The veneer of frost on the doorstep glints in the early morning sun. It’s a diamond-encrusted dawn. The air is crisp and quiet as I move around the yard, but there’s a sense of tightly wound anticipation at the periphery. A crow’s caw. A blue jay’s squawk. The soft fluttery beat of a chickadee’s wings. My stomach grumbles but will have to wait; the breakfast crowd is about to descend and the customers come first.
The Cheep Eats Café is open for another season.
Every morning before breakfast I do the rounds, balancing a tower of stacked margarine and yogurt containers full of black-oil sunflower seed, millet, peanut halves and cracked corn. The pocket of my yard coat bulges with peanuts in the shell — something to occupy the blue jays and squirrels long enough for the others to have a chance to dine.
The Cheep Eats Café was established about 22 years ago. It started with a couple of feeders hanging from a wooden pole and crossbar contraption the previous owners had set up against the back deck of the house. That pole is long gone (and with it, the droppings that made a mess of the deck). The café has expanded and evolved into a variety of dining areas to meet the needs of our diverse clientele: chickadees, juncos, goldfinches, blue jays, mourning doves, woodpeckers, sparrows, grackles, redwing blackbirds, grosbeaks, and more.
Let me give you a quick tour.
The Patio
A casual dining venue with space for multiple customers to linger over their meals while catching up on the gossip.
The Banquet Room
A high-capacity setting with a prix fixe menu. Suitable for reunions, conferences and other large gatherings. Advance booking recommended to ensure availability.
The Bird’s-Eye View
Enjoy a 360-degree view as you dine al-fresco. An upper level is available for those wanting a cozy, intimate meal for two.
The Country Kitchen
Full of rustic charm, this dining room is great for a picnic-style family brunch. Youngsters are welcome. No worries if they drop their food; someone is sure to quickly dispose of it.
The Grab and Go
A take-out-only option for the busy chickadee wanting a tasty treat to bring back to the nest.
The Country Club
An upscale formal dining room with a refined menu. Membership required. Security measures have been installed to keep out the riff-raff.
The Rat-a-Tat
Where all the local head-bangers come for a filling meal.
The Gazebo
Well loved by some of the more boisterous clientele (ahem, squirrels). So well loved that, unfortunately, it will be closed for the rest of the season to undergo renovations to repair the damage.
Next time I’ll introduce you to some of the Cheep Eats Café regulars.