Flickers, finches, purrs and hugs

So far, so good with the flickers. They still peck at our house from time to time but, now that they have a home of their own, not in a destructive way. I have seen sparrows, black birds, and finches in the flicker house too on occasion, but think these are just curious visitors and believe the flickers plan to use it still. For a while, I saw only Mr. Flicker working away on the house and sitting alone, calling out from the trees. I thought maybe Mrs. Flicker had left him (she is the one with no red spot on the neck). But she (or a new one?) is back, and I have seen them both in the house. It’s very fun to watch.

Heard a finch singing beautifully this morning from inside the wood-burning stove downstairs. It made a nice echo. Turned off the lights in the room, opened the door to the outside, and then opened the door to the stove. “There he is, mama!” Kadin said. A little brown bird with red trim was sitting in the stove. We left the room and when we returned, the finch had flown out the door (we assume). We had a similar thing happen a couple of times last summer when the finches chose to build their nest in the stove’s chimney. This year, they have chosen the blue spruce nearby (better choice!) but still seem to have the falling-down-the-chimney problem. Santa syndrome?

Also, just heard the good news that we will in fact be getting two kittens. Not sure exactly when. They will be dark tabbies and either two males or a male and a female. One of the breeders I have been emailing signs her posts “hugs” and the other signs off “purrs.” Whatever. We are not getting the kittens from “hugs,” as “purrs” has two available and set aside of us. “Hugs” seems a bit more chatty and obsessive and also seems to like to keep very close tabs on her kittens. She invited me over for a day at the end of April to meet her kittens and another one of her “pet owners.” That sounds okay, but maybe a bit too much for me. I’ll do what I have to do, but I want a cat, not a new woman in my life! Even though we are getting our kittens from someone who signs off “purrs,” she seems somehow easier to deal with. She’s more like, “I’d like to meet you,” then, “send me a deposit” and less, “correspond with me and suck up to me and become part of my life.” Anyway, am relieved that I can soon just be a normal cat owner and not a breeder-kisser (hugger). Now, I have to figure out how to tell “hugs” that I’m going with “purrs.” Sigh.