This spring we have at least 5 pair of Painted Buntings eating at one of the feeders. They are somewhat elusive and stay hidden if possible. You really need to be very discriminating about the bird seed you buy. So much of it is just cheap filler grain. Trust me, if the birds don't like it, they will scratch it out onto the ground to get to what they want.

Wow man. A perforated appendix is no small matter to get through and recover from. The ammount of toxins that get dumped into your system what that happens is gianormous. Glad to hear you've recovered well and are able to talk about it, in my experience that can be the hardest part.

Sounds like you have a nice set up. This time of year, it's the garage for me. That's OK tho, I've got cable TV, and the laptop, and a couple of nice cars.

Sounds better than my backyard this afternoon... see my picture..

That sounds awesome. I used to have deer come up into my backyard every now and then while I was smoking on the back patio. I don't see them much anymore now that the area is developing. I did manage to walk up on a fairly good size deer a few weeks ago when I went to take out the trash. It was pretty funny watching him try to get traction on the asphault street.

Yeah, technology has a habit of removing the challenge in a lot of activities.

I don't own any scoped hunting firearms, I prefer to hunt with a bow, or simply walk through the woods with a shotgun and some 00 buckshot. There's nothing more exciting than jumping a deer in the woods, and just maybe getting a clear shot at him. More often than not, you just get to watch the white flag bounce through the trees! :)

I'm an avid shooter and enjoy many aspects of the sport from punching paper, to tactical competition, to reloading; however, a few years ago I came to realize that hunting was no longer hunting. Super accurate rifles, powerful scopes, scent lures, camo suits, baiting, IR game cameras, you would expect that deer might be armed these days. I have respect for many hunters, but myself, I have lost all interest in sniping animals. At $1000 per gun these days for a lease you could go to the market and buy a lot of ribeyes.

Great way to wind down.

I absolutely LOVE venison, but sometimes it's cool to just watch the deer eating :)

Sounds very cool. I'd love to see pictures.

It's already time to bundle up when smoke here in jersey. Enjoy your nice weather.

Sound like a really cool environment for that wind-down smoke, I envy you. I live in the city, the most wildlife I get to see are the squirrels, rabbits and the odd possum.

I'm not as lucky as you with the daylight either, I have none left by the time I finish dinner and get a drink made. I will shortly find myself heading to the garage and stoking up the woodstove for my evening and weekend smokes.