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Spring Birth

It seems like it doesn't take much water to light up a Spring time flurry of blossoms and growth.  I am in awe of the spectacular beauty of roses, flowers, trees, vegetables and herbs that appear thrilled with the sunshine and occasional raindrops.  I am always surprised with what shows up in my yard.  Today, I am going to transplant my "Beanstalk."  I still do not know how it arrived in my yard.  At first it grew up by my rosemary and sage, and I thought it to be a pretty weed.  Last summer, it transplanted itself into the corner of my vegetable box and thrived until it got hit with  December's cold.  I thought I had pulled it out, but now in the last few weeks, it has grown back with a vengeance, and obviously is going to need more space than a crowded corner.  Plus, I need to let it know, it's not a vegetable. . . 

But my favorite activity this Spring has been watching the birth of baby hummingbirds.  It's always just a great surprise to come upon a hummingbird nest because it is so tiny and petite.  The first one was right outside my front door, slightly hidden in the Jasmine.  No bigger than perhaps a good size encapsulated walnut, I eagerly watched for signs of life.  I was able to capture the first egg laid, and tried to make friends with the Mama who usually sped away at my presence, but made a point to hover in the atrium as if to remind me I was invading her territory.  I was amazed the first day I saw the most tiny "pink needles of fluff" that began to poke out of the nest, and then to discover that there were actually two of them, I was in awe!

I watched them everyday, and rather quickly they developed. I never actually saw them fed by their Mom, but she was there.  The last day I saw them, they were bunched side by side in the nest, and yes, they began to look a bit crowded.  In the morning, there was only one left, and by the afternoon the nest was empty.  Yes, I felt that twinge again of the "empty nest syndrome," just when you feel you are enjoying life where you are, those days are gone.  You arrive dramatically into your senior years and wonder, how did I get here so fast?  I do wish for a rewind at times, perhaps for just a couple of years.  I think to return, I would definitely savor those days a bit more...

As fast and as plentiful the flowers grow, the weeds and tares seem to keep pace and even outdo the intended garden.  There is something about digging in the dirt that I so enjoy, maybe because there is always a discovery to be made.  I was in the midst of trimming and pruning my front garden patch, when looking up, I found another hummingbird nest, again swaying in the Jasmine, but this time on the opposite side!  I should have known, as I thought back to the times I was shooed away from there by the buzzing flurry of tiny wings. So I am blessed again to watch the birth of tiny life, and yes, I already peeked, the tiny eggs are there . . . 

 

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