Humming Bird Syrup

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson    Aster Series
This was the walk where Mary ran from one side of the road
 to the other, taking pictures of asters.

I have watched the hummingbird feeder since Miranda moved it and put it right in front of my window.

My attention is diverted from what I am doing to the feeder every time I see a little bit of movement at the top of the window. I am not alone in this.

When someone, anyone, comes to visit in the room, I can see that their attention goes there too, no matter how interesting the conversation is.

That sudden movement and that tiny bird takes gets people’s attention every time.

Miranda filled the feeder a few days ago.

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson    Aster Series
... Douglas and daisies ...

Now it is empty so I asked her for the proportions of the syrup.

One cup sugar, one cup water, she said.
I boiled it carefully, probably bringing it up to at least the soft ball stage. 

When it cooled I checked with her, letting the syrup drip from a spoon to see if I had the right consistency.

She no, that wouldn’t do.

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson    Aster Series
. a bee sits in the middle of the aster ...

Just a simple dissolving – not bringing sugar into a syrup so that leaving it in the feeder will cause it to crystalize.

I boiled up some more syrup , just dissolving it and left it cooling while I had a nap.

In the meantime, Mary boiled up more sugar, cooled it, filled the feeder and was on her way outside with it when I got up. Now that was three women, all taking care of the hummingbirds.

“Did we get it right,” I asked Mary.

 “Nope,” she said. “When I was finished with my own recipe for humming bird syrup, I went to the internet to find correct proportions and what is suggested is 1-part sugar, 4-parts water.”

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson    Aster Series
...  colouf change, but still asters ...

Well, we are going to have the fattest little hummingbirds ever.

As a side task, Mary made whole wheat buns today, so feather light that they float off of the tray.

Michael was doing electronics at the island; I was cleaning off a few dishes and asked him if he would like a fresh bun with honey. And butter.

He said yes to both so I pulled half a block of what I thought was butter out of the refrigerator butter dish.

“Looks like this should be used up,” I thought, spreading it on his bun and drizzling honey on it.

Half way through his second set of buns he said, “You know, grandmother, I didn’t think I liked butter, but now I do.”

That trigger for me the thought impulse I had when I took it out of the fridge and first cut it.

Somehow a chip off the end, ended up in my mouth.

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson    Aster Series
... almost close enough to count the whorls ...

When it was there I thought, "Wow,  you can leave butter so long in the fridge that it takes like soft Havarti.

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson    Aster Series
we have to find the flower book to find a name for this aster

Well, no one will now where that Havarti went if they go looking for it.

Arta