Tag Archives: bluebirds

April 5, 2013 · 11:11

Woosh. Geez. On To Brighter Things.

We are off on a journey through Spring.   23 degrees two days ago.  Yeah.  Well.  Today will be 58.

All the angels in the wild are scratching their little eyeballs open and stretchin’  their little wings.   Little voices clearing their throats.

It is obvious our animals feel the same way as the cows from the above farm.

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Jumpin’ and rearing’ and carryin’ on.

The bluebirds are back  and we have three nests out of  the seven houses hung.  So far.  It is jar dropping to see them in flight.  Beautiful color of lapis fluttering through the air.     I don’t know if I wasn’t in tune all the years we lived in the burbs, but I don’t recall seeing one bluebird until we moved here.

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What is really concerning at this point are the skinny looooonnnngggg critters that are poking their skinny little heads out of the ground right now,  yawning their little fangy mouths.    Animal chores begin before daylight and end after dark.  I am walking trails and pastures many times in the….eeek….hours that those cuties are coming out to play.   In the winter?  Not a problem.  I can kick around as I please and chances are  I will not be running into anything moving.  But times are a changin’.   Maybe if I dress in a full on rubber suit.

I hope this man is still with the living.

I hope this man is still with the living.

Are you ready for what Spring brings?  Activity.   I’m not so sure yet.  Maybe my winter wasn’t quiet or long enough.  I take hibernation quite seriously.  Given the fact that we are hosting my son’s wedding in June, we are not bringing in any new animals for a while or beginning any large “projects”.   I can’t  get my head around walking even to the garden yet.    I don’t know exactly how daunting the wedding is/will be, so I have moved into a slow motion period.   In preparation for what, I’m not sure yet.

Sometimes when I see big things/events looming ahead, I get sorta paralyzed prior to.  Does that ever happen to you?  I don’t know if it is a mental rest and preparation or that I can’t accept it yet.  But then, there is an exact moment of ……GO….   and then we’re off and running.  Maybe it is a preservation  or storing up of energy.

It kinda (and that is a BIG kinda) reminds me of the very last scene, maybe the very last still in The Passion by Mel Gibson where Jesus sees the daylight from the tomb. He sits there very very still with His eyes closed.  Knowing that when He opens them and takes His first step,  it’s a GO.  He is off.  And there is no turning back.   Dive in head first.  BIG job ahead.  Holy cow, I would love to be with  Him.

Anywhoooo,  That is where I am at with springing into Spring.  I am with closed eyes.  I know that as I open them and take my first step, there is no turning back.  It is full-bore ahead.   Ready, set…..stop.  Not ready.

God bless,

Karen

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June 18, 2012 · 05:16

Bird Lady

….is what I have become.  I have always been fascinated with birds but now that I have 64 of them, I would guess I am maniacal.  They all do not have plans to stay long. Many of them will need to move on in a few short months. But it would be an honor if these birds I talk about today would grace us with their presence for a long long time.

Today,  I would like to write about my budding relationship with the beloved Bluebird.   Oh my goodness.  I think the first time I really saw a for real bluebird was just this past year.  Mr. Shady informed me last winter that we had about 6 pair out in the pasture  that morning.  I immediately made plans to put up a couple of houses for them. They will begin nesting as early as late February.

The day after we hung one,  a mommy and daddy moved in.  What a wonder!   I have become a stalker of this family.  No kidding.  So the journey began.  (I might add that I have hung about 5 more but only this first one has been inhabited. So far.)

They have had two “batches” of babies, which is not unusual.  Did I tell you I am an expert now?  Not really.   Pops bought me a Bluebird book and I find them most  interesting not to mention beautiful.  But they build a whole new nest for each family.  If I do not remove the first nest, they will build a nest right on top of the old.

Enjoy the journey of this precious, precious family.

Mama sits on nest. She doesn’t spend all day there. She will come and go at her leisure.

After the babies are born she will come and go bringing food back for them.

Beautiful Mama

Mama and papa going out for an outing.

Papa protecting his domain from the Scarlet Tanager (bright red bird in upper left).

Baby taking a peek out in the real world. Eek.

It takes 12 -14 days for the lovelies to hatch and then they stay on the nest 19 days.  I know from the babies actions today,  with them peeking out of the hole, they are just about ready to take leave.    I have SO enjoyed their visit and pray they stick around and tell all their friends about the open rooms at the inn.

Thank you for checking in and I  would love to hear your experiences about birds in your backyard.

God bless,

Karen

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