Lesson From A Patient Starling

(I have been thinking about Spring, as I view the snow from the past weekend's storm slowly melting, taking its time. The following post was originally written on May 20, 2015 and I thought it would make a nice repost to remind me that Spring is surely coming!)

For the past few days, I've been hearing a sound somewhat like a rusty hinge screeching a flat chord. That's the best way I could describe it! I looked outside my open bedroom window and watched as starlings were marching up and down in the grass and weeds of our front yard, busily searching for tasty cuisine. I was still puzzled as to what was going on with that sound and how it connected to what I was witnessing in the front. It wasn't until I was later at the kitchen window, watching several birds at the feeder that it all became clear. While I was standing there, a mother starling and three fully grown and dull colored juvenile starlings landed over several of the feeders hanging from the pole. The noise was being made by each of the juveniles, while mom instantly became busy picking up food and popping it into the nearest open beak. The juveniles jostled together as they rustled their wings repeatedly, screeching in that same key, and shoving one another aside so they could be the one to be fed next. Once in a while, one of the juveniles would peck at something himself, or fly down to inspect the bird bath, but those forays didn't last too long. Over the next several days, I have witnessed this again and again and marveled at the mother's patience. When mom flew off, they flew off, and when mom came back, there they were, barely a feather's space between them.

Starlings aren't the only birds which display this behavior - cardinals, finches, bluebirds and several other breeds do it as well. Cardinals seem to have the least amount of patience though, I've seen a female cardinal peck a juvenile on the head a time or two when she was tired of being bothered. Bluebird fledglings stay on a tree branch, and the parent will fly back and forth from the meal worm feeder, stuffing their beaks. They all start chirping when the parent heads toward them. The dad will continue this even while mom sits on a new brood. When that brood hatches and then fledges, the birds from the earlier brood will assist their parents in bringing food to the new fledglings.

It's a scene repeated each spring, and has been going on since creation. The mature birds help their offspring and their nurture hasn't ended at the nest. Most of us experience some of that from our parents, and even some mammals do as well. It's an encouragement to me to see these age old routines played out at this time of year. What a reassurance that whatever craziness is going on in parts of the world, the normal order of things has not been broken. And it reminds me to be willing to be helpful to not only family members, but to other artists, of whatever creativity they are into. We don't live alone as hermits, and even if I don't practice a certain kind of art, I can be encouraging to its creator. After all, my Creator encourages me daily from what I see and enjoy in nature.

Enjoy your life one day at a time!

Spring Surprise!

This has been a pretty rough winter on this side of the equator. Even as I write this, there is still snow falling in the northern part of the US and tornado warnings in some of the middle states. Here though we went abruptly from very cool temps to using the A/C. I understand the temperatures will modify some during this next week, so perhaps we can keep the windows open a bit more.

This morning I went to check the bluebird nest box and found 4 eggs. On the front porch on the nesting ledge, there are 5 eggs in that nest. Anyway, as I was returning from the box, I noticed spiky purple blooms in the front yard. I knew that the wild violets were blooming but these looked very different. I checked them out, and the are grape hyacinths!

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(click for details)

It was just a small bunch, so my husband was able to move them in one shovel full to the bed by the back walk. Hyacinths grow from bulbs, so I have NO idea how they got into the front yard. But this fall, we will separate the bulbs and replant them. What a nice spring surprise!

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We have several varieties of hosta by the back porch and they are pushing through now too.

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The thrift is blooming, along with the violets. Violets are an invasive plant and so they will eventually get dug up, but not to fear, when you think you have them all, some still show up next year!

The Three Of Us

Well, actually, it's the two of them! We were on the bed watching something on Netflix and Rochester has to be with us - it happens every time, and I love it!  I'm usually on the big pile of pillows at the left.

I've been working on a larger painting than I have done in the past and I'm pretty excited with how it's coming along. I hope that I will have it done to show you later this coming week. I painted steadily on it for two mornings straight and it sort of wore me down - used up all of my spoons, so to speak. But I've been resting up this weekend and have high hopes that I will be able to do what's left. 

We have ten new members of the bluebird species - both sets of eggs hatched in the past 10 days. The family in the bird house hatched first, and the babies already have all their feathers, the family on the porch just hatched 2 days ago. It's amazing how fast they grow, and it's still going down into the 40's at night, so I know they appreciate their Mama's warmth!

Click on the photo to see anything closer.

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!

Three Leaves and a Heart

Another painting to go into my Etsy store, BelleSouth Studio. I think this got a bit too dark, but I am going to post it anyway. 

