Nest

The nests of spring have sprung up. Invariably, I come upon a nest as I clear and trim in the yard.

Once in a while, I have inadvertently pulled down a nest along with a large branch; in the past, my younger daughter brought these to elementary school to share with her class.

Now, I place these in large glass cloches for display along with painted, speckled eggs and other natural treasures like pine cones or portions of a paper wasp nest.

I also made chocolate nests this year for a dinner party by combining brown rice krisps, mini marshmellows, and melted milk or white chocolate until completely coated.

Divide into colorful paper cupcake liners and allow to cool and harden.

Chocolate nests are perfect for nestling small jelly beans or

Belgian chocolate eggs sent across the Atlantic by dear friends.

Along with a nest of straw and a chocolate chick,

I was able to celebrate the season with edible decor in line with nature.

You can view real nest activity and learn more about nests and birds at NestWatch.

I often enjoy watching and listening to the wide variety birds that also call NOLD home, working side-by-side as neighbors on this small acre and caring for family and home and land.

 Thus, I have several birdhouses strategically placed in the yard along with a squirrel-proof bird feeder.

So, as you nest this weekend and celebrate Mother's Day, I do hope you think of nests broadly. I plan to ponder the well being of the natural world as well as humankind which made me think of this poem, sent out as good thoughts to all my dear readers:

A Prayer Among Friends

John Daniel

Among other wonders of our lives, we are alive
with one another, we walk here
in the light of this unlikely world
that isn't ours for long.
May we spend generously
the time we are given.
May we enact our responsibilities
as thoroughly as we enjoy
our pleasures. May we see with clarity,
may we seek a vision
that serves all beings, may we honor
the mystery surpassing our sight,
and may we hold in our hands
the gift of good work
and bear it forth whole, as we
were borne forth by a power we praise
to this one Earth, this homeland of all we love. 

Surprise

Construction season has begun. Yes, this long cold winter has allowed the potholes to proliferate in our town, but that is not what I am not talking about. Rather, I speak of projects closer to home or, more precisely, underfoot. A few new ventures at NOLD (our New OLD house) are underway. Some are our own doing. Others require assistance.

We are painting our younger daughter's bedroom after the contractors pulled down the rickety shelving in one of her closets and constructed a sturdy shelf and rod. We replaced a second toilet, replacing the original from 1927 (Amazing!) that used 5 gallons with a low flush that uses 1.6 gallons. And, I am back in the yard, clearing debris and leaves, trimming bushes and trees, and weeding.

The resiliency of weeds never ceases to amaze me. One of few benefits of a long cold winter is pest control, decreasing the populations of unwanted insects and rodents to more manageable and environmentally healthy numbers. However, the weeds seem unphased. Committed to organic methods, I am a firm believer in a good weeding early each spring and late each fall. So, I am at work, a little bit each day.

As I move from bed to bed, I am surprised by more than the weeds. After last year's heavy trimming and clearing of the tremendous amount of overgrowth on our property, I am finding old plantings reemerging. NOLD has had four owners: the builders who had the home for about 50 years, the second owners of about 25 years, the previous owners of about 5 years, and now us. I had heard that the second owner was an avid gardener, and now I see the evidence of his work.

I am working hard to identify plants before relegating them to the growing heap of brush. Here is the first surprise that may now be getting far too much sun for its liking:

Hellebores in its white and pink and red variations is new to me and such a colorful surprise in the early spring garden. It may need to be moved, but it is definitely staying.