Don't throw the baby (Jesus) out with the bath water

There are Christians who are upset because they believe there is a 'war' on Christmas. Yes, Canada is perhaps the worst for swinging the pendulum of political correctness so far that it is laughable....laughable because those who might be 'offended' at Christmas aren't offended at all. Those of us who are civil and loving, wish each other a Happy Hanukkah, Ramadan, Christmas - whatever applies to the one celebrating,... while politicians treat 'Christmas' like a swear word - not to be uttered in our schools or government places. But each year, regardless of mandates for 'holiday trees' and 'winter parties', I still hear plenty of songs at the mall about Jesus and 'Merry Christmas' falls from the lips of most, whether they are of faith or not. I frankly wish we'd let the whole 'war' perception drop and let the politically correct rules just look as ridiculous as they are. I even heard recently that Santa Claus is being replaced with Frosty the Snowman....until we find something wrong with him I guess. Let's just carry on enjoying Christmas regardless!

I don't believe Christmas is in any more danger of disappearing than Christianity is.

That being said....I do see a trend in North America of many being 'done' with church and no longer holding to a particular religion, though many will still say they believe in God. This isn't true in countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Those numbers of Christians are growing in leaps and bounds, spreading like wildfire while meeting under threat of their lives. They don't have cool modern churches, awesome worship leaders, amazing music, the latest technological equipment, and stirring 7-step sermons to health and happiness. While we won't get out of bed for church one day a week.... they lay down their lives for their faith in God. What do they know that we don't?????

I think they have responded with abandon and love to a Saviour whom they know they desperately need. We're not so desperate here.

I 'get' why people leave church and never come back. I 'get' why they may never go in the first place. They are imperfect places and quite frankly, we can worship God wherever we are without church attendance. At the same time, I am baffled at people who leave their faith in God behind in the pew, because there were hypocrites there and they were 'hurt' by them. What did you expect? And how intact was your trust in God if a person could shake it from you? The best of us are hypocrites at times because we are human. People frustrate each other whether it be home, work, school, or church. That's life. But God hasn't changed.... so we are left without excuse for walking away from His presence in our lives when that has nothing to do with another person - it's between us and God and what WE do with Him.

Perhaps in all of this, we've forgotten about the baby that prompted angels to amass the sky with brilliance and melody never seen or heard on earth. God made a grand announcement about His Son and had been telling us about Him for ages beforehand that He was coming. Why was He coming? To bring life and light and eternity and meaning to our lives. To point us to His Father who desperately loves us and wants us to know it. But we're distracted. We've shifted our focus to people and things. We live unaware of just how close He is to us and how much He wants to be a part of our lives. We're not desperate for Him. We can manage just fine without Him. In the midst of His birthday celebrations, He is forgotten.

And so we throw the baby out with the bath water of religion - as if He had anything to DO with religion! Funny thing is....no one abhored hypocrites and 'religion' more than Jesus. He was all about relationship with His Father that He wanted us to know we could embrace.

Throw out religion - gladly. Throw out hypocrisy - who needs it! But don't throw out the baby whose birth we now should celebrate with joy. If you've lost any passion you may have had about Jesus.....dig in and find out all you can about Him for yourself and read what He had to say about Himself, His Father, and you.

Pride, self absorption, and the distractions of life will eclipse Him from your view.

But desperation for Him, humility, and trust in Him opens the door to His Spirit to actually begin to show you amazing mysteries of His love for you and a whole beautiful eternity that awaits us.

If we thought the hosts of angels filling a sky with heavenly melody to some guys tending sheep was thrilling....especially when his announcement was all about His love for us.....I think that sky was only a very tiny taste of the awesomeness of his power and majesty - we haven't even begun to fathom what we will see in future! He is, after all, the Creator. I'm overwhelmed at the thought of the day when I see Him face to face and dissolve in worship. Until then, I always want to be desperate for Him.

