A Snowbird in Paradise

Here he comes!

If you know anything about Sandhill Cranes,  you know they are loud.  I mean LOUD.  This fellow was in the field across the street from our house making his presence known.  I went to the door to see where he was.  My other half warned me to be quiet...don't scare him.  HA.  That bird came running across the street as soon as he saw me.

Closer and still running

He came so close that I backed away.  "He wants something to eat" He said.  I couldn't think of anything in the house but bread that he might eat so I grabbed the end of a loaf.

Do you think he recognized the shape of our garden decorations?

When he had eaten about 3 slices of bread torn up, he was done and left.

As you can see here, he stuck around for a while and stayed nice and close...I think he would have let me pet him but I was very aware of the damage that big sharp bill could do.

About four years ago he bought a banana tree and planted it out by the lake.  Frost took its toll the last two years but the "pups" kept growing each year and this year produced a bunch of bananas.  There were two but frost early in the year took one bunch out.  The other continued to grow all four months.  Now, just as we are packing to go home, the bananas are ripe and so sweet!!!

They are a little smaller than supposed to be but maybe the next batch will be larger.

Maybe the orange trees haven't done so well but we are thrilled to have the bananas.

The scrapbook page I made using the photos that follow.

Puddle at the base of the driveway and the sidewalk.

This photo of the Bird-Of-Paradise was flipped for the scrapbook page.

Rain like this covers the screen of the screenroom and gives things a ethereal look.

We have had very little rain here this winter.  Lots of comments on the news about the dry conditions, and, of course, brush fire danger all around.  A couple of days ago we had a sudden, heavy downpour and I stepped out on the little covered porch to take a couple of photos.