Empty Nester

I have had a strange group of friends visit our flower beds this summer. I assume they're partially closer to the house due to the drought and searching for food. We had a deer eat our hostas, a toad living in the courtyard and several humming birds busy at the feeder all summer. Oh, and there was a mallard couple that waddled through our yard several times this spring, which I loved.  I miss the ducks.

But the timing of the sparrow couldn't have been better. She came and built her nest in my hanging basket, which I got for Mother's Day.

At first, I was a little annoyed because well, "How am I supposed to water my flowers?" But then, I noticed the nest had eggs, and it wasn't long before they hatched. Once there were baby birds living in the basket, I quit watering the plant in hopes it and the birdies would survive.

I have tried to take a picture several times without disturbing the baby birdies, but I could never get close enough. The flowers truly were good coverage.

It was amazing how quickly, they went from hatched babelets to little birds hopping about in the hanging basket. To my surprise, they had already moved out by today.  They were so active and fun to watch for that short period.  And now there is just a nest left, and the momma bird doesn't chirp at me to go away whenever I walk by the flower basket.

There is no amazing morale to the story. Just that, as a new mom, it turns out, I was proud to watch out for them for a little bit.