The Hen
Pharley the Pheasant
In our backyard, we have a number of bird feeders, all filled with black sunflower seeds. We have some birds that stay year round, like the Chickadees, and others that are strictly winter or summer birds. This past week or so, we suddenly have a family of pheasants which have discovered our backyard. They are digging deep, picking up all the seeds buried under the grass, which is a good thing. Then we won't have a million sunflowers trying to grow this summer (although the deer eat them, so I guess it's not too bad).
Our kids and grandchildren were here for Easter dinner, and Harley (4 1/2 years old) saw the hen. I told him about Pharley, and that the hen was his wife. Suddenly he yelled that there were TWO hens - and how come Pharley has TWO wives???? And sure enough - there were 2 hens. Yikes!
These birds are extremely shy, so I had to take these pictures through the window. The one time I tried to sneak out, they took off down into the trees that are behind our house. Isn't Pharley the most beautiful creature? His colors are amazing!
Hope you all had a wonderful Easter!
10 comments:
Arlene and I check your blog regularly and always enjoy the way you help us see the beauty in the world around us.
We saw English cousins of Pharley and his wife in a stubbly field on the way to Bath yesterday. Pheasants are such beautiful birds.
Hi Dave and Arlene,
Thanks for your encouragement and your visits! I believe I have been blessed with so many opportunities to capture moments that not many people get to experience - and I LOVE to share them with visitors and friends like you.
Hi Sue,
I am enjoying reading your blog and seeing the signs of spring in Bath! Your pictures make me long to travel to Europe, and some of them make me want to paint those beautiful places!!! I wonder if Pharley's cousins "speak" with a British accent? (LOL) Hope your aches and pains have subsided this week. Thanks for dropping by and "talking"!
Love the name you picked..Pharley?? So funny. Was the hen Phydney? What about Phorden, Phats and Phisaiah?
Oh Kim,
You made me laugh out loud! It was your dad who chose the pheasant's name... and I never connected it with Harley! I was thinking Farley Mowat, only with a PH to go with the PH in pheasant. (Not that Farley Mowat has any connection with pheasants - no insult intended to him!)
Thanks for lifting my spirits on a rather drab day!
You are so fortunate...for where you live and having such incredible opportunities to capture wonderful subject matter, and also for the blessings of the wide variety your creative skills. I really enjoy checking out your blog.
Thanks Veronica!
You are right - I am extremely blessed with where I live - 20 minutes in different directions, and I am in 3 cities of varying sizes, yet country, prairie, and wildlife just outside my door. This home and property inspire me, and are like a retreat centre or sanctuary for me. I am continually amazed that we are here - it is a dream come true for me and my family!
Congratulations on the success of your blog and the painting-a-day. It is fun to visit and see what you have "found" to paint each day. Talk to you again soon!
Wow. Pharley is quite the player. Better keep on eye on him, once his ladies figure the situation out they might come after him.
Those photos are great. I wouldn't have thought they were window shots!
Hey Michelle - you are too funny!
If you get up quite close to the window, and the sun is coming from the other direction (not through the window), you can get some good shots in spite of being inside, with very little reflection off the window. I am pleased with how these turned out! Thanks for stopping by. :-)
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