Today seemed like a feast day for the sparrows and chickadees in our garden. The invitation? A lavish buffet spread over several feeding stations. I had done my best to make the menu attractive – sunflower seeds here, some fat balls there – and the guests arrived with an enthusiasm that I almost envied. Unfortunately, most chickadees quickly hid behind the branches as soon as they had pecked something, which meant that I did not get a good photo of a chickadee today. The sparrows, and upon closer inspection, a finch, however, posed as if they were auditioning for a nature documentary. And honestly, even if I did not get a successful photo, that fluttering and chirping is better to watch than any Netflix series! Every day is a relaxing half hour or longer outside with Skipper as we watch and enjoy the busily fluttering birds in the garden.

Fun facts about sparrows and chickadees

Did you know that sparrows are quite social birds? They love company and enjoy living in groups. Sparrows are often not afraid of people because they’ve been living near humans for generations. They thrive in gardens with plenty of trees and bushes, fluttering between the branches as they snack. Interestingly, in some cultures, house sparrows were even kept as pets in the past.

Chickadees, on the other hand, are the acrobats of the bird world. When you see a chickadee dangling upside down from a branch to grab a seed, it’s not a stunt—it’s their daily workout. Great tits and blue tits, the most common species in the Netherlands, are also impressively intelligent. They’re known for their resourcefulness, like figuring out how to open milk bottles back when they were delivered to doorsteps. Sadly for these clever birds, that’s now a thing of the past. But let’s hope they’ve developed new skills, maybe even “hacking” bird feeders. Who knows? What I do know is that observing them provides endless entertainment—their acrobatics never fail to impress.

Burning Pride

After feeding the birds and attempting to photograph them, it was time to return to my pyrography project. If you’ve read my blogs before, you might already know that I’m working on bringing Rowan, my deceased white German Shepherd, to life on a wooden disk. And no, it’s not as easy as it sounds. “Painting” a white dog using fire is a unique challenge. How do you bring out a light-colored coat? You can’t burn white! The trick is to darken the background and create a contrast to make the white dog emerge. It sounds counterintuitive, and believe me, it felt strange at first, but it works.

When I started, I was almost too nervous to make the first burn mark. My brain understood what I needed to do, but my hands hesitated, as though every line could ruin the piece irreparably. And yes, one experiment with darkening the background didn’t go as planned—I’ll have to fix that later. But now, I’ve gotten used to this process, and I’m secretly proud of how it’s turning out. Rowan is beginning to take shape. His ears, his gaze, his soft coat, and even that mischievous smile that always made me laugh are slowly coming to life. While there’s still a long way to go, I can already picture how much I’ll love the final piece.

The Reality of Housework

Of course, life isn’t all about creativity and photography. Reality has a way of calling me back. After a quick cup of tea to recharge, it’s time to tackle the chores: the laundry is waiting, the dishes are glaring at me accusingly, and dinner still needs to be cooked. Sigh. It’s 2025, and I’d hoped that by now some helpful gnomes would’ve found their way to my house to take over the household tasks. Alas, no such luck. They’re probably too busy with winter sports or something.

Tomorrow, Again

So, while the sparrows and chickadees happily continue pecking in the garden, I return to my daily tasks. Between the chaos of the household and moments of creativity, I’ve come to appreciate the little things. I love the lively garden, Skipper’s constant companionship, and the satisfaction I feel when working on my pyrography. Once Rowan’s piece is finished, there’s even an oil painting waiting for me to complete.

For now, it’s time to let Skipper out, finish the chores, and prepare for an early bedtime. Tomorrow? It all starts over again!

Maybe I’ll try leaving out some food for the gnomes. Who knows, it might finally entice them. Any suggestions on what they like to eat?