There's Always a Way

Mumsie and I were on our way to The Dalles when we stopped for something to eat.  What a surprise to see this little bird hopping in and out of these spindly spokes.  It appears they were placed there to keep the birds from nesting.  This little fellow is a fledgling.

What a sweet surprise to see this young bird hopping in and out of the nest, oblivious to man's endeavor to keep nature from doing what nature does.  The parents were kept busy feeding the little guy.

I think the lesson to be learned here, is--there's always a way. 

Have a lovely weekend all you wonderful people!

Cedar Heart - Guest Heart Thursday

On our walk to Pioneer Park, my darling little niece found this wonderful little heart--for "Auntie Honey," she said.  I thought this heart was magical!

Especially when we found this nest--which, if you look closely is a heart.

What joy!  To be twirling in the water at river's edge with my darling girl.  It is no wonder hearts appear when my sweet girl is near.

Have a lovely day, everyone!

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday!
 

Woody's Babies

Yesterday Sissie and I took a walk through The Abandoned.   Sissy was so excited about a woodpecker next she'd noticed.  She'd heard the babies calling and wanted to show it to me.  It looked like someone had drilled a perfectly round hole in the side of the aging tree trunk.

Out popped Ralphie the Redhead.  What a pretty little fellow.

Someone was listening!  It was Papa Woody Woodpecker bearing a beak full of food.

That's one big fat green worm.

Ralphie made short work of it.  Dad flew away...

Oop!  Here's Ralphie again!  He's calling for Mom...

 Good Food Mom!

And she's off!  A Mother's work is never done!

Hidden Treasure - Shadow Shot Sunday

On our last walk through the abandoned Mega Church, Sissy showed me a charming discovery, inside the wall, where vandals had bashed waist-high holes into the sheet rock. 

A small brown wren had built a lovely nest within.  I gasped.  The brown speckled eggs snuggled into the heart shadow of nest were indeed Hidden Treasure.  A few days later Sissy called to say they'd hatched!  You can see these funny, wide-mouthed young'uns at Clytie's fascinating blog Random Stuff. 

It seemed the perfect entry for Shadow Shot Sunday, Mother's Day AND to celebrate the wonderful day my darling Sister Clytie was born!  Be sure to drop by Random Hearts to wish Sissy a Happy Birthday!

Creative Nesting

This spring, Starlings have been the bane of my existence with their constant destructive assault on our home. We thought we'd thwarted them from nesting in the eaves above my office and the upper story of our old house. But my husband kept hearing noises in the wall of the upstairs bathroom.

This morning I waited outside, while he pounded on the inside wall. To my surprise a startled starling burst from the bathroom fan vent.

When we'd put the fan in, my brilliant husband had installed a panel so the vent would be accessible. When we removed the panel and pulled the vent hose out--to our surprise, we found the entire thing was stuffed with nesting materials. As you can see the eggs were lying at the top.
The small eggs are a fragile blue color and are rather beautiful. They look like they might have been newly laid.

They are so lovely I am going to preserve them--I like how they look in this tiny delicate tea cup.