"As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God." (Psalm 42:1)

Listen to this song....play it loud.... and picture yourself beneath those skies...or even above them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Clean 'N Green - #2 Never use laundry soap again?

I was intrigued with the idea that I could use a truly green product - one that did not require the use of laundry soap but claimed to get my clothes clean in the washing machine. So I purchased a SmartKlean laundry ball for $45.00.

The lady who sold it to me was very sincere and said that she will never use laundry soap or fabric softener again. She just puts this laundry ball in with her clothes in cold water and sets her machine for only the rinse cycle - as the wash cycle is not needed. So she saves on both soap and electricity.

Here's how it works as found on the website for SmartKlean:


SmartKlean_med from SmartKlean on Vimeo.

So now that I've used the laundry ball since the summer, what is my opinion?

Not totally convinced. The instructions with the ball state that you will still need to pre-treat stains on clothes as you normally would. My kids are grown so maybe that's why I rarely per-treat anything anymore - although I can slop stuff pretty good on my clothes. Perhaps I've been irresponsible to the environment...but I know that if I throw really dirty clothes in with some Tide (and I use very little Tide), they come out clean without pre-treating. SmartKlean suggests that with your whites, you can throw in some sea salt and vinegar to help them come out white. I purposely tried that with some dingy looking white towels and they were still dingy after washing with the SmartKlean ball, but came out white with Tide. What I felt like I was doing was wasting water because my clothes weren't as clean as I'd like and isn't that the purpose of washing them?

I think the laundry ball is just fine with loads that are not terribly dirty and it's good for your clothes to get a break from time to time without detergent. Many people would love this product especially with electricity bills that are predicted to go sky high. If it works for you even part of the time, go for it! But I'll admit I miss the fresher smell of detergent washed clothes.

I'm afraid I'm a failure at staying green with my laundry. Although I am quite willing to try a few more green laundry detergents. I've tried a few, but always seem to wander back to Tide. I will continue to do my part by using very little detergent, washing only with full loads in cold water (most of the time), running the washer for shorter cycles and less often, and hanging the laundry outside when the weather co-operates.

Incidentally, the internet tells me that "Tide Coldwater is the first detergent ever to be awarded the new Green Good Housekeeping Seal. Good Housekeeping also noted that Tide stood out in terms of

corporate responsibility due to the measures they are taking to become transparent in their practices."

I'm still not sure what Tide is made of - that's a little hard to find on the internet - but for now I will stick with what works with the electricity and water I am using!

Random

I have a friend who is a 'senior' though she doesn't look it. I want to be just like her when I grow up.

Most will never know that she carries Tim Horton coupons in her purse, and when someone she encounters, such as a cashier, looks kind of down or discouraged, she slips a coupon into their hand with a warm smile and a wish for things to get better.

She visits folks in hospitals and nursing homes on a regular basis. Makes meals for those who are grieving. Listens to people who just need a friend. And on and on and on. Every day.

Her life is random acts of kindness at every possible opportunity. She loves people the way their Creator loves them.

I wish we had more people like her in this world. But I must ask myself....what's my excuse if I'm not like that?

"Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting."

Author Unknown

Clean 'N Green - #1 Drinking water

Several posts back I pledged to start a-blogging on some green topics.

Let's start with the basics - the water we drink.

Our family has used reverse-osmosis water for years from a water cooler. We visit our local water depot-type place, sanitize the jugs and fill them up at a cost of less than $3 for an 19 litre bottle. It saves on using individual water bottles which of course are now the scourge of the eco-friendly masses.

Why not drink city-tested and approved water?

I don't doubt the safety of our water and I'm very grateful that we have clean water for bathing and washing and don't fear getting ill from drinking the water. But years ago we went for a tour of the local water treatment plant because my daughter chose to do a school project on the subject. We had a friend who worked there, and he gave us the grand tour. I saw and heard where the water comes from and of all the interesting things that get filtered and removed from the water. I saw the processes that remove all the contaminants, and subsequently the chemicals additives that are poured back in to make it drinkable. As we were leaving, I asked our gentleman friend whether he drinks the city water and he was quick to say, 'Oh no. I get my water from a natural spring near here.'  Mmmmhmm.

