Some tenants of the backyard have forgotten the established rules. Your rudeness has not gone unnoticed.
- The aluminum foil pie pans hanging from the branches of the blueberry bush are not play things or mirrors in which to admire your bad selves. They are reminders that the humans who live in the white cave have first dibs on the blueberries. The humans have excluded felines from the yard and have always left plenty of berries on the bush for the rest of you. In return for this effort, they merely ask for enough blueberries for a couple of pies.
- It is both rude and a little disgusting to leave partially eaten berries on the bush to rot and become unpleasant surprises when the humans come to pick their share. We won't name names <stares fixedly at an arrogant Jay perched on the fence who cocks his head as if to say "shut up already">, but you know who you are.
- We do want to acknowledge the discipline shown by some of the yard residents. Chip <nods to a Chipping Sparrow bobbing up and down next to a lettuce> has been extremely helpful with the bug reduction exercises. Pat and Pat <two Catbirds, one on a bough of the White Pine, the other on the edge of the birdbath> despite their late return this year have kept us all amused, as has their cousin Mimus <nods at the mockingbird on the dead pine>.
- I am sure that we all wish Dolores and Downer the Mourning Doves good luck with their new meds. Some of these new uptake inhibitors can work wonders.
- A quick word to the Hummingbirds, the feeders are for your use as is the Bee Balm patch, but please bear in mind that not every brightly colored object contains nectar ... hats, even those with flowers on them, tend to contain humans and the flowers are not real. I know it's confusing, but try to figure out the contextual cues guys. We don't want a repetition of last week's disaster. You will be relieved to know, however, that Aunt Sally has fully recovered and we are considering putting a railing on the porch.
I'd like to close with another reminder that those of you who like blueberries should be polite and wait just another couple of days. Remember, you are guests here <stares sternly at the Jay>.
