Construction Update, Birds Mating, and What I Found in the Garden

As previously mentioned, we have been living in a construction zone for months. This photo was taken from the upstairs bedroom window about two weeks ago.

I was trying to show the huge hole in the ground, but you really can’t tell here. The construction guys have to use a ladder to get in and out of the hole. They have now paved over the hole the whole length of the street, but still need to put in the new sidewalks and repair driveways. It has been quiet lately, though, which is a welcome relief from all of the constant noise of construction.

As you can see from that photo, they have not taken out our beloved tree yet. The longer it gets to live the happier I am. However, you can tell that since they dug several feet down on both sides of it, it definitely won’t live. I keep expecting to come home to a missing tree, however, it hasn’t happened yet. We know it’s coming, though.

On another note, I have been clearing out my flower beds this weekend. I am incredibly behind with everything this year due to my web design classes (my final project for the semester is due tomorrow – yikes!). I took Friday off from work to get working in the garden and to work on my final project. As I was clearing out the main flower bed, I kept finding these little treasures...

Wahhh??? How did toy cars get in my garden? I don’t have any kids. Well, I actually know who these belong to. Last fall our little neighbor next door told me his brother threw his toy cars over the fence and he was very upset. Looking for tiny toy cars in a fully grown (and overgrown) garden in early fall is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I had found three and gave those to him, but obviously there was a lot more in there. I think he will be happy to see these again.  

It was like Wild Kingdom in the flower garden after I raked it out. I counted four squirrels, two male robins, two male bluejays, one female bluejay, a male and female grackle trying to get it on, two black-capped chickadees, and a whole bunch of what I call sparrows, but who knows if that’s correct. This is one of the squirrels who was trying really hard not to be afraid of me.

I drink my coffee on the back porch on nice mornings and had been watching the birds gather materials to build their nests and now there is a lot of mating going on. It’s like an x-rated movie in the garden lately. The black-capped chickadees have a very identifiable mating song. To hear the difference between the usual call and the mating song, check out the Bird Note website (I am loving this site lately). All of those birds finding love in my garden, isn’t that sweet? Or am I running a bird whorehouse? Guess it all depends on how you look at it. I prefer to think that they are finding love.