Sunday, October 21, 2012

Silver Dollar City - Just One More Week

We've been at this for six weeks now, and there's one week left. Must confess, we're ready for it to be over. Yes, we meet a lot of awfully nice people who are genuinely interested in learning all they can about hummingbirds, who enjoy their hummers throughout the summer, and who appreciate the work we put into making our art. BUT there are also some really inconsiderate, mis-informed, know-it-all's out there. For instance, the question of the day today was, "Do you know where you get your stoppers?" Well, of course we do. We are the ones who get them. And no, we're not going to tell you where we get them because you just bought a house with "at least 100 bottles in the basement" that you think you can turn into feeders if only we will provide you with the information so that you can. A photographer friend loves this question, "Were you there when you took these pictures?" And another artist friend loses it with this question, "Can I ask you a dumb question?" Sure. Go ahead. We're here to please.

Went home about a month ago and our hummer population was down from over three dozen to just two individuals. Then when we went home last, no sign of hummer activity at all. They are off to warmer surroundings for the winter and lordy how we miss them!

Spending time with other artists, we have been able to add quite a few pieces to our hummingbird art collection. One artist, who did his first ever hummer painting for us, joked that in a few years the BOMH artists at Silver Dollar City would be the BOMH Hummingbird Artists. So much talent in Missouri and thank goodness we have the opportunity to own some of their fantastic pieces! And thank goodness they are willing to accommodate our hummingbird "jones".

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummers do NOT fly south on the backs of geese. Geese don't go to the same locales and fly way too high for hummers to withstand the altitude. Hummers fly individually, just above tree-top level so they can feed along the way.