went to the customer service desk and inquired … Oh, we don’t carry that cheese because the manufacturer stopped making it .. was the reply. OK. I went to the manufacturer’s web site and made an inquiry. Well, they still made it, and still sent it to the particular chain of stores. I told them what had happened. They weren’t happy because their sales of that cheese had dropped recently. I emailed the headquarters of the grocery store asking about the cheese .. well, they don’t know, but they don’t think they can get it from the manufacturer anymore. I sent that information to the cheese maker. At that point, I dropped the issue and found another store that carried the cheese. A month or so later I was in the original store … lo and behold there was the cheese. I dropped by the manager’s office and asked when they started carrying it … well says the manager we never stopped carrying it – why do you think we did? {and this was the same manager who told me the cheese wasn’t made anymore} … stores, just another way to drive me crazy.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joan in VA, I know it was frustrating for you to have to go through, but it is a funny story. Somehow this story does not surprise me! (I wish I could say it does!)
When the chain down here established their monopoly, they had us fill out little cards for the products we used to be able to buy at their competitor’s stores. They assured us that they would stock those items. Right!
Denise says
Like the idea of a seed hoop- dealing with squirrels eating the seeds drives me nuts. Trying safflower seeds as they are not supposed to like them. Not sure how well its working as I have a red tailed hawk scoping out the back yard. Was getting the seeds at Wal-Mart but…. will be making a trip to Lowes to get them now.
Went to the bird cam at Cornell to watch them feed at Sapsucker Woods- nice variety and its snowing …
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Denise, next time I’m at WalMart I’m going to price the seed. I had been happy buying it at my grocery store, but enough on that! I can’t get over how well this seed hoop is working. Yesterday I dropped some seeds on the ground while I was cleaning the hoop, and wouldn’t you know it, a squirrel (almost) magically appeared. I just went outside and hosed off the area where the seeds had fallen so that it dispersed the seeds, and the squirrel left. Good grief those are pesky animals!
I had forgotten all about the bird cams. I’m going to go check them out! Thanks for the great reminder. I got such enjoyment watching the
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Denise, thank you, again! I think I missed Ezra and the rest of the Red-Tailed Hawks this year, but the bird feeder cams are fun to see. Such a variety!
Cornell Bird Feeder Watch
Ontario Bird Feeder Watch
Pam says
Danna,
I know what you mean about losing a puppy, we lost our beloved beagle in sept. Still pretty raw about losing him…..miss him terribly. Not sure about getting another puppy my husband says NO i can’t! Some how watching the birds here in Ca isn’t the same as having a wagging tail greet you when you come home.
Also hate it when your local store stops carrying an item you have bought there for a while. Thanks for your blog, love Cozy Mysteries!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Pam, I’m sorry about your Beagle. I know exactly what you are going through.
For quite a while (after Sprite left) I would have to pull into parking lots so that I wouldn’t be driving down the road while crying. You are so right about our puppies greeting us at the door, and feeling happy to see us. Dogs (or cats) add so much to a family. I guess it’s because they are family!
My daughter thinks we should get a new puppy, but my husband keeps reminding me about having to go downstairs at 6:00 AM & 10:00 PM to let them out, mashing up pills and having to come up with creative ways to get the pills to stay down (I finally came up with beef baby food, after she got tired of the canned pumpkin), being limited to how much time you can spend away from home (we didn’t crate Sprite), ETC. So far his list of “Remembers” is keeping me from running (and I mean running!) out and adopting a dog.
I’m glad you found the site, and hope to see more of your comments!
Linda C says
Pam, My DH learned A LLLLOOONNNGGG TIME ago to not try to tell me that I can’t I have something. I told him that as long as I am the one to clean this house I can do what I want and I can have what I want. After all, I help pay the bills, too. This marriage is a partnership.
Rob says
Ladies,I can relate about losing a beloved pet-I lost my Abigail (Abby for short) after 10 1/2 years to stomach cancer and my dad and I
just took in a year old wire coated Black and silver Daschound that we named Max. Just adorable and as sweet as he can be. 4 years of mourning and watching too many pathetic ASPCA commercials and we couldn’t take it anymore! But I had my share of going down the road and crying. What kind of dog was Sprite? And I’m sorry about the Beagle as well. My family had three total (not at the same time) so we don’t care what kind it is-but Max is perfect as he is small and not too much for dad (he is 88) to handle on a walk or in the winter.