That was years ago and now even the springs have been shut down as unsafe. That visit to the plant left a bad taste in my mouth and since the water depot-type places advertise that reverse osmosis removes any pesticides, herbicides, and chlorine that the city didn't (when used with a carbon filter), I concluded that it must be better to drink. However, according to HistoryofWaterCoolers.com, the downside of reverse osmosis is that it also removes the healthy, natural, beneficial minerals that should be in the water we drink. That website suggests that both reverse osmosis and distillation are extremely wasteful methods of water filtration, discarding 75-80% of the water with the contaminants and both remove the healthy minerals we should be drinking with our water. It suggests that carbon water filters are cheaper and the least wasteful.

Again, I am not implying that you are killing yourself slowly by drinking municipal water or doing yourself any harm. But if it is something that you're interested in and would prefer an alternative, do your research.

Here's an alternative that our family has recently purchased that caught my interest. It's called the Santevia Water System. Everyone who walks by this unit in our kitchen for the first time, does a double-take. Because the 'tank' contains a layer of gravel-like stones,  it looks like it should have fish swimming around in it! To summarize in a sentence, this system uses your ordinary tap water (no need to buy and lug bottles), filters it further through 8 stages, and then re-mineralizes the water to make it as close to natural spring water as you can get while adjusting the Ph level, according to their statements. They challenge you to get your Santevia water tested to prove their claims. You can read all about it here. They also have Youtube videos with 'wordless' demonstrations of assembly, maintenance, etc.

We purchased ours at a natural healthfood store, but they can be purchased easily on-line from their website. No, I am not getting a commission, nor am I endorsing it. I am informing you so you can make your own choice! Here's their introductory video....and you be the judge!

Proud

I get so tired of negativity.

I'm not talking about people who have legitimate needs and express disappointments and difficulties.

It's the daily onslaught of negative opinions about politics and people and situations.....and sometimes it's just more than tiring to listen to it. It doesn't solve anything. It drags us all down....makes us grumpy and ungrateful. (Did we just celebrate Thanksgiving??)

Enter, memories of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

If you're Canadian and you're proud of your country, your heart will swell as you watch the video clip below and remember. I don't recall a time when so many Canadians were united together in excitement and pride in their fellow countrymen. It wasn't simply the medal winning. It was the stories behind those who were giving their all to win. They were ordinary people often dealing with extremely difficult situations, working hard, staying positive, and doing everything in their power to win for their country. Who can forget the face of Alex Bilodeau's brother Frederic - his biggest fan? (Google him - he's famous now!), or the perseverance of Joannie Rochette who tragically lost her mother suddenly in the midst of the games, but kept on going to win a medal for her Mom.

We could learn a thing or two from these Olympians. Hard work. Staying positive. Committed to the team. Pride in their country. Pulling for the next guy.

Our country is made up of people....of which I am one. If I could capture and keep the spirit of the Olympics alive in my daily life....along with you....the landscape of our culture could be vastly different.....so much better. Pulling for our neighbours...instead of criticizing them. Praying for our politicians in spite of their shortcomings. Cheering each other on. Watching out for and lifting up those who fall down.

Be inspired to spread some Olympian-like fever where ever you go. Let's hope it spreads across the country again!

Sweet Nikki

Rest in Peace Sweet Nikki

23 October 1997 - 6 October 2010

We love you!

Have you ever met someone like this?

This was too priceless not to share.

Mr Bean: Ya missed him

Mr Bean makes me laugh most times. That's probably an indication of my intelligence level.

Have you seen the one where he's in the church service trying to stay awake and attempting to fit in with what the others are doing and singing? Ya gotta laugh....particularly if you've been in some of those kinds of services.


