Busy Day at the Feeders

As the temperatures dip into the single digits
over night and a little snow falls in PA, the
birds are looking for food.
I am so excited when I can stay home and
watch to see what is happening around the
feeder stations. Today was busy.
finches, cardinals, chickadees, titmouse

Whether it was seeds or suet the birds
were happily filling up.

Ms. Cardinal was just looking pretty perched in the lilac.


Mr. Snowman offers both seeds in the bucket
and suet by the fence at the bottom. The downy
loves this little station.

Red Belly will get suet about anywhere it is offered.

Ms. Cardinal tries the new 'heart' feeder...
Valentine's day IS almost here.

While Mr. Cardinal watches and waits for his turn.
His color is stunning in the winter leafless bushes.

He takes his turn at the 'heart' feeder.


I was sorry to see the day come to a close... watching
birds today has been fun.

A Very Old Cemetery

In the year of 1670, approximately 70 Dutch and English Settlers mostly from New England, received title to their lands located 10 miles Southwest of Newark and 6 miles North of New Brunswick. At that time, this territory was dominated by an Indian Chief known as Matouchin, the term meaning Rolling Land, the natural scenery here being the most attractive of any between New York and Philadelphia.
Metuchen is near Edison NJ where 'Maidenform' my husband's work is.

We visited this very old cemetery while there for the bullriding.

If you double click you will be able to read the plaque.

Those who are buried here are from the Revolutionary
War period.
The Cemetery sits right in town with houses
and streets surrounding it.

I was intrigued by the old but perfectly inscribed stones.

Can you imagine how hard it would have been to
cut and inscribe this stone in 1760?

I could not believe how well preserved the stones
seemed to be.


A Few of the stones were literally 'stones' inscribed
like the one here.

Cats Cats Cats

This post is for you, Roxi.
After our cat - a - strophic adventure
today with the 'wild' black cats I thought
you might enjoy the ones I saw on my trip to NY/NJ.

The first bunch were in a wooded area where we walked to
get to the pond where the Canadian geese and ducks were.
(The Post: Walk in the Park)

Then later we went down to the bay and another bunch
were running around. Someone had constructed a wooded
shelter and put food and water there for them.
But there was no getting near them.

Walk in the Park

While visiting New York and going to Bull riding, I also
visited the same park I went to back in November.
(the post was Meno Park)
This is the more of the same park. The ducks and
Canadian geese were gathered around the one
place where the water was not frozen.

Doesn't this Canadian Goose look like he is skating..

all graceful there on one leg..

Well, they were skating, watch the video below

My brother and his girlfriend posed for
a picture on the bridge at the park.

It says ''no skating' but there is an iceskating rink right
across on the other side.The seagulls were gathered at one end.


I noticed this black and white duck, but do not know
what they are. They were sleeping.
I liked the way this female cowbird looked. (didn't know
what it was until bird girl told me.

Bull Riding 101

Being a country girl, raised in the country I naturally
would like bullriding. I first saw it on TV about 4 years
ago. I was hooked instantly. For those of you who
do not understand it - Let me give you a quick crash
course.

The Event always opens with ALOT of LOUD music and
pyrotechnics... fireworks and "PBR" burning in the
arena, like the picture below. Next they sing the
National anthem as in all sporting events and then
introduce the COWBOYS!!

The Cowboys come in all sizes but are all hunks!!
They range anywhere from 18 to 38 yrs. old.

The cowboy on horseback captures runaway bulls
after the ride is complete with his lariat and herds them
back into the chutes.

Flint, the rodeo clown entertains between rides...
and he is V E R Y entertaining!

The 'Bull Fighters' keep the bulls away from the
cowboys once they are on the ground. ( bucked off)

Seen here in action. Their job is very dangerous but
necessary to protect the cowboy.The magic time is 8 seconds. A cowboy must stay aboard
that long to qualify and get points by the judges.

And of course, the BULL.... They are athletes just
like the cowboys, bred to buck.

The cowboy, in this case Chris Shivers, is in the chute..
Where he mounts the bull and puts on the bull rope
to ride.

One hand is in the bullrope and the other is in the air. It
must not touch the bull or his body or he is disqualified.

He makes the ride and tips his hat to the crowd.

If you want to see his ride, watch the video. It shows the action of bullriding.




Yes! That was me at the end screaming. Chris is my favorite cowboy.
More about Chris. http://www.chrisshivers.com/

If you get bucked off and the bull hits you, kicks you
or you get hung up in the rope, it is called a wreck.

If a bull can not be ridden he is called 'Rank'

The Last 15 rides are the top point riders. The top rider
takes a seat in the middle of the arena and each rider in
succession has a chance to knock him out by points won.

As the crowd thins out I can't wait for the next
opportunity to watch PBR again!

My window on nature takes on many different looks. When
you can't see birds, bulls are just as much fun!! Maybe
even more so.

For More info on the PBR you can check out PBR President,
Ty Murray's crash course on bullriding...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmxtHv6WpR0

Best wishes Blogger Friends

Click the link for a little fun!!

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