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Bless the beasts and the children. Oh and happy birthday, Erica!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 05:44PM 
Wasn't that first part a song? I do believe that was the title of a song.
Actually I think it was the title of a book, a movie, a song, and a YouTube.
OK so, that's what we're going to do today. If, that is, you can see your way clear to calling a bird a beast and a twenty-six-year-old a child.
I will if you will.
Back up to earlier this month, when my children gave me a windchime for Mother's Day.
Do you realize TG hung my windchime at least twenty feet up in a low-hanging branch of the front-yard oak? It's a fifty-six-inch Arias church bells bronze and redwood chime. I'd wanted one for years.
I can see and hear it from the window of one of my offices where some days, I pretend to write a memoir.
So anyway, I got that for Mother's Day and TG my hero installed it recently and I've been enjoying it a lot as you might imagine.
BUT you don't even have to open my front door to hear sweet high-pitched noises because wrens continually build nests in the fake flowers in my Southern Living door bucket.
No sooner does a family fly away and I remove the old nest, than another is built and new birds are hatched in it.
No those are not the same critters I pictured in my post of April 11th entitled Occufly Columbia. This is a new set.
Well. When we got home from Fort Jackson National Cemetery on Monday, Stephanie and Joel and their kids arrived nearly on our heels.
There were the usual suspects.
Melanie:
Allissa:
Andrew.
There was lots of food. I made barbecue and potato salad and baked beans. We had a big bucketful of ice-cold sodey pop. And water, if you were feeling virtuous.
My mom brought me a goodie basket, why I do not know, but I have enjoyed it.
The Caramel Creams are already gone and the Biscoff all but gone. Dove bar? What Dove bar?
I was on the fly that day and didn't even set the table. Somehow it didn't hold anyone back.
There was birthday cake, for Erica who turns twenty-six today. Happy Birthday, Little Boo! She was born at two-oh-four a.m. on Friday, May 30, 1986.
For her birthday a bunch of us pooled our racehorses and got Erica a Kindle Fire. It's what she wanted.
Well, she WANTED an iPad 2 (or 3). The KF is a poor girl's iPad. Erica seems thrilled, however. Sat up until all hours last night watching season one of Downton Abbey on it, said it was better than television.
Meanwhile, a certain someone who got a pink tutu bathing suit for her birthday in April ...
... was anxious to go swimming.
But first she had to dance around a bit. And yes, she wears the plastic tiara pretty much nonstop.
Melanie chose not to swim. She's a landlubber, I guess.
Andrew spent time in various willing arms.
Joel has this dad thing down pat, just in time for Father's Day.
But the reason I started this whole account by telling you about my windchime and the birds on my door, is this. It is a tragic tale, so prepare yourself.
I wanted to show my mother my new windchime so she and I and my girls and Melanie and Allissa stepped out onto the front porch.
While we were gazing at the windchime I had the bright idea to take my door bucket down -- very carefully -- and hang it gently on the porch railing low enough so that the girls could see the birdies. From a distance.
The moment I did that, one of them flew away. He flew with confidence out toward the street, where he lit. And sat. Another nearly identical wren sat nearby.
His sibling remained tucked securely in the nest.
OK this is the sad part! A car came down the street and my wren tried to fly away a split-second too late.
He bought it.
We were all stunned because we saw the whole thing and of course I felt guilty because if I hadn't taken the door bucket down he would still be alive.
Audrey went down and checked him out. He hadn't suffered.
Still, maybe, I hoped, the one that got hit was not the one who flew out of the nest on my door, but was actually the one sitting beside him in the street! I said as much.
But no. All the other ladies assured me it was "my" bird that was totaled.
Let it be a lesson to you. Leave the wildlife alone.
Other than that epic fail, a splendid time was had by all here for Memorial Day. I hope the same was true at your house.
Happy Wednesday! Happy Summer!
Reader Comments (8)
Happy Birthday to Erica! She's beautiful, inside and out! Speaking of beauty - so are those grandkids of yours. I can't believe how big Andrew is getting. I can surely see some Weber blood in each of them. :)
That basket looks wonderful - and did you mention Dove chocolate? It would be gone in a minute at our place.
I think I need a windchime like that for our tree in the back yard. I've been drooling over one like that myself.
Such a sad story about the wrens. You were just trying to be a good grandma!
Happy Birthday and Happy Day to all ;-)
Your epic Memorial Day made up for my ho-hum one. Jeff is almost to the end of a grueling term and is no fun at all. Come to think of it, my birthday was an epic fail as well. Maybe I should come hang out with you.
Please accept my deepest sympathies. And Happy Birthday to Erica. I love the tiara. Sounds like you had a blast, except for the hit and run.
Happy Birthday today to sweet Erica. I'll be right up to secure me a piece of my favorite kind of cake. Birthday cake, along with any leftovers available. Ha...Put the coffee on!! I absolutely love your windchime, and especially am happy that it is right outside your office window for you to enjoy while you write!!!! Precious Melanie, Prissy Lissy, and Little Big Man are growing way too fast.
And, I am mesmerized by Andrew's beautiful eyes. Would love to get my hands on him!! So, getting around to the tragedy, don't punish yourself too much, I did the very same thing years ago when my grandchildren were little. Family gathering out in the back, I went to show the nest in the large bush, bird flew, and before I got to him the neighbors cat grabbed him and ran. I chased that cat for, it seemed like a mile, but to no avail. I was distraught and now we use binoculars to look at the birdies. From afar, as it were! You are forgiven!!.........G.
OH, Bless your little Heart!!!! I Know you felt guilty but Don't! Everything happens for a reason!
Happy Late Birthday to Erica...Love all the photos and the pink tutu!!!
hughugs
What a fun post!! Happy Birthday (late) Erica!!! Thanks for sharing all the cute pics of the kids! And loved the bird nest shot! They keep coming, nest by nest for a reason girl! Maybe they just love the vibe your home puts off and they all feel safe;) Never know!
That is a beautiful cake! A wonderful family too