Three little birds

With the return of the sun and the ever earlier dawn, I usually wake a little grumbly and wanting to go back to sleep. Since trimming the hedge outside my bedroom window a little too close to Momma Cardinal's nest, which houses two almost-featherless babies, I now wake a little relieved. The hungry chirps of these tiny babies are getting louder and stronger. They are surviving. The parents did not abandon them as I feared since my human scent was a little close and the sun was a little too unfiltered. The branch I tied back on seems to distract the passing hawks just enough to keep their focus on the hiding chickens.

I know some of you will think I'm crazy, but just after realizing what I did and seeing the momma in distress and crying for her mate to come assess the situation, I did my very best to make eye contact with her; to calmly make a telepathic plea for forgiveness for my mistake; to ensure her I meant no harm and that if she was going to abandon the babies I would take care of them. Within 10 minutes the parents had assessed the nest and returned with food for the babies. I have sense seen her snuggling the chicks during a cold morning and have heard their tiny chirps repeatedly as we've seen Daddy Cardinal fly away from the nest in search of more food.

This tiny interaction, almost meaningless to some, has reinforced my belief that we are all connected; that what I do affects other beings. If I hadn't tried to reach out to them in peace, as you would a lost puppy, who knows how these two chicks would've faired. Admitting faults and taking responsibility for our own actions is important, no matter who is involved. Apologize, even if it was an accident, and you may calm a hurt soul and stop the spread of negativity.

Teach your children how to graciously admit fault and even more graciously forgive others; only then will our country find away to a point of healing.

happy flowers

The other day I noticed the yellow wood sorrel was blooming. It's a clover relative, edible, favorite snack of the chickens. So naturally its only blooming in the front yard. I pointed it out to emagene told her it makes me happy to see the yellow flowers because that means its warming up, finally! We ate some leaves and went on our way.

We've been watching the wild flowers (or weeds) blooming their different colors for the last few weeks: white, blue, yellow.

Yesterday she came running. "Mom the purple ones that make me happy are here!" A patch of something had all bloomed at once in the center of the yard. And right next to it, she pointed, "And see? The yellow ones that make you happy!"

The aviary

We seem to have created an aviary.

We have the 4th house on the block. From the end of the street one must pass a backyard full of teenagers, a backyard full of boys under 8, and a desolate backyard of a house for sale. Granted, upon reaching our yard one is welcomed by two mature cottonwood trees, a pecan tree and close over the back fence an ancient dessert willow. This yard's primary function is to be a habitat for four free-range naked-neck chickens. Being so means bowls of fresh water, changed daily, are scattered everywhere shade is constant. It also means that shady areas are created, maintained and well supplied with food; each a mini-aviary.

For example:

Two broad leafed shrubs grow on the west side of the deck. They serve as a source of shade for the chickens, a cover for sparrows coming to visit the bird feeder or share the chicken water which is on the deck (out of reach of scratching backsplash and therefore always clean). These shrubs have housed a pair of nesting doves and their two chicks in early spring and currently house a young pair of nesting cardinals and their baby in the same nest. The chickens and sparrows borrow the dirt for baths in exchange for depositing fertilizer.

The bushes seem thankful for their additional job as a water park. We've hung a sheet between the shrubs and the deck to keep the grass-less area cool and inviting. We also spray the dirt, straw and branches down at least three times a day allowing water to pool under and on the bushes.

The chickens are living through the heat wave and so are the wild birds in this area, thanks to these two shrubs. A stopping point on ones way through the neighborhood to the giant bird feeders on the other end.

Our aviary is one of the few plants thriving in my yard right now: These bushes and the basil.

This moment

Thought I'd try something new this morning with my coffee and chicken time. I follow a blog that regularly posts something along these lines, but being me I'm experimenting with structure :)

This moment:

Artemis snuggling
Artemis barking out a warning
Baxter answering
Blackbirds scattering
Coffee brewing
Chickens grazing
Dandelions puffing
Edger working
Emagene dreaming
Feathers ruffling
Grubs escaping
horns honking
Ice melting
Jaybird singing
Knowledge building
Leaves tussled
Momma sitting peacefully
New day beginning
Optimism growing
Party planning
Quietness is noisy
Reading neglected
Sparrows nesting
Time ignored
U
V
W
X
Y
Z