Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Hot Birthday in June

There's a special greeting at the end of this post.

;-)

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She's hot, hot, hot. Working her brains out and watching her babes flutter to safety. I saw one of her Robin babes exit a maple across the street, working its young wings so hard on its first flight. It gracefully landed on the sizzling street asphalt. A few adult Robins coaxed the little one with worms dangling from their beaks to a shaded spot on my neighbors lawn. It followed, on feet, squawking with every step. Sweet. And almost immediately, the babe mimicked their behavior and searched for worms, too. I wish my photos were post-worthy.

I’d love to offer different birds but this is all I have, man. Better days are ahead. I'm counting on it.

I’m feeding very little. My lovelies are gone, as a result.


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And this is why. What else can I do?

It’s hot. Eighteen degrees above normal. Dry. Sunflowers wilting. Pond water check: 95 degrees.

Too hot for many words tonight.

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They're welcome here. I'm guzzling water, too. And then I think of Indiana and other disastrous weather around the world. I shouldn't complain.

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Then, there are the Licker Sisters who can't tolerate extreme cold or heat. We surprised them with a new swimming pool to help them out.

Bella had forgotten how she enjoyed it last summer.



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I’m c-c-confused. How did my Hulie Hoop get here? I think I’m g-g-getting upset.



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Whine. Belch. Cry. Squeal. Utterly tormented. Pitiful.



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I w-w-wanna git it. It's my Hulie Hoop.


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My Hulie. Mine.


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Chloe arrives at the scene: Who is the idiot that put a golf ball in this pool? It’s too damned cold for me in there and she knows it.


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I’m no fool. I can get it from here. I'll bob for it.


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This is g-g-great, Chloe! Ahhhh... S-s-swim with me!

Not today, Bella. Not this summer. I’m going inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And above all else, it's a special day for our daughter, Gina. She’s twenty-six already. Seems like yesterday when she arrived, but also seems so long ago...


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Active girl. In her Winnie the Pooh sleeper. Strong. Lefty, immediately, no doubt.

Always a doer. She would rather just do it than to study it.

Sweet-natured and always appreciating peace.

Loves all animals and often feels more compassion for them than for people...

Grew to be independent. Successful in many ways.

Lovely.

Very witty.
Must have the last word in an argument.

Intelligent.


Working on wisdom, however.

Aren’t we all?


Happy Birthday, Bean. We love you.

30 comments:

Q said...

Dear Mary,
Happy Birthday to your dear daughter...Since you are the Goddess of the Endless Summer she must be a lovely Nymph!
Have a fun time celebrating.
The Licker Sisters are the best...
stay cool and drink lots of water.
Sherry

Carol Michel said...

Happy Birthday to Gina! And her Mom is a great person, too.

I hope you are not going to have the same severity of drought this summer like you had last summer! We have had a lot of rain in Indiana. I measured close to 8 inches on my garden since Saturday. I don't even look at the weather forecasts anymore, I just don't even want to know if it is going to rain. But at least I am not flooded out like so many, so I have a lot to be thankful for.

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

dmmgmfm said...

Aww Mary, where does the time go?

Jayne said...

A very happy birthday to Gina!

Dang, I hate you still have the gang problem at your feeders Mary. I'm with you... a wee bit less heat would be mighty nice.

Beth said...

I loved the description of the baby robin and the adults enticing it onto the lawn. No doubt, you parented your precious daughter the same way (maybe without the worms hanging from your mouth?) So, thanks for the beautiful post, I'm sorry about the grackles and Happy Birthday to your lucky daughter. Enjoy!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Hi Mary, This horrid heat makes us appreciate the nice weather that we do get. I do hope some of this rain is pushed over to your area.

I remember when I used to get a pool for my Lab. He loved it. Luna, my dog now, hasn't ever had a pool of her own. I don't know what she would do. She would rather be inside than out when it is hot so ac will have to do.

Happy birthday to your Dear Daughter.

Rose said...

If it is that hot out there, I would jump right in the pool with Bella and Chloe! Birthday greetings to your daughter. I find that my children's birthdays mean much more to me now than my own (not that I'm having birthdays anymore).
Just read Sunday's post and loved it. Sometimes it's good to take a day and just "chill."

