Cottage Garden Window Box - Summer vs. Winter, Flowers Vs. Squirrels

The cottage garden windowbox that is attached to our dining room window...

(Summer 2010)

...isn't really a windowbox at all.

(Summer 2009)

Because once the flowers have succumbed to autumn's first frost, the flowerbox reverts back to its true purpose...

...as a screen feeder that holds a bounty of food for the birds and wildlife that visit us throughout the cold New England winter.


Little Sammy, a young squirrel, has been a regular visitor these days, much to Baby's delight.

Whenever Baby hears Sammy at the feeder, she bolts from wherever she is, leaps into the bay window, and with ears flattened to her head, she prepares for her sneak attack.

Sammy, who seems to have more going on upstairs that our Baby does sometimes, knows right off the bat that the pane of glass between them is his safety net, so he doesn't even flinch when she bounces off the window...

Eventually Baby also realizes there's no way she's getting through the glass pane that separates them.

Of course that doesn't stop her from licking her chops, just thinking about how good Sammy would taste for supper.

"Say what????" says Sammy!

Just kidding. I think Baby would love to just play with Sammy...

...which is music to his little ears.

And after Sammy's belly is full, Baby bids him "adieu,"...

...and Sammy scampers back across the yard to his nest (which this year is a birdhouse in the corner of the backyard, shared by he and several of his siblings.)

And while all this activity is going on at one end of the house, down at the other end our sweet Tiger (who at 17 is past her huntress days), prefers to seek out her flannel penguin bed..

...which is butted up against the heating vent in my office. It is her favorite place to sleep in the winter months because it's so nice and toasty warm...

Sweet little Tiger, you are one smart kitty!

We are due for yet ANOTHER winter storm tomorrow. Spring cannot come soon enough for me (or Tiger!)!!!

I'm linking up to Show & Tell Friday this week. Be sure to visit Cindy at My Romantic Home to see everybody's Show & Tell blogposts!!!

Have a great weekend, everyone! And stay warm!

Donna