Unfortunately, the hymn used in that clip is a beautiful one. I refuse to let the memory of Mr Bean ruin it for me when I hear it!

Now, we don't sing hymns much in our church any more. They have gone by the wayside with the organ. But this past Sunday we sang that hymn that Mr Bean tried to sing. I'm happy to say, I blocked Mr Bean out of my conscience entirely and drank in the words of that hymn. They speak everything that I live and breathe about my Creator. I wonder at times if too many of us are as self-absorbed and oblivious to God as Mr Bean was in that clip (and likely most of that audience with him!).

God is referred to as the 'Father'. To some of us, He either doesn't exist....we don't care or aren't sure He exists.....or we think of Him as a distant entity out there somewhere that might respond to desperate pleas, and we hope that if there's a heaven, one day we'll make it there.

Jesus is the 'Son'. Most understand that he was an actual historical figure that lived and breathed, had a lot of influence, and died. Whether we believe he was actually God and is our Saviour....that is our choice.

But what about that '3rd' part of the Trinity that we read about in the Bible? The Holy Spirit. We often forget about Him. He's the one that Jesus said would be with us when he left the earth.  He would be our Counsellor, would teach us all the things Jesus had said. Jesus was exiting the scene, but he wasn't going to leave us on our own. He was leaving his Spirit with us to be close to us and mediate to the Father for us. That's a pretty cool deal.

Most of us are looking for someone who is completely trustworthy, is there for us when we need them, loves us unconditionally, and understands the deepest parts of us. Hello? That one we need is here with us - closer than our breath - and offers much more than a human being ever could. He speaks into the deepest part of us...confirming the mysteries of a Creator's love on a personal level. He may not be visible...like the wind.....but I can see his affects in my life and in those around me. I don't want to become indifferent to his presence or unresponsive to him - ever. Really, why would I not want someone who loves me that completely?

Here's that hymn for your listening pleasure - All Creatures of Our God and King - as sung by the David Crowder band. And....because Mr Crowder doesn't 'let loose' in it as he is capable of ....I have added a second link with another of his tunes. If you are a person who is getting to know your Creator, your heart can soar while you listen. The third link is the funkier version - definitely no organ.

Making scents of it all

Can I see a show of hands? How many of you are allergic to, or extremely sensitive to strong scents?

Ahhhh. I see....quite a percentage of you.

Perhaps you're like me. Not allergic, but starting to be bothered when you have just walked through a fog of someone's perfume, cologne, deodorant, or lotion. The office I work in has tried to become 'scent free', but I always know when a certain few are in the office that day because I can smell their trail even if they have walked through ten minutes earlier. (Picture a wolf....nose to the air). I kid you not. This could be amusing if it wasn't for others in the office who....if they catch that trail of scent....may end up leaving work and spending the rest of the day in their bed, lights out, blinds drawn, and dizzy with a migraine. Those same migraine-prone people have to sit out of meetings and listen in on their phone at their desks if the 'scented' ones will be attending the meeting. Several months ago, the smell of the perfume of a very sweet co-worker whom I love reminded me....seriously....of cedar chips. Every time that dear woman got near me, I was reminded of our dearly departed guinea pig.

A friend at my church can often be seen moving about to another part of the congregation because she is affected by scents as well. It makes it very difficult to be seated when you're not sure if you are going to react to the person next to you!

Since I have observed what these people go through, I've become more aware of strong smells. We've all walked by someone while shopping who takes your breath away and leaves you choking in a cloud. I've been served by a waiter whose very strong, sickening cologne overwhelmed me every time he attended to the table - at a place where you should be free to savour the aroma of the food.

When I was home from work with my first child I did some volunteer work in the evening tutoring adults who wanted to improve their literacy. One dear, kind man in his 50's (somehow that seemed old back then....sigh), came to our home some evenings and we sat down at the kitchen table to work on improving his reading skills. Unfortunately, he would wear strong cologne every single week and I would literally have to keep leaving the room wanting to be sick. Today, I would have no problem respectfully requesting that he not wear any cologne, however back then I was too timid to say anything.

