Monday, March 29, 2004

Some Nature Notes

Sometimes you've barely noted a thing and it's almost over. Just 2 or 3 days ago, my usually numb senses noticed all the beautifully colored azalea bushes. Now, the flowers are already beginning to fall to the ground below. They're not all gone, but will be. For a brief while, though, they were so pristine. Other people's azaleas will be on a slightly different blooming schedule, so there'll be some to see even after ours are all on the ground. And, of course, there will be other flowers in bloom following the azaleas. Just now, even the weeds in the ditch have flowers, or they did until I mowed there yesterday. But it's sad to see the blooms begin to go limp after they seemingly emerged all at once by the hundreds. Like mayflies, sort of, they do their work quickly and then it's over. But it's not quite over yet-I'm just steeling myself for it.

The hope that the nest being built by the Carolina wrens would last a while is gone now. The birds stopped building. I guess they realized it was a stupid thing to build close to a busy back door. I didn't think they could stand it, I just hoped they could. The storm door I installed six months ago works pretty well, slowing down nicely until it's an inch or two from being closed, but in the last second it Slams with a Wham. I don't mind it, but I don't live in a tiny box right next to it, either. Well, the wrens don't either. I can't say it was stupid of them to quit building; it was stupid of them to ever start. But I wish they'd stayed. They're still in the neighborhood, though, for I can hear them singing their various songs out there. Maybe they'll yet build a nest somewhere close by and I'll be able to spot it. If the motivation is great enough, I'll invade Other People's yards and hope that no one objects. The neighbors know I'm a bird nut. Some eastern bluebirds have been hanging around in our neighbors' yard, and there's a very visible mockingbird nest in the bushes in my front yard, so things go on. Nature never stops.

That was the Thought For The Day!

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Abandon hope, all ye who enter here! (At least put on your socks and pants.)