Wildlife Sanctuary

We thought we lived alone, my husband and I. One look outside would quickly tell you how wrong I was. Apparently all it takes is to put out a handful of birdseed or a peanut, and you've got a virtual zoo in your front yard.

It first started with Ferg. (See how I did that? Switching the letters around? Clever, huh?) We have a small pond and he just showed up one day. He had a girlfriend, but after they hibernated the first winter, only he reappeared. We're not quite sure what happened there. Anyway, he's been here 3 summers now.

Next were the birds. Oh my... do we have birds! Hubby put out a little bird seed one time, and several came by to eat it. (Hey, free meal. I wouldn't pass it up either!) Some of them were large Blue Jays and he heard they like peanuts, so he put some of those out. Well, that attracted a squirrel.

Then we got bird feeders and a couple birdhouses. The lady at the store said it would take awhile to get the human scent out. Nope. A couple weeks later we had a little bird family living in it. Wildlife likes us, what can I say. Every day we have, no exaggeration, 30-40 little birds at a time eating from the feeders, a dozen or so Jays trying to get to the feeders (if the little ones let them), and recently, four Woodpeckers have shown up. (Remember Woody Woodpecker? Yep, the males look just like him!) Ferg has burrowed away already, but the birds and squirrel still show up for their three squares a day. Then there are the multitudes of cats that come by...

Throw in an elephant and a couple of lions, and we could start charging admission!