Three Leaves and a Heart

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It is another mixed media on wrapped canvas, including acrylic paint, oil pastels and collage. I tore a strip off of a collaged piece of Tyvek, which is on the right side and put a bit of it on the left upper corner. In the lower right corner, I attached a piece of torn heavy tissue which I wrinkled first before attaching. It is mostly done with oil pastels. Ready to hang with no framing necessary!

So, at least I am being able to do some art, for which I am extremely grateful!

And on the home front, we have 2 bluebird nests with 5 eggs in each of them already! They were laying them even though the weather was going down into the low 30's every night and there was frozen water the next day. I was amazed when I found them on a windy blustery day! Bluebirds are pretty hearty. The is the slowest Spring I can remember since we moved up here. And we still have some cool weather to come. I hope I remember this when it becomes really hot!

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!

Week's Catch Up

I had a rough beginning to the week, but am feeling somewhat better today. I had a wonderful phone call from our assistant pastor asking about me, which was very encouraging. I really appreciate it when people sort of "check in" to see about how it's going. I've had some encouraging emails too and it's great to know that more and more people who know me are understanding this illness better. And then another friend stopped by with a meal for me, knowing it would be something I liked. How great was that?

This summer has been a disappointment in the flower department. Usually by now, we have impatiens all around the old stump, and I would sit on the porch as weather permitted and enjoy looking at them. Another dear friend had planted them for me this spring and I was really looking forward to their growth, but instead, we watched helplessly as they slowly dropped their leaves and then collapsed in a mini pile of mushy plants. I did some research and figured out why. Earlier this year, John had purchased a chipper for all of the dead tree limbs which fall around our property and had a nice pile of chips for mulch. He lovingly spread them over all of the flower beds. However, there are two things which will prevent you from having bountiful impatiens growth - lack of water, and too much water. The little wood chips held water, and since where the flowers were planted is the same area for the drain from the A/C, there was always lots of water, which is one reason why they have always done so well there. But the wood chips changed that equation and sadly, there are one or two scraggly plants left and I think their time is coming. And my friend put in four flats of impatiens! Once they get too much water, that's it, there is nothing more you can do for them. Live and learn!

In the other beds, we tried some different kinds of flowers than we have planted there in the past, and they just don't suit the area. So, it's been kind of a disappointment not to see  what we had hoped to see. But there is always next year!

We had bluebirds and Carolina wrens nesting at either ends of the front porch. The bluebirds were in the nesting platform, and the wren was in a hanging plant. Every time I came out to water, the bluebird would flee the nest. But when I got around to the plant with the wren, she would wait until the first drops of water came down and then hop out to a nearby bush, scolding me fiercely. Each mother hatched a lovely family and they all left a few weeks ago. We had bluebirds in the yard boxes as well. 

That's about all I can write for today, and I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

How the impatiens looked in the past (and will again!)

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!

Blooms ! :)

Before I start this blog post, I want to thank those who have responded to my last post about our dog, Abby. We are encouraged by the suggestions and comments and look forward to finding a way to help her (and us!) out of her current situation.

On to today's post - Blooms! Spring is here, and even though on the calendar it is still winter, it seems that many things here are tired of waiting! And the pansies, which have been around all winter to give us color, are vigorously cheering the warm weather.

I have two of these waterfall pansies hanging pots on our front porch and they are so pretty. Next year, I hope to get 6 of them to hang all around the porch.

Cheerful faces in an old Hungarian baby bathtub; we have some smaller pots of pansies scattered around the house.

We went to Martin's Nursery on Saturday to get some help with planning what to do with the ugly bank behind our house, and came home with a drawn planting plan and several suggestions by the owner of the nursery. I had taken photos of the area and printed them out. She did all the rest. How great was that!?

Yellow Jessamine for the arbor we'd had built, the state flower of South Carolina.

I received ten tiny trees from the Arbor Society last fall, planted them and held my breath. Now nine of them have sprouted leaves! (The 10th one was eaten by our daughter's dog, Kit) These are the Hawthorne trees.

We have several Forsythia shrubs - one full grown bush given to me by a friend, which we divided into 2 plants; both are doing well. I rooted several cuttings and now we have lovely little shrubs growing in front of the fence, as well as the two in front of the barn. Only one did not make it.

This is Loropetalum, also referred to as Chinese Razzleberry or Chinese Fringe Flower. There were 6 of these around our back porch when we purchased the house, which was not a good place for them to be, since they grow to about 6'! We moved 3 to the outside corner of the fence (shown here) and 3 on the side of the fence, last year. They all made it!

