Rainy days and Mondays......really don't get me down.

It's raining, it's pouring..........what's a setter to do?

It's hard to grumble about the rain when we really need it .......but I'm grumbling a little bit, as I have a ton of dyeing to do for the fiber frolic this up coming weekend.  The dyeing part in the house is no problem, but the drying part is leaving a lot to be desired :(.  I'm just praying I can get it all dried and skeined or I'll be a stayin' home.

Before I tell you the story of my little robin babies, I just want to share a gem that my husband and I discovered this weekend.  A month or so ago, I heard that one of my favorite bands, The Cowboy Junkies were going to be playing at The Stone Mountain Art Center, in Brownfield Maine, which is only about 15 minutes or so away from my house.  I had mentioned to Ken that it would be so neat to go see them for our anniversary.......but then I forgot about it.

Ken on the other hand, did try to get tickets to surprise me, but they sold out before he could get some.  He did however get tickets to see The Grascals, which is a bluegrass band.......Ken knows how much I LOVE bluegrass, so even though we had never heard them before, it was a safe bet that I would probably like them.  Go take a listen here.

Well.........it was fantastic!  This music center, tucked in the middle of no~where is truly a gem.  The redesigned barn is so tastefully done and comfortable, the gourmet pizza's were yummy and wine to sip on while listening..........does it get any better than that?  If you ever get a chance to go..........GO!

Now onto the photo intensive part of this post.  No knitting, no spinning......no fiber at all, but I hope  you enjoy my bittersweet afternoon.

Last night before we left for the music center, I checked in with my little robin babies.  Lordy, lord, they just keep growing and growing, so much so that their nest looks like it may bust!

Tucked in safely, looking very content and for once all of their mouths were actually closed.  I bid them a safe good night and hoped that they would still be there in the morning.

Given that it was raining very hard most of the day, I didn't think to check on the babies until late this afternoon and this is what I saw..........  one little robin sittin' in the nest. 

Where oh where are your brothers and sisters?  Oops.....there's one of your siblings...and he's getting brave......why, I think he's actually going to make a go for it....................

It was such a treat to witness this event.  As this little robin started his new adventure, his mom and dad were carefully guiding him....in fact, the whole flock of neighborhood robins were all a twitter. 

Mom kept chirping away at him and the little fledgling bravely chirped back, hopping around as fast as he could...sloshing through all the puddles in the yard.

I didn't get to see him fly, before he disappeared into the taller grass, but I have no doubt he will make his way.

Tucked safely in what's left of her nest is my last little baby.  I hope that she stays put for the night, so no predators get her in the dark.  I checked on her a little while ago and she looks like she may settle in for the night, but I don't think she will be there when I get up in the morning..........

Sleep well my little one and have fun on your new adventure!!

Comments

[Monica]

I love the Cowboy Junkies, too! :)

We had a bird's nest above our front door light. Unfortunately, not a good spot because the bird would startle whenever we went out and a couple of eggs dropped. 3 baby birds made it, though.

[PJ]

I've just loved your nest 'cam' ;) of course, as I posted two of my 5 in the nest out back ended in my dogs mouth :( urg.

[Marguerite]

Great pictures as always.

How did you know that the puddle jumping robin was "he" and the last in the nest was "she"?

[Norma]

Oh, I've witnessed that same thing, with finches, not robins. Isn't it just the greatest thing?

[Linda]

My mom had a nest of sparrows on her 2nd story apt. balcony, and we got to witness the fledglings leave the nest...except one, just like yours. After a while, the whole family was flying outside the balcony, urging the last one to go for it. It took another 30 minutes or so, and he finally edged out and took off. Absolute magic to watch!

[Ainslie]

I love watching robin babies hop after their parents, all the while crying, " Ma! Ma! Feed me!" Then I love watching the parents stuff worms down the throats of the young ones. Don't they look grumpy, though, when you look at the head-on photos?

[anne]

oh the whole bird story has been so cool! we had a nest on top of our porch column two years ago, and i was enthralled with it.

[Beth S.]

I can't get over the first picture of all the baby birds crammed into the nest. How did they fit?! And can they go back to the nest if they want to, or is that against the bird rules? ;-)

[Carole]

Oh sigh. They grow up so fast! Love the picture of Maggie, she looks like she wants to go play in the rain.

[Ruinwen]

Thank you for sharing the miracle of life with us. It must be awesome to see your babies fly for the first time! :)

[Wool Winder]

Watching the robins has been great fun!

[margene]

They grew so quickly. How wonderful for us to watch the process with your help. Sorry you missed the Junkies...they are one of my favs, too! Blue Grass rules!! ;-)

[Chris]

Bird chatter when babies are fledging is amazing! When I hear it, I search for my cat and tuck her into the garage for a few days. She's not pleased, but it's better than when she and I both dive for the same baby at the same time. So far, I win. I rarely see robins fledging, though I have found remains of robin eggs. But I do get treated to lots of cardinals, and last year, gold finches turned up. Quite a treat!

[Manise]

I've been lucky to see the fledgling process and I soon as I saw the first photo I knew they were ready! Last year it took an entire day for the last robin to make it out of the nest and then into a bush until mom could convince him to leave and fly across the street. So gawky lol.

Hoping your skeins dry quicky. Have you tried hanging them near an open oven door?

[Beth]

Great bird pictures and commentary!

[Beth]

My ceiling fans have made drying stuff a lot easier. Of course I'm only drying one skein at a time... :)

[Laurie]

Wonderful sequence! I've never seen the fledging process before. They look quite serious about this whole manuever.