I'm glad the government in this neck of the woods has banned the use of pesticides on our lawns. I've known people who had to lock themselves literally in their homes when their neighbour got their lawn sprayed because they would be ill until the residue had dissipated.

I love the scent of lovely candles and flavoured coffees, but there are those who can't enter lovely candle/gift shops due to those smells either.

I guess I say all this to make us all more aware of the affects we can unknowingly have on others or on our own health. And don't forget....what you may think smells wonderful and you douse yourself in it, might smell horrible to someone else (cedar chips or incense, anyone?). The next time you walk by a young guy and you think.....why does he smell like my grandfather?....you'll remember...... what's Old (Spice) and was shunned, is new again, thanks strictly to clever advertising and, dare I say, the gullible. (I have actually always liked the smell of Old Spice....my dad used to wear it!).

I have personally been on a mission within our home to eliminate products with chemicals. It's been an education! There has been an incredible amount of stuff gathered from our cupboards and taken to our city's hazardous waste disposal depot. It's been a challenge to find replacement products without harmful ingredients and it's still a work in progress. I will try any product once that someone has personally recommended to me or that I have read up on, and if satisfied, I love to share what I have found with others.

So, over the next many posts, I hope for your reading pleasure and education, to feature a different 'green' product each post that you might like to try in place of something potentially harmful you might currently be using on a regular basis. We all have to use cleaning and hygiene products (pleeeeeeease), so we might as well be supporting great companies who produce products that nourish and don't harm.

Makes scents.....don't you think?

Not enough

A friend sent this link to a little video in an e-mail (thanks Paul). While I watched it, I thought the images shown are but a tiny drop in an ocean of the wonders to be found on this planet alone.

Though creation is vast, it works together in symmetry - interconnected and dependent on the laws of nature to provide in so many ways.

If one planet is so amazing
(....just the birds and flowers alone in my yard are amazing!!) .....
the balance so delicate and stunning.....what must God be preparing in heavenly places?

I can't begin to imagine.


There's not enough.......
words.....
images.....
time.....
books.....
space.....
room, in my tiny finite mind......
to comprehend enough....
of how big God is.

Click here and let your imagination soar.

If Earwigs Could Fly

I thought seagulls only ate fish and chips.

I also thought they were only nuisance birds.

I formed my opinion of them long ago when, at the beach, a seagull had the nerve to dive at my two-year old son to try to grab the soother out of his mouth. I was not impressed. I've been at the zoo and had them swoop down at my lunch. Of course, there are always flocks of them in town at burger joints, peering in car windows, waiting for a french fry to drop and then.... look out.... as six of them dive for it at once. "MINE, MINE, MINE, MINE!" (Just ask Nemo when you find him)

But tonight my image of them softened. As I sat sipping my tea on the front porch this evening, I watched a couple dozen seagulls circling our neighbourhood. I immediately wondered who had put french fries out in their trash, but then noticed these birds continue to glide and then pause midair as they gulped bugs that were flying about. They continued for a good hour until they moved on. Far above them, were swallows swooping and diving after bugs as well.

Last night, our resident bats (no, they don't live IN our house) started the night shift early before dark, performing their acrobatic feats and plunging from high in the air to then skim the surface of the back lawn. (That would be the yard that when you walk through the grass or garden, swarms of mosquitoes emerge). It must be a buggy season...what with our hot, muggy, rainy summer.

So imagine if earwigs could fly?!!!!  Between swallows, seagulls and bats, we'd be rid of them in no time!

Mmmmmmm. Maybe not. My imagination is conjuring up images of walking into a flying swarm of earwigs and it's a despicable sight.

We'll be thankful things are just the way they are. Someone must have been thinking when this whole interactive chain of nature was conceived.

In honour of the G8 and G20 summits....