This is the Ugly Bank, with some puny Juniper plants (we will have someone help us put the plants in, since I have fatigue issues) ....

..... and these is the arbor where the Jessamine will go.

And besides flowers, all of the birds are busy claiming their territory. The bluebirds built this nest in the bluebird house last week and started laying eggs.

So far we have 3! I expect them to lay 5 total, as usual.

I hope where ever you are, you are enjoying the weather. I feel richly blessed!!

Click on any picture you want to see closer.

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!

Breaking Free

Yesterday I showed the baby Bluebird which had broken free of its shell to begin its new life. I mentioned that there was one egg left, and here it is! The baby inside is slowly breaking free of the shell with its tiny claw, you can see it there in the center. I think this is incredible and it puts me in awe of God's infinite powers of creation!

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It will take a long time to break free, but when it does, it will have built up the strength it will need to continue to grow into an adult Bluebird.

A happy Father's Day for the Bluebird family! And I hope you had a nice one as well!

Rebecca

New Life

On our front porch, we have a nesting ledge, which last summer was a home for Carolina Wrens. This summer, a young pair of Bluebirds took up residence there. I say young, because their nest wasn't as well built as the nest in the Bird Box in the yard, where another family of Bluebirds have raised two broods so far. In the nesting ledge, the Bluebird pair had 4 lovely blue eggs, and yesterday, one of them hatched. I quickly took advantage of the situation to take the following pictures.

Just a few seconds old!

Don't be alarmed at my actions- birds do not have a keen sense of smell and contrary to the old wives tale, they will not reject the baby. After I put the baby back in the nest, the parents started feeding it right away. Today there are 2 babies and the other 2 eggs should hatch in the next day or two. I am just amazed at this tiny form of life, and that it all fit into the small egg! We've been enjoying watching the parents flying back and forth to feed their babies. Life is such a miracle!

Quick Cards

In the past couple of days, I made two quick cards to send out, one to my daughter and one to a friend outside of Fargo ND.

(click for detail)

(click for detail)

Nothing very fancy, but something fun to send a message in the US Mail!

The Bluebirds are raising their second brood and the juveniles from their first brood are hanging around the feeders now. Every time mom or dad Bluebird shows up at the feeder they start begging for the parents to feed them, even though they are quite capable of feeding themselves. We have a couple of small feeders with mill worms in them for the Bluebirds. I put the water dripper on the birdbath and it's been great fun to see them line up to use the birdbath now that the weather is getting quite warmer. I hung the hummingbird feeder from the top of the porch this year, right near where we sit. Now when the hummingbirds come, I can see through the clear bottom and watch their long thin tongue hit the bottom of the feeder in rapid repetitions! I'm hoping I can get some impatiens in the ground soon.

Enjoy your Monday!

Rebecca

A Bit Behind

If anyone was looking for the usual Tuesday Story yesterday (and I hope there were a few people!), I apologize. Yesterday was not a great day for me health wise and I couldn't think clearly enough to string words together. It was also Tag Tuesday, which I now host on a second blog, and thankfully I had done the tag over the weekend. This week's theme was The Chair.

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If you would like to see how I did it, click here, and you will also be able to click on the links of other artists who are participating. The Tuesday Story will return next week, provided all else is well.

Update on the birds - the Bluebird eggs have all hatched and they are so teensy and helpless! The Carolina Wren is still sitting on her 4 eggs. And speaking of Carolina Wrens - my daughter lives in an old house which still has the old fashioned kind of mailbox up by the front door, even though it's no longer used for mail. A couple of weeks ago, she noticed Carolina Wrens building a nest in it, and now they have 4 eggs! I think that is so neat that God gives us such unusual ways to see the beauty of His creation.

Hope your week is going well!

Rebecca

Collage on Deli Wrap

Another fun lesson from the Mixed Media Melange workshop. This is a collage on deli wrap paper. I added fabric, papers, cheesecloth, origami mesh, and acrylic paints. Then I top stitched on it and added vintage buttons and waxed linen thread. Now I need to think of a title for this!

(click for detail)

I really really enjoy making collages! I am going to be framing
some of these and hanging them.

And a quick Spring update - last week bluebirds built a nest in the bluebird box and Carolina Wrens built their nest using the nesting platform on the barn. Today I found 3 lovely Bluebird eggs in the nest, and 1 in the Wren nest. I will check on them later to see what the final count is.