Cedar Waxwings

Recently, I was talking on the phone with a friend from church about birds, and she mentioned cedar waxwings. I didn't remember ever seein' any in person, but I was familiar with the bird from reading about them in my bird books. (You knows how I love birds.) Friend said they have a tree full of cedar waxwings, and that the birds like to eat hackberries. I have no hackberry tree. (Where can I get a tree like that I wondered, but little did I know.) Next day, what showed up at my birdbath? A. Cedar. Waxwing. It was very timid but it hung around determined to wait out the robins (that tried to discourage from getting a drink from "their" birdbath.) Soon the robins left, so the little waxwing drank and drank. Finally, it flew off, and I went pourin' through my books to be sure I was identifying it correctly. I was. After a little while it came back with a whole flock of cedar waxwing friends. My books say they are very sociable and live in flocks aside from the breeding season. I'm in bird heaven, I tell you, having spotted them here in my own yard and so soon after talking about them, but I still want a hackberry tree. ;) I took this picture of them at the birdbath to show you. Try to ignore the window screen and click for a big pic. They're cute as buttons.

I mentioned last week that I'd been knittin' and crochetin' a bit. I'm working on a couple of patterns, but the last row of this hot pad gave me a little trouble so that I'm not confident enough to share it, yet. I need someone(s) who crochets to proof the pattern for me, please. If you're interested, just email me at foothillsgsm at yahoo dot com with Crochet Hotpad in the subject line and I'll send it to you asap. Thanks!