Within the Lines

Chokecherries & Robin's nest

The chokecherry blossoms are fading fast.  Fortunately, this week I got all I could find on our property flagged so I can find those berries later.  Chokecherry jelly is delicious; although I do need to research and improve this year.  My first attempt last year tasted good but had the consistency of, well, to put it indelicately, snot.  But I've seen that of friends and it reminded me of currant jelly with it's smooth texture and rich color.

Thought I'd also share with you these picts of the nest a robin built in my garden gate.  I actually went to get picts of the eggs (if I could sneak in when mama wasn't around) but the babies had already hatched.  Here they are about a week or so ago:

and here they are yesterday:

They sure grow fast!  Probably due to their vigilant mama keeping them safe and well-fed.  It's wonderful having a nest built right in the garden gate, but it's not so great being told in no uncertain terms that my garden is now OFF-LIMITS!

She dive-bombs me every time I come in or go out!!  I'm glad she's protective, but my goodness, it is my garden after all!

Birds

{ 02:58, Tuesday, June 17, 2008 } { Posted by Stacy E. }

Isn't it so amazing to see God's creatures up close? We have killdeers screaming at us over here. Very shrill. So fun to watch them running all over the place.