Nature on My Patio
My patio is what I love the most about our house. It's a covered patio, with fans, lights, a table and chairs, and lots of plants. It's not screened, so we are open to the nature that surrounds us. Just sitting out there cheers me. Sometimes we are visited by critters, including lizards, frogs, raccoons, armadillos, and lots of birds. Occasionally, birds will nest in a plant on the patio. I watch as the mom and dad busily build the nest; I wait for the appearance of eggs, mom and dad taking turns sitting on the eggs, babies hatching, mom and dad feeding the tiny arrivals. I hear the faint chirping of the newborns and hope that I will be around to watch as the parents urge the little ones to leave the nest. I've seen that nest-leaving operation only once, but it was a beautiful and life affirming event. A few months ago, I noticed the frantic activity that accompanies nest building. Two Carolina Wrens were tearing back an...