We have a bird problem. Or maybe it is a human problem. You see my husband spends lots of money feeding the birds from a suet feeder in the backyard that is attached to a shepherd’s crook. The little winged creatures eat at the speed of light. He makes runs to the hardware store to buy feed and they polish off the suet cakes before he can even get back. He is now repairing the feeder that was once more knocked to the ground probably by a squirrel (or angry bluejay). I don’t know if they broke it this time or not. Hopefully the repair will not take a lot of time.

Now for the saga of the front yard. My wonderful cousin brought me a blooming basket and I hung it on a hook on the front porch. I knew better, but it was lovely and such a nice gesture. I’ve had hanging baskets before and quickly bird’s nests take over. They build nests and then feed their babies all the while, I can’t water the pot. The flower dies while the birds go on to grow another generation of winged beauties. Sigh.

As my husband runs back and forth fixing the bird feeder and putting up wire to try to keep the birds out of my flowers, the birds continue eating, procreating, and leaving droppings everywhere.

The question is why? Why do we do it? We even have a book of birds and binoculars by the back window so we can identify the little rascals and call each other when the beautiful red cardinals and woodpeckers arrive.

Maybe it would be less hassle to go back to feeding hummingbirds. But I remember that meadowlarks, wasps, and ants like those feeders too.

Nature.

What are you reading, writing, feeding, or creating this week?