Well, it's definitely spring. All those barely budded out things I took pictures of several posts back exploded into growth a week later. Last Friday the red bud trees had just started to show some buds and by Monday they were in full bloom all over the city.
And those crazy little wrens are tormenting the cat. They don't dive bomb the way mockingbirds and blue jays do but every time she goes outside they gather around and screech at her.
Once again they have decided that our garage is the perfect place to build a nest only instead of using the bag of rags hanging on the peg like last year, they have built one on top of the automatic garage door opener motor housing up on the ceiling, the one that quit working. Nearly every time we walk through the garage either from the house or outside, they bolt out. Sitting here with the door to the garage open I get to watch them go about their business. They fly in with a twig or leaf to add to the nest, flitting around from shelving unit to lantern to kiln to wire to cart to crate to wire again looking all around before actually hopping to the nest.
I stood motionless just inside the door to the garage for about 30 minutes as the wrens came and went with their nest building trying to get a decent picture. Most were out of focus.
Marc has been working on the garden getting it ready to plant. We got the word that it's OK to go ahead. Up north they have the groundhog to tell them if spring is here. Down here we have the alligator. They throw him a chicken and if he eats it, then it's spring and safe to plant.
Under what circumstances would an alligator NOT each a chicken?
ReplyDeleteI keep going out to where we buried the bulbs you sent, but nothing yet. Sigh.
I think we'll keep our groundhog, thank you. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou're joking about the alligator, right? They'll probably eat a chicken any time.
ReplyDeleteSo you could feasible think spring was coming in, say, December - because I am with the rest of the ladies - when won't they eat a chicken.
ReplyDeleteWe see them out and about in SC in all months - soo.....
Love the pics. This is the first winter in a long time I will be happy to see go. We got no snow, nothing was fun about it and the weather has been weird.
Are you going to take the wrens out of the garage? Ours build in our dryer vent. We spend weeks knocking them out - but I wouldn't want bird poop all over my garage.
That is the funniest thing I ever heard about the alligator. wow. I think they must eat chicken all the time too. lol. Love the nest of birds and all the blooms. It is a blizzard here today....we plant May long weekend. I just might have to take a trip. lol. be well.
ReplyDeleteAlligators....oh, wow, that's well interesting....we just look for buds on the trees and leave the carnivores to their own devices. You're a mess. The Olde Bagg
ReplyDeleteboinggggg!! the world becomes so suddenly and so vibrantly!!! cooliolio! steven
ReplyDeleteI think they should toss a tea partyer to the gator, but that's me. ;-)
ReplyDeleteSweet wrens - I love the way they try and distract you from where their nest is, by jittering here and there, checking it is all safe, before taking their offering in to help with the building.
ReplyDeleteWell, it seems that your alligator has eaten A LOT of chickens because spring has arrived with colorful beautiful vengeance on your bit of the world. I am jealous!
ReplyDeleteSo the alligator says spring has sprung huh? Well I guess we should listen to him then!! Ha!!
ReplyDeleteNothing showing here as of yet...but I feel it coming in my bones!!
Spring is just around the corner!!
Woot!! Woot!!
Hugs
SueAnn
Maybe I should get an alligator...
ReplyDeleteIs that true about the alligator and the chicken? Cool!!
ReplyDeleteSpring really is more like an explosion than a graceful progression of growth, isn't it?
The pictures are beautiful! Looking at the red buds, I sneezed. Ridiculous!! Allergic to a PICTURE?? For heaven's sake.
Ok, now I'm officially ready for spring. Meanwhile, it's about 20 degrees today, and not one sign of warmer days to come.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos. My mother used to collect abandoned nests and put them on the fireplace mantle. Or on a tree branch or potted plant. She still has a couple nests in that old house.
Groundhog as opposed to ground chicken?
ReplyDeletevery few signs of spring up here
ReplyDeleteit's really cold again
I love little buds about to open
they seem so fragile yet so hopeful
the sauirrels torment my cat Siren
he hides below the windowsill as they run past
You are a lucky lady. We are still freezing our tushies off in Cleveland.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if spring would come any earlier if you threw the aligator a groundhog?
ReplyDeleteI'm KIDDING PETA folks, I'M KIDDING!!!
Oh, I sincerely hope that last picture is a sample picture of an alligator rather than a picture of an alligator near you!
ReplyDeleteJeez, they really do look like dinosaurs, don't they?
Happy Spring, Ellen. I rather like the idea of the Wrens teasing your cat. But then, whenever I see the word Wren, I think of the British WWII, women joining the Wrens. So I'm imagining Brits in uniform, teasing the cat...flying down from the sky.
Pleasantly surreal, eh?