Robins!

We’ve seen a few mamas over the last few days, cautiously digging worms from the lawns. Tonight, though, D told me to look out the living room window and there were at least three Moms and maybe a Dad, and two, possibly three youngsters, all scouring the front lawns!

It’s fantastic to have them back! I don’t think they went anywhere, but were just sticking close to the shrubs. D was a little miffed at all the holes in his beautiful lawns but did admit that the youngsters were extremely cute!

Anyway, the robins are the least of the problem – we are overrun with squirrels this year as the hazel is full of nuts. The little ratbags are so bold, they come right up on the lawn where you might be sitting and proceed to dig a huge hole for their stash. Even running right up to them to shoo them off does no good. Grrr…

So we’ve traded the lovely dawn chorus for the obnoxious screeching of the squirrels and the raucous caws of the jays, who are in competition with the squirrels for all the nuts on the tree. Realize, this is a VERY large hazel tree, with thousand of nuts. We get exactly none each year as the tree is picked clean while the lower front lawn, my roses and hydrangeas are littered with debris. The squirrels do put on a good circus show, though, climbing and hanging and dangling all over the tree.

And wouldn’t you know it, today I got an image request from my UK stock rep for, yup, a shot of hazelnuts growing on the tree, to show growing your own food.

jeez…

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The day started with a gorgeous sunrise, just a few horizontal clouds above the horizon and otherwise clear. But by mid afternoon, a thin cloud layer had formed and by evening it was mostly overcast. Still quite warm. We may get a bit of rain tonight, tomorrow is supposed to be cloudy but then back to sunny skies on Sunday!

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– g