Empty Nests

Do you remember the photos of the robin's nest with the eggs that I shared recently in a previous post?

Well today I have some exciting new photos and a video to share with you! My family and I had been checking the nest daily, waiting for signs of new life to appear. First the sad news. Although there had been 3 eggs in the nest, the day we noticed the eggs had hatched, there was only 1 baby present :(

Since the nest was located in a shrub at the end of our deck, we had the pleasure of being able to check in regularly and watch how quickly the baby grew...

and grew!

I can tell you that for a little guy, this baby ate a lot and kept his momma busy looking for food...

He would chirp quite loudly when he was hungrily waiting for his next meal...

He would get louder ...

 

and louder..

and louder..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iWnoMZFshA

At other times he would rest quietly however ...

A few days after the baby robin left the nest, we heard chirping in a boxwood shrub that was located on the other side of our deck. Upon close inspection we found another nest well hidden inside the shrub. This nest was much smaller than the robin's nest, but it was home to three tiny babies! We weren't able to get a close look at this mother bird, so we are not sure what type of birds these babies were, but they were so sweet...

After these birds left the nest, my daughter said she was amazed at the short amount of time the babies were  there and how quickly they grew. She commented on what little time the momma birds actually had with their babies and how sad that is. I just nodded and was reminded about the book I reviewed in my last post. With my daughter's high school graduation ceremony quickly approaching, and my son about to begin his senior year of college, I could fully relate to how quickly a mother's "babies" grow, and what little time she gets to spend with them. A mother's job is to protect her young, to nurture them, to provide for them and to teach them well. While the ability of the babies to learn to fly independently is a sign of a mother's job well done, I could also relate to the mixed emotions that go along with an empty nest.

Linking up with these great blogs:

The Stone Gable
God's Growing Garden
A Delightsome Life
Katherine's Corner
Saving 4 Six
Between Naps on the Porch
Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home 

The Beauty of Spring and the Promise of New Beginnings

Each of the seasons offer something wonderful to enjoy, but there is something special about the beauty and promise of new beginnings that spring brings, especially after the long winter we had here in the northeast. 

These are some of the flowers my daughter gave me for Mother's Day. The color is so beautiful.

 

The white and purple lilacs in our yard are blooming and filling the area with a gorgeous scent...

I couldn't resist cutting several, and bringing them inside to enjoy in as well. Lilacs are some of my favorite flowers.

Did you notice the matching lilac themed table runner? I will be posting a tutorial on how to sew one of your own in the near future so be sure to check back. These are easy to make and can be adapted to match any decor, holiday, or season based on the fabric you use.

However the following pictures are a true representation of the new beginnings of spring...

The robin's nest is located in a shrub that is planted at the base of our deck. My daughter was able to capture these great photos by gently moving the branches of the bush above the nest when the mamma bird briefly flew away in search of food. The nest is actually very well concealed in the shrub. The way we even became aware that it was there, was that the robin would chirp and furiously fly out of the bush each time we walked near it, or when we sat on the end of the deck where it is located. We have several bird houses located throughout our yard, and have experienced getting to watch mother birds fly in and out of the houses as they care for their young each spring. We have also witnessed the baby birds learning to fly. This is the first time that we have had a nest built in such a prime location however, and we can't wait for the hatching of these babies. I hope we are able to capture some more great photos for you when they emerge.

The promise of new life....