Hope x 4 x 5

Just after the tsunami and earthquakes stuck Japan, Donna Watson wrote a very beautiful and moving blog post called "Surviving on Hope". In it she talks about how people all over the world, but especially Japan, struggle to recover their home, family and community in the face of devastation. And in the post she uses the image of a nest, as a place of safety, trust, home. After watching the dreadful news from Somalia, of drought, starvation and migration, I watched the robin who has taken up residence on our front porch, lay her 4th batch of eggs this year. Her first nest and eggs got knocked down by mistake when the fellows were repairing the eaves trough. The next day she was rebuilding [in a safer location]. And we have watched the little ones learning to fly across the rafters. J. went out yesterday to start scraping to repaint and found the nest full again, for the fourth time. This time with 5 eggs.

the 4th batch of robin's eggs

Momma  Robin

Pond Life

There is a wonderful rose called Rosa Carolina spreading itself around one side of the pond and every few years I prune out the deadwood. It's the only rose I know that likes it feet wet, and from a single plant many years ago, it has grown and spread. While I was working yesterday two large bull frogs kept me company, salamanders or newts were swimming about and the water beetles were drawing their patterns on the pond surface. There are clouds of frogs eggs and spring growth has the trees and shrubs wearing their halos. In the rose canes hanging over the edge of the water I found a last years nest. A home with a view.

Clouds of eggs

keeping me company

Well hello big boy

Nest with view