Friday, February 5, 2016

Finally Friday

I am still fussing with what I'm going to stitch this month, so I'll show off one of my favorite stitches from a couple of years ago.

Design - "Gingham Hearts"
Designer - Twisted Threads
Fabric - 28 count cream and tan Riviera linen
Fibers- WDW - 2 strands over 2 threads
Started - 6 February 2013
Completed -11 February 2013

I found it fun and challenging to stitch on gingham fabric. 

It's Friday and I am ready for the weekend.

This has been a good week for woodpeckers.  On Wednesday and Thursday this sweet little female Downy Woodpecker dropped by the front feeders.   

She found one of my new suet feeders.  

As you can see, she was happy with the food and the feeder.
I had a male Downy come by on Christmas Day, but have only seen him once since then.  Still if I have a male and female in the area, there's always the chance of babies come spring.  

I did have a male Hairy Woodpecker a couple of times this week.  He is larger than the Downy and has a longer, bigger bill.

After being AWOL for a while, the female Acorn Woodpecker is back eating peanuts. 

I am glad to see her. 

I am now seeing her and a male hanging out together.

On the Flicker front, I have at least three birds.

A couple of females for sure.

This photo provides a great size comparison of the Flicker with the tiny Downy Woodpecker. The Downy is smaller than the tale-prop part of the feeder, while the Flicker is two or more times the size of the prop.

And the red mustache is the clue that this is a male.

Early in the fall I counted nine Flickers!  I wonder how many are still in the area.

14 comments:

Olde Dame Penniwig said...

Where I live now, in West Texas, I have seen a woodpecker only once, which makes sense, since we have no natural trees here (as in ZERO). I saw the woodpecker about two weeks ago, and was so surprised! How lucky you are to have so many birds of so many types. I really enjoy looking at your photos.

Maggee said...

Wow--the commenter above has NO trees? Think I will cross Texas off the list of places to go birding! Anyway, LOVE the Gingham Hearts piece... it is adorable!! I haven't tried gingham yet, but did get a small piece of the polka dot fabric last month... deciding what to stitch on it now. We had a surprise dusting of snow this morning. Hasn't deterred the Downy's here. Send the Flickers my way please! Hugs!

Pondside said...

There's something sweetly 'valentine-y' about the bright spots on the male and female woodpeckers. I love the gingham hearts!!

cucki said...

Beautiful stitching
Xx

Weronika said...

Wonderful Valentine stitching. I love looking at the photos of birds you are doing! You've got amazing nature around you!

Syd said...

Love Gingham Hearts! I think I have that in my stash.

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

Love Love Gingham Hearts! And I'm with you: HOOYA! on Friday!!
aww...the beautiful photos...lovely!

Ann at Beadlework. said...

I love the little woodpecker, it's not one I've seen before. I love your use of that descriptive Scottish word for our typical weather in your last blog entry.

Le trame della Galaverna said...

Beautiful birds and pretty stitch
Lovely stitch :-)

Sherry said...

What a sweet little stitch! I love seeing the pictures of the Flickers! I do wish we had them around here. Of course, they may in the city -- just not my area. I have seen Perigrine falcons just right up the road from my house but never directly in our neighborhood. I never had bluebirds at our old house (which is not far from where we live now) but I have tons of them out here!

Carol said...

That flicker is such an incredible looking bird--can't get over those spots and his wonderful red throat. What a handsome guy :)

I'm struggling with February stitching, too, Beth--just can't seem to get started this year!

krayolakris said...

Love the woodpeckers. They are so handsome!

Christine said...

Great photos of the woodpeckers! I love the gingham hearts alphabet

Frances said...

That is a really cute February alphabet! I love that beautiful red!
I've never seen a downy woodpecker. They do look small.
Of course, I enjoy seeing those flickers!