one more thing before turning the page

Before returning to the world of the every day I want to share a few things about our post-wedding week at Melrose.

First, the weather was glorious. Cool nights, warm days, clear skies and no humidity! It was truly an amazing week to enjoy the porch, the breezes, the view and no responsibility. We had a good deal of wind a couple of days, making it too cool to be out on the porch for long, but any discontent as a result was compensated by every other aspect of good weather. It was a dream week.

And we weren't the only ones enjoying our time away! Juliet came with us for this trip to Melrose. As the matriarch of the canine crew she well deserved a break from the frenetic pace and attention of our younger dogs. As a well-behaved dog she also deserved the freedom of exploring the yard and enjoying time in the sun unhindered by the usual constraints of life at home.

And then there were the birds. Outside the kitchen window, between that window and the doorway leading to a small courtyard sheltered from the western wind, a pair of brown thrashers had built a nest deep in the branches of a banana shrub. During our two weeks at Melrose we kept vigil as she hovered over and protected her eggs. When the eggs hatched several days before our departure we couldn't keep ourselves away from peering out the windows and straining to set our sights on the next where the wee birds opened wide beaks, eager for food. It was difficult to get any pictures, since focusing on the birds was hindered by the layers of branches and leaves seeking the attention of the camera lens. The best shots I could manage of papa thrasher for identification purposes were these, and the nest, well, click to enlarge and use your imagination. To the right of mama in a bit of a blur you can make out the black down of one of the babies, nearly indistinguishable from the shadows of the nest.

The report from Mom last night is that the fledglings have now left the nest. How quickly they came, captured our hearts and attention, and now seek life on their own. We live in an amazing world.