Attack of the Robins

I'm not feeling well again today (it started yesterday afternoon) so I haven't worked outside this morning. Instead, I was sitting on the couch giving Gabe his juice bottle when I heard a loud THUNK. As soon as Gabe was in a sound sleep I put him down and went to the dining room window to access the damage. Luckily there was not a bird carcass below the window, as I feared. Then I looked up. WOW.

There are hundreds of robins in my yard! It's an amazing sight, reminiscent of the Hitchcock thriller "The Birds", but not nearly as intimidating. Robins are on the tree branches, hopping around in the soft, green grass, and even perching on the front porch. I wonder if they are here because I left the sprinkler running on the garden/grassy areas. Everywhere else the land is as hard as a rock, cracked and dry because of the lack of rain. My soil is still moist from the thorough watering that it got day before yesterday, making it, I presume, easier for the early birds to catch a worm.

I was very disappointed about missing the Ketcham-Crosier reunion today, but seeing the robins hopping around in their clownish manner has brought a smile to my face.

Hope you have something exciting outside of your window!
shel

Bonkers

Have you ever felt like you HAD to get out of your house, or you’d go totally bonkers? I’m close to that point. VERY close.

On Monday, July 7, I had a minor surgery. I slept off the effects of the anesthesia for the first few days, even to the point of falling asleep while eating a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Family members waited on me hand and foot. As the usual primary care giver, I initially sucked up the attention. It was nice (and rare) to be the recipient of so much thoughtfulness. Sometimes I wonder if I’m actually loved by my teenage daughter and chronically grumpy husband. My fears were put to rest post-surgery. After all, it takes a LOT of love to help someone go to the bathroom, pull up and down pajamas, and clean up bloody messes. Definitely not a Hallmark moment, but they probably DO have cards for it.

The wonderful Erin, Steve and Jaden, Brandon and Bryan, and sister Shannon (who took me to and from the hospital) made sure that I was well cared for. I’ll have to think of something really nice to do to repay their patience with me, and the kindness and gentleness of their care. Even my sorority sisters of Beta Sigma Phi brought over meals. Yep, I was spoiled!

Now I’m ready to get on with life. Hubby, however, is very careful about what I’m doing. This morning there was a water garden club meeting for Central Illinois Water Gardeners. He wouldn’t let me go! It’s true that I have a SLIGHT tendency to overdo things…okay, a STRONG tendency to overdo…but I’m going stir-crazy. I look out the picture window in the living room that overlooks the unfinished koi pond, the hundreds of purple and white coneflowers, the ever-growing Kentucky Bluegrass lawn, and weeds. Oh, how I desperately want to be outside! The countless varieties of daylilies are in bloom, teasing me with splashes of color when I sit at the table in the sunroom. Brilliant pink impatiens beg for Miracle Gro so that they can explode over the rock borders, softening the edges of the area.

Indigo buntings flock to the feeder in front, gorging themselves on safflower seeds as they brighten the scenery with their brilliant hue. Equally vivid are the American goldfinches, vying for space on the mesh stocking-like feeder that hangs from a shepherd’s hook just off the back deck. The nut feeders are empty, leaving the usual wide variety of woodpeckers, flickers, and nuthatches with no reason to hang around for my viewing pleasure. Hopefully I can sneak out tomorrow (it’s raining again so I can’t do it tonight) to fill them.

Okay, I’m done whining now. I’ll drown my gardening urges by ordering new and exciting plants through the gardening catalogs that litter the coffee table. Then I’ll re-watch the movie "Martian Child" that Erin & Steve brought over (excellent movie, by the way…if you haven’t seen it, you need to) and drink a cup of hot tea as a companion to my biscotti. My state of "bonkers" is now under control.

Perhaps tomorrow the rain will stop and I will be able to go outside, camera in hand, to permanently capture the beauty that I have helped to create. I will honor my family’s wishes to not overdo anything so that I suffer no setbacks.

Next week, however, I will be a gardening fool!