Home Sweet Home — 'Birds have their nests'

I watched a bird collecting nesting material this morning. Likely this is not the first home this season.
There are a variety of birds nesting in the trees and bushes around us. Backwards and forwards, carrying their chosen materials. Pigeons build a mere raft to lay an egg on, tiny birds create perfectly formed nests which are softly lined with fluffy feathers and gossamer webs.
No mortgage payments, materials free, just hard work and dedication needed. More hard work when the eggs hatch. When the children leave the nest, maybe another round of child-rearing. Losses to predators are great, but the birds go on as they are programmed to do. Brave little creatures and a joy to watch.

Birds have their nests, but squirrels get their nuts!

Yesterday was a busy day with domestic chores, but also with time for reflection.
The mother blackbird appeared again, complete with her two young. Sigh of relief!
Rain fell, bringing much needed refreshment to all our trees and shrubs.
A squirrel won round 9001 of my husband's efforts to make them work for their birds' nuts. It's an ongoing contest to make the feeder proof against the squirrels' sharp teeth and claws. He doesn't want to make it completely impossible, otherwise we would see less of them and their funny antics. This morning the feeder was on the ground and the nuts all gone.
We had a good laugh in the morning — a squirrel had a complete camellia flower in it's little hands (like they do with mushrooms) and was nibbling at the petals.
It is good to have time to live close to nature. Not much writing done though.