She picked out all the red Lucky-Charms hearts and handed them to me.

So I sit at my computer munching on various (dry) breakfast cereals one piece at a time from a hand full. Spot, the 100% pure white Dove always lands on my hand to see what I’m eating, if she likes it she steals some (WHOooo HOooOoo she says). 

Today, Valentines Day, I was eating "Lucky Charms" and she came and picked out ALL the little red marshmallow hearts and held them up for me to take (they were too big for her to eat)..until all the red hearts were gone. Isn’t she sweet? (Repost from 2 yrs ago)

She helps me type... and is not a very good speller.

For more about sweet gentle Doves, Click here

Spot always has to check out what I'm eating or drinking.

Ski jumping is for Chickens

Sochi Olympics spectators cheer as Bert sets a world ski jumping record.

As he leaves the jump, Bert takes advantage of his physical attributes to soar far beyond the second place jumper.

Other Olympic contestants cried fowl but Officials said they could find nothing in the rules that would keep Bert from claiming the First Place title (No artificial enhancements allowed).

Bert was quoted as saying "I could have gone much farther, but at the end of the landing area there was a KFC restaurant".

Fat cat no longer hostile toward the hand that feeds him.

Tuna has no will power... therefore.... food rationing, however, Tuna becomes very grouchy and ornery when hungry (always), and attacks our ankles until we acquiesce. 
BUT
there IS a solution. . . . a new feeder - 

NOW, Tuna get's angry at the feeder instead.... just one bit of food at a time, a very slow process. There's a hopper in the center and he has to work for his food.
If you prefer, ..... a 10 second video.

 

2010 080211 DO you know what 15 degrees below zero looks like?

             Taken at various windows at Berts house
 

                                  A few have been "enhanced".

      

Picture Perfect - Three - Ice Road

It's a THREE mile walk one way (or drive, we walked) on ice across this part of Lake Superior on Hwy 2 from Bayfield Wisconsin to Madeline Island, the only one of of the 23 Apostle Islands that is inhabited. 
The Highway Department maintains this Ice Road (US 2, it's on the maps) after the Ferry can no longer operate, until the ice is unsafe again in the Spring.  Notice the discarded Christmas trees that mark the way every 1/10 mile...because the visibility can instantly become zero feet if a wind kicks up and there is blowing snow.  It can be a risky trip even on a clear day. People have gotten lost and driven into open water miles away, or stuck out in the middle when they drove off the plowed road into deep snow.

We bundled up warm, to shield us from the wind and took food and water with us.  On Madeline Island we went to a restaurant and had lunch. When we started to walk back across the ice road we discovered they had closed the road because of dangerous ice conditions. BUT we had no other way to return and it was getting dark, so we went anyway.  Then it was even more uncomfortable when a car passed (people drove anyway).  But we made it and it was a very pleasant days 6 mile walk.

When walking to the island... when a car approaches, you can see and feel a "wave" approaching the same as if it was unfrozen water. As you stand there you can hear the ice cracking under your feet and feel the Ice rise and fall about 6 inches and see the wave of ice leaving when the car passes...a very uncomfortable feeling standing over 300 feet deep water, miles from shore... even worse if it's a bus or truck.  You can easily see the huge cracks in the ice and occasionally ice ridges occur so they must sometimes re-route the road slightly.
In winter, the population of the 18 mile long island drops to about 200 people. During the period after the ferry can no longer plow thru the ice, but before the ice road is safe, children take the air-boat (Ice boat / ice sled) to and from school each day in the city of Bayfield (A "boat" with an airplane engine and propeller).

Only the walking-dead would approach the house.

The Little kids would not come up to the house...afraid, I had to go down the driveway to them. There were wolves howling and Bats flying around, and outside the house it was even scarier.

(Fog machines, firepots(fake), and red floodlights)

Some would not take the candy after my hand slipped out of my sleeve and fell into the bowl - HA Ha ha HO Ho ho.

Picture Perfect #4 - Tough as . . . a Chicken,. . .1st Place photo winner, Thanks everyone.

No, I’m not joking…. This is a picture of "Tough"…. It’s all a matter of attitude, and Bert has lots of that. (1st place Picture Perfect #4 - Tough)
Bert doesn’t seem to notice the size difference between himself and any other living creature. He is totally fearless, confident, persistent… and cannot be intimidated. His beak is like a hardened metal vice-grip pliers and can easily draw blood. He knows he has long spurs that are needle sharp and he is very willing to use them.

After getting pecked at… Ace decided "thats enough" and pushed Bert back in the coop. WOW did that light his fire. You don’t shove Bert! Just like a crazed fearless animal, Bert charged with a flying leap and dug his spurs into Ace’s arm. Ace tossed him back, but again he reared up and charged.. spurs into the arm, blood everywhere. Ace tossed him back yet again, this time he LEAPED right out of the coop at Ace , attacked on the arm again, Jab jab jab blood blood blood.
…..Now they're on the floor wrestling, jab jab jab, peck peck peck blood blood. Ace managed to reach up and grab him enough (Wings flapping.. peck peck squawk jab jab squawk) to throw him back into the coop and slam the door. Whew!!! After all the feathers had settled to the floor, Ace cracked open the door. WHAM Bert attacks again. That ain't no Chicken... kinda like alligator wrestling.

BUT... all the rest of the time, Bert is a gentleman and Ace and Bert are good buddies. When sitting outside on the bench, Bert and the other Chickens jump up on Ace’s lap and let him pet them.
- - - - - - THANKS everyone, for making this Picture-Perfect 1st place... I'm so pleased (Ace) that others like this picture, because I really do love Bert and he loves me. He has taught me a lot. He's such a character, a gentleman, and such a pleasure to have around (the hens too).  He is quite macho, but he does love it when I hug him. He just won't admit it.
Note: check out BERTS 24/7 LIVE CHICKEN CAM (you control cam) OR For more info on Bert and the Hens, and Pigeons, and Doves, etc Click here then scroll down to "Tags" then click on tag=Bert (or tag=Chickens, or Spot or Dove, Velcro, Pigeon, etc)