u/Emotional_Ant_3256

I used to have one pair of slides that were my quick throw on to go outside and pick up dog poop or go to the mail box shoes. Sig became obsessed with them and would always steal one because I couldn't possibly leave him if I didn't have shoes to wear.

It would often end up outside in the mud, or he'd hide it under the couch, or under a dog bed, or my favorite - put it in his toy box. It was hard to find at times, or hard to retrieve, and usually muddy, and sure maybe I was a little lazy and didn't want to search for it.

So I bought a second pair because I figured if he took one shoe outside I'd at least have another clean pair as backup until the original missing one was found and cleaned....but then I bought a third pair because I thought at least I'd have a left and right if he took two lefts from the others (lefts are his favorite)....then I bought a fourth pair because hopefully I could have a left and right shoe again, right!?!? The cycle continues to this day. Five extra pairs have been bought since that pic which was from last summer. At least they were on sale.

Yes I know I should just keep better track of the one pair, or the first couple pairs, but he prefers to take the ones I had on most recently and I've now discovered the more mismatched ones I have, the harder it is for him to figure out which ones to take...or maybe now that I have so many I don't notice the ones missing.

At least now I always have a pair to wear...................usually....

This merlin hung around for 40 minutes then caught some dinner and proceeded to eat it on a power pole in my yard. Quite fascinating. These are my pictures, and the merlin can attest to them being mine because he was glaring at me quite a bit 😆

He's much taller than his normal sized springer cousin...his parents were both 50lbs....he's not normal 😆

I know they are aggressive etc with other birds but I think they are gorgeous, does anyone else??

My mom isn't a fan and is furious with them for eating the jelly she puts out for the orioles. I watched them for 30 minutes switch off with the orioles and there wasn't fighting or anything. Also while taking pictures I realized the grackles were dipping other food in the jelly which was adorable.

After the grackles flew off both the male and female orioles sat above the feeders on the posts for thirty minutes. Just sat there doing nothing and the yard was quiet the whole time (no other birds around). As soon as the grackles came back the orioles felt the need to eat again. I'm convinced the orioles were just trying to start trouble, or get more sympathy from my mom who didn't see the whole show 😆

Ignore the madness on the lower shelf....she is trying to organize and downsize