Getting Ready for the Ruby Throats

It is April and the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird northern migration is in full swing.  Although no new 2014 sightings have been recorded in West Virginia this year, several have been made in northern Virginia and it won't be long before we begin seeing the early arrivals.  I have seen Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds in my yard as early as April 1, but that was one of my regulars (Rube) and he was always one of the first to arrive.  Most of my hummers show up later in the month and some don't arrive until early in the month of May.  I want to be ready for them, especially the "early birds" because they will be fighting some chilly weather and will need some serious calories to get through the cold nights.
I have already put up a couple of feeders and am watching them closely.  I think it is a great idea to go ahead and put the feeders up BEFORE, rather than AFTER the first hummer is sighted, simply because I may miss a bird or two and they will go hungry if I am negligent.  There are very few insects and virtually no natural nectar available for food in my area in early April, therefore it is CRUCIAL that we get our feeders up early for them.  
In earlier blogs I have listed some "Do's and Don'ts" relative to feeding hummingbirds and you may or may not want to glimpse back and take a quick read.  For those of you who don't care to do the research right now, I am going to list a few things I do and/or don't do with my hummingbird feeders.
Here is a Short List:
1. Mix your nectar using 4 parts water to 1 part table sugar.  Bring it to a boil on the stove to kill any bacteria and to help make the nectar a viable solution.  Let it cool off before pouring it into the feeder.  I know... you already knew that... lol.  If you make your nectar any stronger that this 4:1 mixture you run the possibility of causing dehydration in your hummers. Hummingbirds love clean, clear nectar that is mixed 4:1 and that is the only recipe/formula you ever need to use. 
2. NEVER use HONEY in your feeder.  Honey will not provide the calories that the hummingbirds need to sustain life and could cause their death within a short time if they fill up on Honey Nectar.  Look it up on Google if you have any doubts about what I am telling you.
3. Never use FOOD COLORING in your nectar.  Red Food Coloring (especially #7) has been shown to cause cancer in some lab animals and the jury is still out on the #40 red food coloring.  Modern hummingbird feeders are red and there is simply no reason to color the nectar.  I know it is pretty, but why take a chance with the health of the hummingbird.  If you want more RED on your feeder simply add a red DOME or a red ANT MOAT, both of which are both colorful AND functional.  Please do not use red food coloring in your feeder.

In previous blogs I have discussed which colors attract bees, yellow jackets, and other insects.  Check it out if you are having a lot of bees and other insects on your feeder.  You might be surprised what you find out.

If you have any questions and would like to bounce it off of me, feel free to shoot me an email at wsikes1@gmail.com.

Watching CBS Promo's aka "Trying to Watch the Golf Tournament"

I am biting my tongue.  It is all I can do to keep from cursing CBS.  Okay, so I'm watching the NASCAR race on ESPN and I only flip over to CBS during the commercials.  I have flipped over to CBS four times now to get caught up on the action and three of those times CBS was showing promo's... not commercials... promo's.  I got one brief glimpse of Tiger Woods holing out on the 18th hole before CBS cut away to commercials and promo's.  To top it off, I have had to watch CBS promo's of the PGA Championship all week long and now when I flip over to catch a little golf I am getting more promo's.  Wow.
CBS is missing a great opportunity to televise a MAJOR golf tournament.

Lazy Pot Smokers

I get sick and go to the doctor.  The doctor gives me a prescription which I get filled and take as per the instructions.  I get well.  Did I get well because I went to the doctor?  Ask any doctor.  Sometimes we do get well because we went to the doctor and followed his advice, but the fact is that we probably would have gotten well if we had just stayed home, taken aspirin, rested, and drank plenty of juices.
What does that have to do with Lazy Pot Smokers?  I'll tell you.  There are lazy people in this world... always have been and always will be.  It is a part of our "culture."
So... what does a lazy person do?  He/she sits around and watches tv and does as little as possible.  Sometimes they read books instead and sometimes they do drugs... usually somebody else's drugs.  So... does the tv make them lazy?  Do books make people lazy?  Does pot make people lazy?  If so, let's just elect someone who will crusade to rid the world of television, books, and drugs.
Come on people.  Get real.  Yes... pot does give you the munchies... a friend of mine told me that.  Pffffffft...

Definite UFO Sighting

So, you STILL don't believe in UFO's?  Watch this film clip.

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2013/08/09/dnt-ufo-in-florida-pool.wbbh#/video/us/2012/11/13/co-ufo-sightings-in-denver.kdvr

Bandits in the Kitchen after Midnight

Sissy (our dachshund) and Miss Kitty have had a voracious appetite lately and Wanda just could not keep enough food in the bowl for them. They eat during the day and before Wanda and I go to bed at night we fill their bowl up for them only to find it empty in the morning. We have been wondering how in the world these two are eating so much food? Well, we finally figured it out.
Last night Wanda got up at about 2:30 and walked into the kitchen get a midnight snack when she noticed that we had visitors. There were two large pretty raccoons having a feast of cat food and they did not even flinch when she approached them. She finally convinced them to walk out the back door and to go find another restaurant. They are regular visitors to our back door but that is the first time that we have caught them inside the house. Needless to say they are very fat because we usually leave food out for the stray cats that come by pretty regularly.
I guess we will have to start closing the back door at night now when we go to bed. That's a shame because we like the fresh breeze that flows through the house when the back door is open. Oh well, I guess the crime is getting pretty bad out here in the boonies when we have to close our back door at night. 

Forced Sterilization (Vasectomies) For Mentally Impaired

Here is an excerpt from an article on CNN.com today:

From 1907 through the 1970s, more than 60,000 Americans were forcibly sterilized. Some, like Holt, were in institutions, while others were deemed "feeble-minded" or had "unfit human traits." Others were children of alcoholics whose parents couldn't care for them.

What is your opinion on this?  I do not think it is fair.  In fact I am deeply upset about this.  Why should intelligent Americans be the only ones that have to put up with dirty diapers, screaming babies in the middle of the night, rebellious teenagers, and kids that are of legal age yet still act like preadolescents?  No sir... it just isn't fair.  What do you think?

Quick Relief for Insect Bites, Stings, and Poison Ivy, Oak

Mosquito bites, bee stings, wasp stings, spider bites, and on and on...  What can I do to stop the pain and itching?  Here is my answer.
Rubbing Alcohol (Isopropyl Alcohol)
I keep a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol handy all the time for many different reasons, not the least of which is relief from bites and stings.  The second I feel a bite of sting I reach for the bottle and spray the bite mark.  I have found that the pain and itching disappear immediately.  Another thing the rubbing alcohol is good for is poison ivy and poison oak.  Even if you have already scratched the affected area go ahead and spray with rubbing alcohol and the itching will instantly disappear.  Yes, the alcohol will burn somewhat but that is a relief compared to the itching.
Keep a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol, preferable 90% or stronger, handy at all times.  It will become one of your best friends.