nest

This June, I watched a robin build a nest in a blue spruce tree outside my window.  amazing what workmanship can be wrought with a beak!  She wove grasses and twigs together and then padded the nest with mud.  When the nest was complete, she laid 3 eggs over several days.

Only one egg hatched.  This baby robin is all mouth.  A mother robin not only knows when to feed her babies, she knows the proper combination of bugs and worms for each feeding.  

With worm in beak, the mother robin is perched on the dumpster which is next to the nest tree.

snoozing (about 2 days old)

snoozing (about a week old)

starting to check out the world beyond the nest

fully feathered at nearly 2 weeks old and preparing to fledge

LINK:

American Robin  a plethora of information!  answers to more questions than you could EVER think to ask!

a little background and some information--

We just bought a house and were preparing for a tear-off re-roofing.  I noticed a robin starting to build a nest in a tree right next to the dumpster.  Oh no!  Can I move the nest? I wondered.  That led me on a journey of internet research and the discovery of the wonderful site in the link above. 

What I found out-- 
► Robins carefully choose the site of their nests, memorizing all details of location.  If the nest is moved, they won't recognize it.

► After laying eggs, the mother sits on the nest, rotating the eggs and keeping them at the proper temperature and humidity levels.

► Robins have 2-3 nestings per year with the same partner.  (They do not mate for life.) 
► Most robins die their first year, but if they make it beyond, they live for 5-6 years.
► robin songs:
true song a territorial declaration
dawn song another territorial delcaration 

"peek" and "tut" calls are heard in alarm situations

whinny heard in mildly alarming situations

"seeee" call given in response to the presence of an aerial predator

"zeeup" call a contact note heard mainly during migration

I'm participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.  Come and join in the fun!  You will be charmed and even enlightened in a delightful way!  See more entries HERE.  This week our letter is "N."



photos by me © 2011

celebrating ice cream

Today is National Ice Cream Day!!  Hooray!

In my family, ice cream is THE most important food group!

I searched etsy for some hand made ice cream goodness, and here's a small sampling of what I found:

Miniature Ice Cream Hot Fudge Sundae Parfait by Jessie Raye 
 

Rainbow of Sorbet Sandwiches by The Mouse Market

Ice Cream Social Dress by Baby Stitch

Lemon Melon Ice Cream Sundae --so cute!  filled with baby items by Lilli of Crafty Cupcake Girl

(Lilli has a BLOG , too!)

Ice Cream Sandwich earrings by Shay Aaron Mianiatures

There's even ice cream soap!  Neapolitan Ice Cream Soap by Susie Q's Bath and Body

yummy little chocolate felt ice cream cone hairclip by Geneva Diva 

and this fun vintage photo offered by Karen Tullo of Digital Decades.

Deb of The Storybeader's Bookshelf and Stroll Through Storyland blog offers this etsy bloggers' team carnival.  

She gave us 2 topics to choose from:

Topic 1:
The third Sunday in July is National Ice Cream Day? Are you celebrating it?
Topic 2:
What's your favorite summer recipe?

To see a variety of blog responses, look HERE starting Monday, July 18. 

ONE QUESTION before you go!  What is your favorite ice cream flavor?  Mine is mint chocolate chip.  YUM!

brand?  (OK.  That's 2 questions!)  I love Jeni's (Backyard Mint is luscious).  Check out Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams  HERE. 

all photos  © by individuals above

Tamdoll

Meet Tammy Gross, crafter extraordinaire.  

Known as Tamdoll, Tammy says, "I sew, I knit, I craft... been doing these things for over 30 years.  Creating relaxes me and keeps me happy in a hectic life filled with a busy family, teenage daughters and part-time teaching.  It seems like the ideas never stop flowing..."

I love this soft fabric sherbert necklace! 

so creative!

Look at this wonderful serenity mermaid pattern

and this beautiful pink sequined handbag.

It's one of a kind!

"Each item is unique and one-of-a-kind, handmade by Tammy Gross. I love creating art dolls, distinctive handbags, fabric jewelry and collages...basically, lots of different things - depending on what creative mood strikes! I love to recycle & reinvent things - some of my totes, jewelry and dolls are "upcycled" art....  something new is always just around the corner - you never know what I'll come up with!"

This is so cool!  Tammy's birdhouse can be found in the background art in the Patterns section of the Fairfield website.  See the full art HERE. 

Tammy can be found here:

etsy shop 

blog

facebook

flickr
Ravelry
twitter 

Tammy is a wonderful teammate and the etsy blogger for the month of June!




all photos by Tammy Gross © 2011

Mist

soft blanket of mist

clothing the mountains in dreams

mysterious veil

This photo was taken in Glacier National Park, USA, one of the most gorgeous, sublime places on Earth.

LINKS (previous Glacier posts): 
Majesty  Hidden Lake near Logan Pass  
along the Hidden Lake Trail
Glacier Skies Hidden Lake Trail
escape includes a couple photos of Grinnell Glacier up close as well as links to Glacier National Park and glacier information.

I'm participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.  Come and join in the fun!  You will be charmed and even enlightened in a delightful way!  See more entries HERE.  This week our letter is "M."

photo by me © 2008 and poem by me © 2011

kitties

We've missed you....

 What have we been up to?  you ask.

playing (Earnest with catnip toy)

helping (Earnest is keeping safe the shipment of chamois to tie dye.)

snoozing in sun puddles  (We are very talented at this!)

 

snuggling (Oliver)

So as you can see, we've been very very busy!

We are participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.  Come and join in the fun!  You will be charmed, and you just may be enlightened!  See more entries HERE.  This week our letter is "K."  

I'm also linking up with my favorite kitty meme, Cats on Tuesday, hosted by Gattina.  Check it out HERE.

photos by me © 2010 and 2011

celebrating my Dad

My Dad and me at Christmastime.  I am just shy of my 3rd birthday.

My Dad has been dead many years and is so missed.  He was a gentle and kind man with a giving heart.  Of course, I had him wrapped around my little finger! 

(How about that tie?!)

This post is for the etsy bloggers' team carnival which is hosted by Cindy of Devine Designs Jewelry.  You can visit her shop HERE and her blog HERE.  (Her creations are gorgeous!) 

These are the topics for this carnival: 

1. Father's Day is June 19. Write anything you want pertaining to Father's Day.
2. What is your favorite summer recipe? Please share with us!

A list with links to all participants submissions are posted on our team BLOG.   (You'll want to see the yummy and easy Summer recipe posted here.)

photo by W. Jamison © 2011

ingenious

...marked by inventive skill and imagination...

The amazing ingenuity of nature delights me!  All around us are everyday miracles that are inspirational and cause our spirits to soar.  I love to take my camera for a trip around my yard or the greater world to catch some of these miracles.  In this post, I will focus on pattern, color, and form of just a few plants.

bee guides on pansy

riotous paint job

radiating

 

pollen rich yearning

I'm participating in Ms. Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.  Come visit more entries HERE.  You will be enlightened, charmed, and have some plain ole fun!  This week our letter is "I." 

(HERE  is my last post for the letter I, "inspiration.")