There Ain't No Rhyme for Oranges

I sat down to write this blog over an hour ago. Instead of writing, I spent the entire time scrolling through pins of RDJ on Pinterest. 

I regret nothing. This week was fraught with stress, so I earned every minute of RDJ.

Suffice it to say that when one works at an agency, a suicide does not end with the actual event. The investigations, questions and blame go on. Amidst the circus, I refuse to let go of the fact that a life was lost. Lawyers, investigators, administration have forgotten. I have not.

As it is easy to imagine, anything I could have written over the past week would have paled in comparison to the situation of which I speak.

But, enough! I'm here to have fun. I'm here to tell you about my latest obsession....

....with oranges.

No, not the colors of the orange spectrum. Actual oranges.

Not to eat. Rather, to attract the elusive-in-our-yard Oriole.

I am obsessed with attracting Baltimore Orioles to our back yard. I've wanted to do this for years but it took until 2016 to take action on this goal. From my studies, I have learned that the color orange is of great interest to these fine birds. I also learned that the love oranges....hence, my orange fanaticism.

I've been putting oranges on the deck, on hangers, in trees and even the birdbath for the past few months, with hopes that an early start would better my chance of luring such birds into the yard.

Although I haven't attracted any Orioles, I have attracted ants.

I'm okay with this, as the ants attract other little birds, who come onto the deck and eat the ants. I get a mighty close look at those happy little song birds. Who knew that little songbirds would like ants for an afternoon snack?

The wife is not singing a happy little tune. She is not entertained by the ants. Or, the oranges. (Just wait until I put out the grape jelly for the hummingbirds. That should be ant haven and wife hell.)

The oranges seem to have given the squirrels something of which to ponder. I never thought they'd be interest in any citrus products but it appears they too like the taste of the fruit. They clean those oranges out, right down to the rind. It's pretty amazing, if you ask me.

But, the Orioles. Where are the Orioles? We have finches, warblers, wrens, sparrows, cardinals,  robins, blue jays, hawks, red-winged black birds, downy woodpeckers, crows and all those nasty grackles....but, I have yet to see--or hear--an oriole in our neck of the woods. Migration patterns suggest they should be here--and, perhaps already gone. They go north to make nests and shoot out babies. I know I started early enough, so maybe they didn't like my brand of oranges or they didn't see them or they didn't come through town. I have a second chance to attract them when they migrate south for the winter, so I'm not giving up; in fact, I've increased the intensity of my search....

...by purchasing an Oriole feeder. 

It's a beautiful orange birdhouse with a place to hang the oranges. Why, here's a photo of the one I purchases, as gleaned off the Internet. My version doesn't have birds involved. I think the wife likes this contraption a lot better than my "leave the oranges on the deck railing" approach. I have it hanging off the deck, in the open enough to see but protected a bit by the tree near by. After all, we don't want Orioles to be on the lunch buffet menu for the local hawk. (Oh, the feathers we have seen flying from the hawk's hunger.)

I assume the oranges will bring forth hummingbirds soon, so that will keep me entertained until the fall migration. After all, what goes north, must go south.

I plan to put oranges out all summer. If nothing else, they brighten up the yard. And, the ants are good for the peonies, so that's a bonus. And, who doesn't love to see a little squirrel eating an orange like it's corn on the cob?

This fall (assuming that I am too late for this spring), I will ensure I have fresh oranges for the taking any time of the day or night. I clean the grape jelly on a daily basis. I'll put out orange contruction cones if I have to. I will work tirelessly to get some Orioles to stop by and say hello.

Perhaps a photo of RDJ wearing orange will keep up my spirit until the orioles arrive....

I feel better already.