"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

When weeding and tending to the flowers........

I always wear gloves............and keep my eyes open..............

because just when I stick my hands into the flowers.............

I wind up surprising some creature...............
or maybe...........they surprise me......

I look up to see that I am being watched...............

I step aside to see that I have almost smashed something..........
It keeps me awake and alert.

Even when Sophie and I are walking..........we have to always be careful.......
even around Sophie's dog house...............

a visitor has decided to move in. Don't worry, Sophie spends her days and nights, by my side, in the house...........the reason this critter thought that this would be a great new home.
( I have a trap set)

Even out of the sky........things happen to fall........
These two had their nest torn apart from a storm that came to us the other day.

I have become their mother............for a while.
I have decided to name them
Twitter and Tweet!
How about you?
Any unwelcome or welcome guest at your garden gate??
I would love to hear!

19 comments:

Connie said...

Oh my, Kathleen. Those first few critters would give me quite a start if I were to come across them! You sure grow your bugs big there in Texas. Good luck being "mama" to the baby birds. I think that would be a tough job.

Debra said...

I love this post!!!!I was a bird mama for a while too-I fell completely in love with a baby robin who was attacked by something-it recovered and spent about 2 months with us. We had over the phone help from a rehabilitator...the baby got attached to us as well. It was a lovely experience. The robin finally flew off on his own, and then came back a few years. We knew it was the same robin because of the particular places in our yard that were 'his.' He would revisit those places.
I loved seeing your visitors too-you get great photos!

Tammy@Simple Southern Happiness said...

Bless your heart, you have your hands full. Have watched mom raise a many of baby birds that the kids found in the area, they all knew to bring them to mom.

Bugs.... I shudder...

Debbie said...

That first bug looks ferocious! I don't remember that one. The beetle is familiar. While I was watering early this morning a large cicada crawled up on my foot and I think I made a fool of myself for a few seconds. Just helping the neighbors wake up! :D
Debbie

lil red hen said...

There were two long, black snakes in the chicken house the other day when we were getting the houses ready for new babies. Hope they don't come back for a feast!

I should wear gloves all the time when working in my flowers; I see black widow spiders from time to time.

halloweencouple said...

Oh my those first two would of sure kept me alert, they look scary.

As for the racoon, he knows a good house when he sees one ehh :)

Can't wait to see how the new little babies make out.....

Prims and Annies said...

Baby birds are so cute. We raised a baby squirrel several years ago. We have a critter that has decided to occupy our garage. The first thing I noticed was that some things on tables had been knocked off. So I put the outdoor camera in the garage and it's a opossum..not a baby but small. We set the "Have a Heart" trap (doesn't hurt the animal) and he is really smart...he won't go in or if he does, he is not heavy enough to trip the plate inside. I read on line today that they do not like moth balls...so I put some out...I don't like the smell, but if he leaves then it is worth it.

Country Gal said...

Oh poor little things , they are in good hands now ! Yes we get quite a few critter guests here and there some we live trap and relocate and some just leave on their own accord ! Lovely photos. I to have to wear garden gloves as we also have unwanted surprises at our finger tips ! Have a wonderful day !

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

Mosquitoes more than anything. But also stink bugs, which are ruining our tomatos!

That is a nice looking raccoon in the dog house. My Dad had one as a pet years ago.

Hill Top Post said...

Your critters are, as my dad used to say, "just trying to make a living."

Terry and Linda said...

Aren't you just the coolest person! It will be fun to watch as you grow your foster birdlings!!!


Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

Diana said...

HI Kathleen, yesterday morning we had rain. We needed it desperately and a male hummingbird sat on a hook in my garden and waved his wings in joy.. he loved it so. a welcome visitor! love to you,Diana

Paula said...

*YIKES!* I would wear gloves in your flower garden too, Kathleen, and a suit of armor too! ;0)
I love your baby names... Twitter and Tweet are so precious, bless their little hearts. It always makes me sad to see a nest on the ground because I can just imagine some poor little birdie momma going, "it was just here this morning... where are my babies?"
I hope you catch Mr. Raccoon~ he might decide to have your hens for supper one night!

A Colorful World said...

WHAT ON EARTH!!!! That first one is just too scary! Love the sweet baby birds...hope they are OK.

Agrigirl said...

I wear gloves for exactly the same reasons!

Vickie said...

Aw, sweet birds - my sister used to be a bird rescuer. Good luck with your babies!

Yep better have the ole garden gloves on when reaching into the flowers OR the vegetable garden. As for visitors here - I have one cute squirrel that is eating the peaches. He climbs up in the peach tree and the scissortails are dive-bombing him - all the peaches have little teeth markes in them! And there is even bird-netting on the peach tree!

Ardith said...

My gosh! What is that first thing? Some kind of spider? And I've been hearing about the centipede thing but that's the 1st one I've seen. I wear gloves AND cowboy boots when I go out! :) Be careful!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Kathleen, like you I always wear gloves when working outside, especially when weeding. I haven't seen the variety of critters that you showed here (thankfully). Hope the 2 little ones survive OK and sure you will give them good care until they can fly away, please keep us posted.

Karen said...

The baby birds are adorable! Just wondering what that critter in the first and second picture is, I certainly wouldn't want to meet up with him in a dark alley!