Nesting in this post refers to the sport of hunting up bird’s nests. After a mighty wind storm Penny and I found this lovely, tidy little nest on the ground beneath the elm tree. How sad that some faithful mother bird lost this nest that she so carefully built. But what a thrill for us to find it and get to examine it closely. What a lovely job she did!
Fine horse hairs line the inside, and on the outside some curly twigs add artistic interest. It is fascinating that God put into these birds to know how to do this. I enjoy many crafts, but creating a masterpiece like this is far beyond my skill level!
Down inside our dairy barn the barn swallows have a whole community of mud nests attached up near the ceiling beams. Penny and I found one of these fallen on the barn floor. Ah, a new type of nest to explore!
Inside, the nest is made of flat grasses from the loose hay around here. Outside it is daubed with mud, and here is the flat side where it had been attached to the wall.
Ohh, and here is the feather bed insert that fell out!
Princess Penny wonders if she can have this feather bed in her room.
A pretty place on our farm is the wisteria arbor Dad built for me. It is all in bloom now and smells so heavenly! (Pardon all the weeding and cleaning up you see that still need to be done around here this spring. And yes, we are hanging our laundry here for the time being until we can relocate our clothesline poles from where we used to have them.)
Here is what I wanted to show you. A humble, sweet little mourning dove has built her nest here. I am happy to say that this one is fully in service and has not fallen down.
If I were a bird I would love to have a nest here in this beautiful place. I enjoy walking gently under this nest and peering up to find that steady dark eye of hers on me. When I have to hang the laundry I am so regretful that she often flies away in fear, though I try to be as slow and careful as can be. Do not be afraid, Dear, I want you to enjoy your nest here and know that you are safe. It is curious to me how small her nest looks under her, not as big and roomy as a robin nest.
No, Penny did not fall out of this tree. She wanted her picture taken next to it so you could see how she found a tiny tree just her size. When you are little, finding something just your size is a rare and special joy. This stray cottonwood is growing in the middle of a hay wagon out behind the barns. A funny place for a tree for sure. Yet it is delightful to find surprises in unexpected places, isn’t it?
Have you found any unexpected natural wonders showing up under your nose lately?
