Birds of a Feather

 

It's been raining non-stop for days upon days--but the air is sweet and mild and it's been wonderful to open a few windows to let in the spring air.  This picture was taken last weekend on a sunnier day, after lots of garden puttering.  It's taken about a week for all my scratches and wounds and sore muscles to heal, but I'm ready to take it on again this weekend.  Weather permitting. 

Before I forget...it's time to mention that this month's bonus designs are up on the website, and as always, they are a glimpse of what I'm seeing or experiencing around "these here parts".  In the garden, tree frogs are croaking, brown bunnies are bouncing, bumblebees are buzzing, and birds of every kind are busy building nests. 

A few weeks ago, there was a bit of a tussle between the bluebirds and the English sparrows--each trying to take up residence in the birdhouses.  As it happens, the sparrows won, but I never have the heart to evict them!  The parent birds are now busy bringing food to their hatchlings--and we listen for their tiny peeps while out weeding or sitting under a tree with a book.  Yesterday, a wild turkey hen stepped cautiously through the yard.  I'm sure she was the lone survivor from last year's brood.  I'm curious about where she's making her nest.  One can't let things get too quiet back here because you never know who or what might decide to move in.  I won't soon forget the skunk under the house earlier this spring!  Or the vole who set up housekeeping in the upstairs sofa bed.  We probably never would've known it was there had it not been for the stash of birdseed under one of the cushions.  "Surprise!"

 

Quail have been snooping around the grounds back here.  We've been watching one particular pair from the kitchen window--watching as they've picked their way all around the yard, testing different areas for nesting.  The male was endlessly patient, always on the "look-out" with his little noggin-feather bobbing like a loose spring on top his head, while the female peeked and poked cautiously for days making up her mind.  For awhile we thought they would choose the 'pineapple-mint' bed (above), as they seemed particularly fond of it, and for several days the female popped in and out of that little burrow in the thick undergrowth.  See it there, above the right end of the board?  Unfortunately it didn't work out, being that it was right next to the main path to the garden.  Our frequent comings and goings rattled them, I guess.  The cat had also spotted their activity, and no doubt, they'd spotted her.  Eventually they found a safer hideaway under the blackberry bramble behind the house; a popular nesting ground for many fowl and fauna.  Any day now, I expect to see an obedient string of roly-poly chicks trailing through the yard. 

 

And...our 'golden chain' tree--which is so lovely just now and I had to show you! 

Comments

[Miss Paula]

Oh Vicki, check out Foxnews.com and look at the birds covered in oil! So sad!

reply: I know--absolutely heartbreaking isn't it?

[Lena]

It is such a beautiful time of year, rain or no rain in the Pacific NW. We're so fortunate to live in these parts, aren't we?

I've missed your posts about such things Vicki, and I've enjoyed reading this one, and seeing your garden. It's so interesting the places that birds choose to nest. A friend and I were talking about that recently. So often, it does seem that they choose dangerous places to live. The tiniest of vines, near roads , on the very outer branch of a tree. I suppose, when one has wings, your perspective might be a little bit different.

I love the labunum, "Golden Chain". I don't have one growing in my garden, but the park across the street has two, and I enjoy them very much.

Love to you, and to yours,

Lena

[Elizabeth]

Lovely photographs and your writing gives the perfect picture of springtime in your neck of the woods. Thanks for sharing!

[Vee]

A vole in the sofa? Now that's more excitement than anyone needs. Hope that the weather this weekend cooperates with your plans. As it's raining here, they're cooperating beautifully with mine — window washing! :D

[Jordans 2]

Thanks for sharing the photos.