NCmountainwoman said...

You wish the pictures were post-worthy? Are you kidding? You always have wonderful photos, some of the best around and we love them.

Happy Birthday to Gina!

Anonymous said...

Read your blog daily and enjoy it very much. I'm feeding my birds just safflower and nyger (spelling) seed. I don't have grackles when I use just those seeds. I live in Southwest Lower Michigan.

Mary said...

Hi Anon from Michigan,

Last year I served safflower and the starlings and grackles ATE IT but I didn't have them in overwhelming numbers. Safflower is on my shopping list again; hoping this year will be different.

Thanks for visiting and commenting!

Mary

Corey said...

Mary, the last issue of the NC Audubon magazine I got listed the Common Grackle as a "Species of Concern", so don't feel bad about feeding them. My guess is that they're so ubiquitous that people just neglect to report them, leading to a deflated number. Either way, it could be worse . . they could be Brown-headed Cowbirds!

Susie said...

Hi Mary,
It's super hot here too, but we're still seeing lots of birds at the feeders. Happy Birthday to your daughter. She was a cutie pie!
Stay cool..
xo

entoto said...

Happy Birthday to Gina! Oh Mary, your are a loving mother. Lucky Gina.

Cheryl said...

Oh those dogs are so cute.....

We are having quite a cool summer this year, and I must say I am loving it.....I don't know how you all tolerate such temperatures, I suspose you can get used to it???

Your daughter sounds a lovely girl.....the animal thing did it for me.
Happy birthday Mary's daughter.

possumlady said...

Happy belated birthday to Gina!

Hope you got storms and relief as we did last night in the DC area. Quite the electrical storm! Still warm today (in the upper 80s) but the humidity is back to tolerable levels. Did you say your pond water temp is 95? How do your fishies survive?

Grackles are not a real problem here so I welcome them. I love it when they fan out their tails.

I love how you put things in the pool to entice your girls to go in.

beckie said...

Mary, They do grow up so quickly! I hope her birthday was Happy. It's been a while since we've seen the girls, they are such fun to see. I loved the description on the robins taking care of their young one. Hope it cools off for you soon and you get some of the R word!

Debbie said...

Happy Birthday, Gina!

Always enjoy seeing what the Licker Sisters are up to. Great fun!

NatureWoman said...

Happy Birthday Gina! I love the picture that you chose to show us of her, Mary.

BJ said...

What sweet words for your daughter! Happy Birthday Gina!

Susan Gets Native said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GINA!!!!!
Your mom thrills us daily...you are lucky to have a mom like her.

JeanMac said...

Love you, Mary and HB dear Gina!

Mary C said...

A belated happy birthday to Gina. I loved your Licker sisters post, Mary. Try to stay cool, and I sure hope your dear sweet birds return.

Kerri Farley said...

Happy Birthday to Gina! What a cute little one she was...and I'm sure she has grown into a Beautiful Woman! I'm sure she her compassion for the animals from you :)

Love your post as always!

Naturegirl said...

Mary this was alovley fun post to read! Love your girls and I wish your daughter a Happy Birthday!

We are celebrating too come see!!
hugs NG

Kathie Brown said...

Mary, so sweet! You are so perceptive! I know she's your daughter, but still, you write about her so well. I am missing my little girl right now. I haven't seen her in over a year. Congrats on having such a great kid!

Kathie Brown said...

p.s., so sorry about your birds! Those darn grackles!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Birthdays are fun . . wonderful wishing!

Sandpiper (Lin) said...

What a wonderful post this is. Summery and such fun! Happy birthday to your daughter.

Anonymous said...

Anon from Michigan again. I also put out the occasional suet cake. Have to feed the sapsuckers(not sure what variety),red headed woodpecker and downy woodpecker. Most common birds I see are sparrows(lots of species),cardinals, morning doves, redbreasted grosbeak,chickadees,and nuthatchers.

Wendy said...

Happy Birthday to your sweet daughter. The years do fly by.
Loved your pics of the dogs. Cute!