Crisis Averted

This story caused such a sensation on my Facebook page, that I thought I'd share it here.

Some of my friends say that they hate to comment on my Facebook status updates cause I get too many comments - and then they get too many emails and notifications.

Apologies.

I've been buzzing around here like a hummingbird on crack lately.

(That's one of my cousin's quotes)

Friday, I decided to tackle the east side of the house - it often gets neglected, because the only time I actually see it is when I hang laundry.

There was a tree that needed cutting down, an overgrown Sweet Autumn clematis that was growing like Kudzu, and Juniper bushes that were completely blocking the electric box.

That side of the house isn't brick - it's vinyl siding and it was green with moss.

I was suffienctly jacked up on English Breakfast tea and Allegra D - so away we went -

After edging and weeding, I tore the vine off the house - wish I'd taken a picture of the beast -

Literally, when pulling down the vine, this fell into my hands:

I immediately felt two emotions.

Excitement.

"I have more babies to nurse!  Into my bra they go!

Dread.

"I have more babies to nurse!  Into my bra they go!"

The dread emotion overtook my excitement.

I saw the mother robin sitting on a branch with a worm dangling out of her beak, looking where her nest was moments ago.

My heart sank like a rock.

I think I ran around the yard in circles for a minute.

I Googled taking care of baby birds.

Feedings every 20 minutes from sun up to sunset.

Law.

And you thought you were busy -

I called DNR and they said to relocate the nest as close as possible.

I ziptied it to the Magnolia tree.

Don't you know that the mom bird found it within a few minutes?

I've been checking on these birds a few times a day.

Peter, Paul and Mary.

That's what I call them.

I feel utterly responsible for them. 

A storm yesterday afternoon blew two of them out of the nest - I recovered them, and put them back.

As of this morning they are resting comfortably again.

Here's the east side of the house post trimming, edging, weeding, and scrubbing the entire side of the house with a brush in my left hand.

Although - you can't see the siding in this pic..

I learned a few things on Friday:

Crocs, water and aluminum ladders don't mix.

Poison Ivy is - well, poisonous.

I'm allergic to Juniper bushes.

Robins are amazing birds, and I'll never see them as 'common' again.

And the most important lesson I learned Friday -

You can accomplish much when you stay home all day, as long as you don't fall off ladders, get poison ivy, or get a whole body rash from Juniper bush exposure...

Amen.