I abandoned traditional bird-feeders for the garbage barrels, which do not store up food debris and clean themselves with rain, snow, and sleet. They are designed to draw away the rain, so food remains relatively dry.
Our latest rain was three inches overnight, which made moving around the backyard a chore, with ankle deep mud soft and squishy, easy to bring in, difficult to wash away.
I ring the chimes given by PFC after feeding and watch the results. The squirrels like to climb down the trees and stop to look around at various high points. They are the first to arrive, but Starlings swoop in to drive them away. Then I have three birds on each barrel, only to fly away when the squirrel effortlessly jumps up to end their breakfast. Soon after a Starling will dive-bomb the squirrel away again.
When the drive-by snack center is less busy, Cardinals and Blue Jays feed. Chickadees show up for uncooked, shelled peanuts.
The better bird and squirrel treats include nuts, sunflower seeds, and fruit. They attract the most colorful variety. Squirrel food - corn kernels and nuts - are almost as attractive. One bag is shelled peanuts, so I mix the offerings during the day.
Ranger Bob always checks the front bird bath. If it is low, he points at it and orders, "Fill that and don't forget to clean it first." He scoffs at the kiddie pools in the backyard, but they get plenty of traffic and measure the rain for me. He gave us a rain gauge so small that I offered to save it for when we move to the desert. We have had many 3 to 6 inch rainfalls.
I have to watch how I toss away bread products. Sassy searches for them and looks at me as if I have stolen her food. The first time was in Bella Vista when I tossed some restaurant rolls into the front yard. She barked to go outside, at the front door, which we never used. She brought in her finds and looked at me with disgust and sadness.
Sassy remains a champ at issuing orders. At McDonalds, my request for a small plain burger for her sounds like this, "I bark bark would also bark like bark bark bark a small plain hamburger. Bark! Bark!" She is just as insistent at the bank, where we use the drive through all the time. She gets restless as we drive in. I deposit a check and withdraw one doggie treat, in the midst of a chorus of barks. The teller looks down at her and smiles.
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