Saturday ALL Day.

 The morning arrived looking its best.  Clear spicy air after a day of rain with the sun showing off every plant's best side. A walk in the garden would have offered that realization if one needed assurance.  It was a morning song heard with all the birds simply happy in their entertainment.  I wanted to employ the garden rake in a few places but declined for the day.  An environment allowing more healing needed to be my priority.  Love that Tylenol.

Even though the morning scene looked like a snowstorm was in progress and the wind had a bitting feeling the "snow" came from a neighbor's apple tree being blown free of blossoms.  It happens every year.    

I solved Wordle on the second try.  Congratulations to me for sure. The crossword puzzle was done in short order.  By 9:20 I would have said the day was a huge success.  I mozied over to the rhubarb patch and pulled what I hope would be enough rhubarb for a pie.  The supply is still in great supply.  I think I'll wait for pie-making tomorrow using Doug's mother's recipe.  I can say it's really fresh when Bill gets his piece..  

Today was another attempt to mess with the lives of birds.  This morning I found another blue egg, this time a bluebird egg a little smaller than the robin's egg of a few days ago.  This egg was almost completely whole but with two small holes across from each other.  I suspect another bird put these two holes in the egg and destroyed the contents.  Bummer luck again.  I've been keeping the sides of our boxes open because I don't want to find missing eggs.  Open sides discourage nest building always built by the sparrows.  But there is a plan. Another trip to Wild Birds and now the nesting box looks like this. I've been told that sparrows don't like these extensions.  Bluebirds could care less. 

                         It's Joanna Gains from Waco Texas' remodel design. She is good at that.                      Chip Gains (LR) did the screwdriver work.  

And then there are mealworm feeders for these sweet little bluebirds.  The feeders can cost from 40 dollars to 200 dollars.  Now you've seen my version.  For a new mealworm feeder that has no guarantee of working with some feeders being doomed from the beginning, I can buy a lot of mealworms and feed sparrows to boot.  At least I'm feeding one at a time. I'm learning that some are spooked and some are not. So far I would say they are outsmarting me. 

It was suggested to move the sunflower feeder away from the mealworm feeder.  There is a chance the sparrows will dine at the sunflower feeder more often forgetting the mealworm feeder. I think the odds are not so hot but I'm willing to gamble on this rather than purchase one of those bad-odds versions.  

The afternoon turned windy and cold.  Brr.  I must admit that the weather isn't boring.  There is always a little of this and that around the corner and we've rounded many corners this month. 

Other bird news.  The tiny Yellow Bellied Warblers were dining at the suet this afternoon along with the Red Breasted Nut Hatch.  The word from the Wild Birds lady is that the Oriole has been spotted on the north side of Indy.  It's pretty obvious that there are baby birds in the neighborhood given the many trips to the suet and mealworm container by the Bluebirds and Red Bellied Woodpeckers.  The parents are getting a workout for sure.  

My body is acting a little better this evening. The aching is receding into oblivion.   But whatever it gives me lets me know I'm alive. Tomorrow is church day and I know I'll spend at least the morning in a quiet place with supporting friends.  Blessings abound.  I'm looking forward to moving on.