My son is working behind the scenes at the G8 summit as I am typing this. My daughter will be working tomorrow near the G20 summit as it switches locations. Close to home this time around, but important events for sure as world leaders meet to discuss crucial matters that affect many countries.

More important in my world is the event on my front porch (yes...I do jest). Momma Robin, whom I have observed returning to the old nest the last few days, rearranging the furniture....has laid an egg today. And so it all begins again. One egg on the first day of the G8, another will surely be laid when the G20 begins, and perhaps a final one on the last day of the summit meetings....maybe even just one more to be sure when the leaders are dispersing to go home. And so these will be special Summit Babies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                    I caught a few minutes of an interview with John Manley on the radio this morning. He is a former Canadian Liberal finance and foreign affairs minister and he was asked why all these world leaders don't just meet, in this technological age, by video conference and save all these dollars spent on getting together. It's a fair question that's been asked frequently lately. His answer gave pause to think and I hadn't looked at it before the way he painted the picture. He cited examples of times when specific Presidents and Prime

Ministers had crucial decisions to make and in those moments, a leader from another country came to them, just as a close friend would, to talk one on one. Some leaders have been very influential to others in helping with decision making, simply because they had become fast friends and confidantes, beginning with these events. Mr. Manley said that these times that leaders get together are very important face-to-face to forge friendships that are needed in their jobs. When you think about it, how close can leaders in high positions get to others with whom they can share in confidence.... who will understand the circumstances and have wisdom for the task?

I have also listened to John Tory, former leader of the PC Party describe what it was like in the public eye and it wasn't pretty. You take the most foul abuse thrown at you where ever you go - people think they have the right to lambaste you. They might not do that to the average person....but somehow they feel politicians are not human beings and can be treated with disdain and have insults hurled at them from every side, even threats on their lives and those of their family. I know what some of you are thinking. There's lots to criticize. Politicians are dishonest, money hungry, power seeking, blah, blah, blah. Yes, some are. But I wonder if we knew some of their spouses and their children and families, we might find that many are actually hard working, honest people who entered politics because they wanted to make a difference. But still, they will take criticism for every move they make.

Yes, there are lots of crucial mistakes made in the political world.... waste, dishonesty, wrong priorities....the list goes on. We can criticize and drone on about it for hours and nothing will change.

Criticism is useless.

Protests? Maybe they've accomplished some good if done wisely....but most seem to be just noise and simply invoke a negative response in return. Honest dialogue, tackling noble, worthwhile issues with practical and thoughtful insight would accomplish more. But as long as we're not willing to work that hard.....criticism is easier...... it puffs ourselves up to feel that we know best.

And nothing changes.

Next time you hear a robin sing that lovely, evening summer melody that signals the setting of the sun and the close of another day......pray for your world leaders. As wrong as they might be about much.....they are fallible human beings (like us!) who are in a position in which they must make crucial decisions and affect change. Pray.... not that they will do YOUR will....but that God will be in the midst of the decision making.

If it's all we can do.....let's pray. Because that truly does change things.....with a side benefit of changing our attitude.

You think YOUR kids grow fast...!

I was compiling videos of the robin babies, but before I could get the movies up, the darn things grew up so fast they flew the coop in two weeks! It's all ancient history now, but I wanted to share some pictures.


They went from this.....

to this......

and so on....

Then, things were just getting too crowded and one flew out of the cuckoo's nest to a nearby tree.

The next day, the other two worked up courage to follow.

And now I can spot them and hear them in the trees as they call to Mom and Dad who still faithfully deliver worms and bugs to their little ones.

I miss all the action outside the front door. Even my family (who mocks me for my bird watching) clambored from the dinner table to watch when someone shouted that a baby was about to fly from the nest! The robin parents were actually quite respectful of us and we never had to use another door because of them. Mom even came back to clean the nest after all the babies were gone! Now there's a great Mom!!

I am beginning to see the babies on the ground accompanying their parents as they begin to search for worms all by themselves....without those little mouths always looking for a handout!

