Saturday, November 24, 2012

WILDLIFE AND MY SHED

My shed porch with hanging bushel basket

My old shed is rather unique as it has a roomy open porch where one can sit and read or think or do just about anything.  A wood plank door located at the back of the porch leads to an interior room, also roomy with a broad wood shelf along one side. 

When I first moved here, I thought of converting the shed to a studio but soon realized that the hornets, spiders and  insects loved the place more than I did.

And another species soon loved the place when I hung my bushel basket high up on the porch wall.  I soon realized that a couple of little Carolina wrens were zipping in and out of the basket after I had hung it. 

I tilted the basket a bit to peek inside and realized that the wrens were setting up an encampment for their future family. So instead of sitting on the shed's porch to read and think I backed off and and occasionally watched their activities from a distance. I was rewarded by their lovely songs that first summer. 

Now five years later,  they are still using my bushel basket each summer -- hanging on the shed wall just for them. 

As I write this,  the basket nesting site is empty of wrens. Gone also is their  lilting summer songs that they sing during nesting time, especially the male.  I still have an occasional view of the  wrens as they flit about my trees with various short chirpy notes. They stay through the winter. They usually mate for life.

Yesterday my fall  day was heavy with winter-like skies. A sign of the approaching winter season. I realized it was time to start battening down my hatches to keep me warm and safe against winter storms.

Then again, spring will return and the wrens, hopefully, will still be here with me and again decide to nest in my basket. What goes round, comes round as my good friend always used to say. 

I'll keep my basket hanging just in case.


Wren's nesting abode



18 comments:

  1. I'm a city girl. Sheds with spiders scare me. Love the look, but don't venture in... Great pic!

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    1. turquoisemoon -- For some reason I thought you were a farm girl? Spiders scare many folks. Hope your wrist is better -- barbara

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  2. Enjoyed this a bushel. Empty of wrens = "Wrent-Free." Sorry, someone had to say it.

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    1. Raining Iguanas -- I'd say you are one clever guy. I laughed at your Wrent-Free. Might put that sign on my basket. thanks -- barbara

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  3. How sweet that you have that little family sharing your basket.

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    1. Michelle -- I bet you have a wren family around your farm. They sure belt out beautiful music in the summer. thanks -- barbara

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  4. I am a Country Gal. I just put up a Black bear this morning in my blog.

    Spiders are nothing to me. We get tough us Country gals. I was a city Gal but I have adapted very fast to a Country gal.

    Love your pictures. See if I can follow you. What a great idea the bushe basket. That I have not tried but will next year.

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    1. sparkle -- thanks for all the comments. Bet a bushel basket would work for you in your country environment. I visited your blog and yep that is one big beautiful bear. I have lived in bear country in New Mexico, Michigan, and now Kentucky but have yet to see a bear in person. Would love to see one or more. I live on Bear Mountain -- others have seen black bear around here but of course not me:(. thanks -- barbara

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  5. Nice post, Barbara. Just think, you will have a basket of babies to look forward to next spring. Thanks for sharing the story of your old shed.

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    1. Nature Weaver -- This place is a bird paradise. Summer brings fledglings around my place -- great to watch their behavior. -- Enjoy your post-holiday weekend -- thanks barbara

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  6. Your shed sounds a bit like my old cabin. I have an old blue speckle-ware pan hanging on the side of it that is a bird's nest. Watching the seasons and listening to the birds is a fine way to spend our days, isn't it?

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    1. Teresa -- I bet your birds are wrens too -- they love to build their nests close to homes, in boxes, pans, baskets, hats, etc. And yes I get great pleasure watching both the parents and the young ones along with the seasons. The complexity of nature's connections is so amazing. thanks for stopping by barbara

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  7. What a happy memory you gave me. We had barn swallows that nested every year in my Dad's big farm garage. We had to leave the door open about 6" during nesting season. They would build their house way up high over the light fixture, I'm sure it gave a little warmth for their tiny eggs. It would be so much fun to watch those little birds nesting in a basket.

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    1. Auntea -- How delightful to have barn swallows in your dad's barn. I find their stance on overhead wires rather regal along with their hues of blue. Nice that you were aware of their need for entering and exiting. I don't move the basket once I realize that they are nesting. I did the first year but only the one time to see what the heck was going on. thanks -- barbara

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  8. A poetic essay of the "small things in life". The details that makes life worth living. Ant the last photo underlined it all.

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    1. RuneE -- thank you for the nice comment. I agree that awareness of the simple details can bring an enjoyable dimension to ones life. Fortunately, working with a camera opens up my eyes to many more details than I had previously recognized. -- barbara

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  9. A simple old basket = home and security for the wrens and hours of pleasure for you. This is serendipitious circumstance is as wonderful as anything money could buy.

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    1. June -- Yes June, I feel my life is richer living here with nature so close at hand. If my house does sell I will take my awareness that has expanded here to my new destination. Life is a continuum of learning as you so aptly prove. -- thanks -- barbara

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