I totally agree about having a pet greet you at the end of a day.
My Max is at the end of the couch (which I”ve covered with a quilt) while I pound away at the machine. Have you tried a feed and grain store for wild birds? They may carry the thistle with corn and black oil seeds-or even a grain elevator store. They are cheaper in larger quantities and you can put them in a galvanized steel bucket to protect from mice and squirrels.
Rob
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Rob, I can relate to both the years of mourning, but not the TV ads. Years ago I decided I would no longer watch live TV. There were just too many ads for food, food, and more food. (And I don’t mean vegetables and fruit!) Every once in a while, when I am fast forwarding through ads I catch Sara McClachlan’s beautiful voice singing the animal shelters’ song, and I just keep right on fast forwarding. Those commercials are absolutely toooooo sad.
I’m glad you have Max. He sounds like a perfect family member. Sprite was a small dog, also. She was a Bichon Frise, although she didn’t have that fancy haircut. (One time I posted the cover of Spencer Quinn’s “The Iggy Chronicles” and mentioned that Sprite looked just like Iggy on that cover.)
When you mentioned the galvanized steel bucket holding the bird seed, it took me back to when my dad would feed the birds. He left the seed outside, so the buckets came in really handy.
Suzanne says
At least your neighbors don’t think your nuts, mine know I’m a bit off the beam. I have taken to a war with 2 of our squirrels. They get into our bird feeders, and I have tried hoops, baffles, and greasing the poles. Nothing works. I could understand in the cold and the snow wanting food, except that every morning I give them critter food so they have their own. For the past few mornings I have been squirting them with water to get off the feeders, thus my neighbors think I’m nuts. They have peanuts and sunflower seeds in their own feeder along with corn all other squirrels are happy but not these two. This morning I opened the drapes, we’re going to be in the 30’s today and what do I find but the squirrels sitting on the bushes staring at the windows as soon as they saw me I got their tail flicks a little chatter and on to the feeder they went. So now I have not only spoiled my cats (think cat who books) now the birds and squirrels and just as bad. They no longer fly or run away when I come out and if the food isn’t full the blue jays sit on the porch railings and yell. I guess I would take not finding the thistle over my birds and squirrels. Want to trade?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Suzanne, not that this is any consolation, but I don’t think you’re nuts! With our San Antonian squirrels, we found that we simply couldn’t feed them anything. They are such little pigs, that no matter what we gave them to eat, it just wasn’t enough >>> and they would proceed to chew/gnaw on our house.
I used to enjoy tossing peanuts in a shell out for the Blue Jays. We got such a kick out of watching them weigh each peanut before they would decide which of them weighed the most. Unfortunately, the squirrels caught on, and that was the end of that.
It sounds like your two “special” squirrels are finicky eaters! I’m sorry to admit that I’m laughing as I type this while reading about your squirrels’ “tail flicks”! I am all too familiar with those!
Oh, and by the way, I think I’ll pass on that trade…
Linda C says
Hey Danna, I have a “Rant and Rave” this morning, too!! I didn’t know where to put it here in your blog so I thought this just might be the place.
I have been finding some rather interesting murder mysteries in the Christian Fiction section of one local library these last few weeks. One author is Deborah Raney. Another is Gayle Roper. Both of these are very good writers. There are some religious messages through out each book but the books aren’t ‘preachy’. The stories are very good.
I like to pick up the books that are part of a series. I like to be able to read the series all at one time, back to back. This week I picked up a series where the first book had so much filthy language in it I could hardly believe the series was in the Christian Fiction section. Not only that, the book was about dog fighting, in detail. I read about five chapters of it and I stopped reading the book. I am not even going to open the next book. That series of books will go back to the library very quickly!!!
Danna, I know you don’t like us to name the authors of books we don’t care for, and I won’t here. But I just want to warn those who might not already know that just because a book might be considered “Christian Fiction” is no reason to believe it is.
I will soon be 70 years old and I guess I still have a lot to learn!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda C, it really surprises me that mysteries from the “Christian Fiction” section of your library have unacceptable language. I hope you mention it to your librarian. Sounds like those mysteries should be in the mystery section, not the Christian Fiction section. Weird!
Also, thank you for not telling us the names of those authors. The internet is too anonymous! (As you know, I don’t want this to become a site where people think they can come over and post negative comments anonymously.)