So what will I do without baby birds to watch? Well, here's a couple of pictures I took outside of my bedroom window  the same day the robin babies left. I received this lovely birdhouse for Christmas and there are definitely chickadee babies in there! Harder to view but we'll see......

The videos are below for your viewing pleasure. I have many more which I may share at a later date.

Warning! Contains graphic scenes which may disturb! If you're queasy about worms, get over it. But if you really can't stand dirty diapers, you'll shudder at 'clean up'.

The first video is of Mom and Dad when the babies were 6 days old....

One happy family from Beebalm on Vimeo.
The babies in the next video are now 10 days old. It's hard not to fall asleep while waiting for Mom or Dad to come...but when they do arrive....it's a fast awakening! Thanks for the worms Mom...now here's our gift to you - help yourself....

Any time Mom....we're waiting.... from Beebalm on Vimeo.
Things are getting crowded in the nest. It's okay when they're sleeping. But when one moves....everyone else has to shift! Can't you just picture what these siblings are muttering to each other?  Notice the change in 10 days from a mass of flesh to flapping feathered wings! Somebody's gotta leave soon!

Tight Quarters from Beebalm on Vimeo.

Ducks Unlimited

Early this evening I was filming the robin activity on the front porch. I am planning on updating and sharing the pictures and videos I've been taking of them, but haven't had too much time to compile anything.......although here is one picture from today as an update of how the babies look now. They are rapidly growing, eyes are open, and fuzz is appearing.


During a camera session, I was not prepared for what I turned my head and saw out the front door.

There, waddling right down the middle of this bird-lover's road was a mother duck and 8 baby ducklings following her in a row. I froze and thought I was seeing things as they disappeared behind our parked car. Sure enough, they appeared on the other side and continued their trek down the cul-de-sac. I wrestled my camera off the tripod, threw on my shoes, and scurried after them down the street.
Now you need to understand I live in a city. Yes, we have a river, but I live no where near it. This is the first time I've seen a duck in a place where there are no bodies of water, other than backyard ponds and pools. Where on earth does this Mother plan to raise her babies in our neighbourhood....which is shared with plenty of dogs and cats? Apparently a neighbour had caught sight of Mom and babies on the cover of their swimming pool.

I truly hope they will be okay. You know me by now. I'm thinking up ways to make my property attractive to ducks so I can have plenty of photo shots of them growing up in the neighbourhood. Can't keep them in the back yard with the dog. Could set something up in the front side yard, away from the protective robins. I've asked my husband if we can flood the front yard and make it into a marsh. He said okay..........but I don't think he meant it.

Here's some more pictures. I hope to see them again for more shots!

A face only a mother could love

I'm sure some of you bird lovers are wondering about those 3 robin's eggs. Sure enough, I received text messages of congratulations in my hotel room from family back home informing me I was a proud Gramma of two. Two so far had hatched on Thursday. When I arrived home Friday, all three were alive and well.

Here's a series of daily pictures of the babies starting with Friday.

And finally, today (Tuesday)

Now it's hard to imagine in that (dare I say) ugly mass of flesh that there is anything alive or responsive. But when Mom or Dad arrive with a worm dangling overhead.....

Like stepping on the garbage can lever....up come those lifeless looking little heads!                           

And why not with such delicious offerings!! Yum!

I'm amazed at the dedication of Mom and Dad. I mean, I remember being a new Mom and the exhaustion I felt from no sleep and always tending to the baby (singular)....letting your own needs take a back seat to the baby's needs. But honestly.....I didn't have to do nearly as much as this young couple! They spend the entire day from dawn until dusk searching earnestly for food and bringing it back to the nest, while watching at all times for danger and fending it off. Poor innocent sparrows or finches who might want a drink nearby - they get dived at and told in no uncertain terms to get lost. Thankfully, so far these parents are leaving the humans alone to come and go as we please!

