Out On The Mudline

Honey Bees Take Over From Waxwings

By W. P. Sissell

Other Visitors

A couple of days after the Cedar Waxwings left I noticed a new activity on the Holly at the corner of the deck. Thousands of honey bees were working the flower heads where the Wax-

wings had just gathered the red berries. I looked closely at the plant yesterday and found that tiny new berries were already on their way for next year’s harvest. Nature was providing that future feed for the birds—if not interfered with by some of us humans.

Now, just this morning, I’ve seen two new residents of our hill. As I took a look at the Holly I spied a field rat crouched in the grass nibbling away at the leaf of a weed. I summoned Nannette to see our different visitor and she immediately saw a beautiful little chipmunk perched atop the sand rock wall above the mouse. This little fellow was barking away in its tiny voice.  The Chipmunks are full time residents of our hill. She just came by to tell me that there is a Chipmunk in the trap eating but not heavy enough to trip the trap.

Fabric Hunting One

For several months Nannette and her daughters have been talking about the condition of one of the couches in our living room—den etc. There are three of them and I think all of them—with the exception of one which has a visible error—look great.  All the various talks came to an end when they made solid plans to make a trip to a place in Tupelo—after having talked to several people in Batesville. Nannette and daughter Nancy allowed me to accompany them to a furniture outlet in Tupelo (Susan was teaching). The outlet was located in the one time Hancock fabric buildings, now Room to Room Furniture Outlet (you can get lost in it). We wound up purchasing one couch which must be made with a selected covering and purchasing one yard of fabric for covering a footstool (I am now told that I must build a footstool that is to be covered with the one yard of fabric purchased).

Fabric Hunting Two or a Day with Our Daughters

I caught my foot on the roll of fabric by the living room couch that is to be used in covering said couch. I thought that the furniture covering talk was over but a night phone call told us that both girls wanted to go to an outlet, Furniture, Fabrics & More in Burnsville, Miss. Do you know where Burnsville is? If you’re not careful, after you get through the traffic lights in Corinth, you will miss Burnsville. This is the one time big garment industry area of our state.  One of the people told me that in the middle seventies they made army fatigue pants in the building where this outlet is located—70,000 square feet of showroom space. Susan had been here before and had one of the brochures—your low cost source of quality fabrics for home, auto, boat, priced from 2.99 to 7.99 per yard. After having visiting several fabric stores, talking to others, looking at many samples and paying almost ten times the price here for a yard for covering that footstool I am going to build, their quality and price deserved a “WOW.”  They are for real as is the roll of covering that I tripped on. We had a wonderful day with our girls.

The Trap Line

We are doing well with the trap line out on the deck.  To date we have moved four squirrels to the side of the little lake in the north pasture. We’ve seen one more but he’s skittish about feeding in the trap. I released two Redwing Black birds yesterday. We  haven’t seen any hummers yet but do have a couple of small birds that like the same feed that hummers do.

Our wish for you is that you have a great week.  You can reach me most of the time at 23541 Highway 6, Batesville, MS 38606 or 662-563-9879.