Eggs Anyone?

 Song - Hozier Medley cover by Sierra & Chase Eagleson

 

(sorry I couldn't find a good egg song ;-)

Mr. B has been gone for the last few days and Sunday morning I woke up and had a brilliant thought. How about breakfast in bed?  OK. And how about some Eggs Benedict from Main Street Kitchen? Now who will deliver? DoorDash? And within half an hour I had a hot breakfast on my front porch.....

They even included a little bag with condiments, napkins & a fork & knife.

Amazing brunch of toasted Acme bread, Fra' Mani ham (loads), two organic poached (to perfection) eggs and topped with a light hollandaise. I sat outside under the pergola, played some tunes and enjoyed the birds & blue sky while loving every bite. 

"All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast."

-- John Gunther

Who Done It?

Song - Summertime by Norah Jones

In mid-June, when we returned from our vacation, I noticed that there was dry grass and leaves in one of my topiary trees in our front entry. I figured it was probably our gardeners who blow the yard when they are finished and they blew some dead grass into this plant.

At the base of the little tree are more twigs and grass bits. 

And upon closer inspection it appeared that it wasn't the gardeners but perhaps a bird attempted to start a nest in the tree and didn't quite finish.  Maybe because we had returned home and pass by this tree several times a day?

So I kept watch to see if the bird might return and finish the nest.  But in 45 days there has been no sight of a resident. I decided to clean up the tree (it's supposed to have a round top) and I wanted to pull out the grass. As I moved around to the side of the tree, I noticed a nice little cup shaped nest behind the loose grass.

And there were three blue speckled eggs inside!  I decided to let it be for a few more weeks to see if there was any activity.

Nothing.  So today I pulled the nest out.  The eggs feel light and empty so I am wondering if they were abandoned and dried up in this unbearable heat?

So....who done it?

Not the gardener.....

But a good possibility is the House Finch!


Upon doing some "little blue eggs" research, it appears that a number of birds lay 3-5 eggs that are blue with brown splotches and the House Finch seems to be a likely suspect.

The male has some red on his head and chest while the female is plain.  Above is an Oak Titmouse and a male House Finch.

"When I learn something new - 

and it happens every day - 

I feel a little more at home in this universe, 

a little more comfortable in the nest" 

-- Bill Moyers

Hope and Faith

Song - Always on My Mind by Willie Nelson

First it was a pitiful little nest....

Then mama began sitting on it.....

After several weeks mama, seemed to have abandoned the nest....

and my heart was broken.

Two days ago I saw a little head pop up from the seemingly empty nest. 

So yesterday I grabbed my camera and there was mama proud as can be.

Every time I checked the nest, I guess mom & dad were out on a date.

I think there may be two babies - if you can see the dark brown wing-feathers in the lower left of the nest - I am thinking it may be another baby under mama.

I have named them Hope and Faith. 

Happy Easter Weekend.

"I won't say my memory's bad, but it's to the point now that I can hide my OWN Easter eggs!" --Maxine

Love Is In The Air

Song - Steppin' Out With My Baby by Tony Bennett

Several days ago Mr. B told me that he saw two Mourning Doves on our fence checking out our ladder for a nest - once again.  Since I put up this nesting box last fall under our eves, I was hoping that they would use it instead. 

So Mr. B moved the ladder so it wouldn't be so tempting. Now the squirrels are using it to climb up and down and chase each other around.  Oh boy....a toy!

Mr. B wanted me to start a nest for the birds so that they would get the idea of what to do with the nesting box - ha!  I think Mother Nature provides them with their own nesting ideas!!!

And the very next day - sure enough they had begun their work - at least I thought it was just the beginning.  Apparently they think it's finished!

This morning when I checked on them, mama was on the nest and daddy was watching from the fence. But I didn't have my camera with me.

Then later in the afternoon, I checked on them and daddy was still on the fence but mama was up on the roof of our house just above the nest.  I hope they enjoy their new home. I'll keep you posted.


Some interesting facts about Mourning Doves:

--the oldest known Mourning Dove was 30 years 4 months old

--they tend to mate for life and both parents incubate and take care of the young

--they have 3-5 clutches each season

--they have 2 white eggs that are born 1 day apart

--the eggs hatch in 14-16 days

--the fledglings leave the nest in 11-12 days and on day 12 they are cut off from food to encourage them to leave - talk about tough love!!!!!

"Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling."

 ~ Margaret Lee Runbeck

Chicken Scratch

"If I didn't start painting, I would have raised chickens." ~ Grandma Moses 

I guess that I did it backwards as I raised my chickens first and after several years of enjoying their antics, delicious eggs and funny personalities, only then did I begin to paint!