I hope to post some videos of the feedings before too long. It should get interesting as these babies rapidly grow and become more visible and vocal. I've read that often the weakest of three is left to fend for itself while the two strongest are nurtured and taught to survive. I'll have a hard time watching that if it happens, but I've promised myself I will not rescue an abandoned robin baby - let nature take its course. A robin who doesn't learn to survive in the wild, but lives out its days in a cage in a house with worm feedings would not be a good thing!                                                                                     

Here today, gone tomorrow

I've been steeped in "Robin 101" this past week.  I remarked to a neighbour that a robin built a nest by our front door and she said that the sooner we get rid of it the better. I didn't have the nerve to tell her that not only would I not get rid of it...I have excitedly set up a tripod permanently by the front door to capture the moments. I consider it a privilege to watch nature up close in action, even if it becomes a bit of a nuisance. How often except by webcam do you get to view this kind of activity up close? (See the robin building her nest in the previous post here)

I've had to rely on the internet to try to figure out this bird. I had no idea about the nesting habits of robins and I was perplexed by this new porch guest.  Why would this bird spend a full day and a half - I'm talking no breaks or lunches - to build a nest, and then leave it? We kept watching and she wasn't coming back. My husband said maybe it was a 'decoy' to throw off the enemies, and the real nest was elsewhere. I couldn't believe she'd work that hard on a decoy.

Finally, she was spotted for a short time around noon on the nest....but gone again, not to return until the next day at noon for an hour or so.  ??????

I began to read some wonderful stories on the internet from others who have watched robin nesting - oddly enough from ridiculous vantage points. One was built on top of a front porch light...another in the drip pan of a barbecue (barbecued omelette anyone?)...and yet another just under an open deck umbrella...(that woman had to put the umbrella down because of high winds, so she put the nest in their basement until the next day....and you think I'M crazy!)

But the most curious thing I learned was that the robin will lay one egg per day and then leave. She will return the next day to drop another egg, and so on, until she is finished and then she finally stays to sit on them so they will hatch around the same time. I also learned that the easiest way to check out what's in the nest is to place a mirror over it to clearly see the eggs when Momma is off for a worm and a drink. Of course I had to drag out a chair and stand on it to get a camera shot.

Sure enough.....day one.....one egg.

Day two...another.






 

Day three....a third.









 
And finally four eggs.

Yesterday, however, I noticed Momma eating something in the nest. The fourth egg had been fragile and must have broken, so she cleaned up the nest, and now there are three. And so we wait.

Apparently, the eggs are kept warm for about two weeks before they hatch, and then the fledglings take about two weeks to grow before they leave the nest. I am scheduled to be away for a couple of nights next week for work related training and I'm hoping I don't miss any of the hatching process.

The final points of interest I learned was that the robin will return to the same nest again for a second brood in the same season....and that they will return to the same location the next year and fix up the old dwelling if it's still there, or else rebuild. I don't recall any requests from Momma for a permit.

 

Momma is very patient with all the people activity at the front door. Just when you think she is going to stay there while you enter or leave, she quickly exits the nest and returns shortly after. I'm sure she appreciates the stretch of the wings and a quick worm from the garden, drink from the concrete bird bath, and back to settle down on the eggs. Dad is trying to ward off the pesky blue jays who are making their presence known trying to raid nests in the neighbourhood.

This morning when I peeked out the door first thing, I caught Dad putting some food into Momma's mouth. That was the first I'd seen him at the nest and it was so cool to see the support between the two to get these babies hatched and ready to face the world.

Most of us live busy lives....coming and going and not even noticing what's happening all around us in nature. Yes, we sit up and notice when a volcano erupts and disrupts our flight plans, or get disturbed at the ecological crisis as a result of a serious oil spill in an ocean. Birds, insects, butterflies are all indicators of the health of our environment. When we can learn a little of what their world is like, it helps us appreciate the balance, beauty, and necessity of the creatures with whom we share this earth.

Take some time from the rush and check out what you can see outside your front door. It might surprise you what you've been missing.