Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Hummer's in a Morning Garden

I remember Sunday Mornings when I was working. Sunday was still the weekend, but it was the "last day" of the weekend and it was all about "What do I need for Monday?" and "What do I have to do and where do I have to be?" It was all too short a day and no matter what I was doing, it always went by too fast.
Now, it's much different. I'm not working. I'm retired and everyday is kind of like a Sunday.
I get out of bed, greet the Corgi boys who wait at my closed bedroom door for sounds that indicate, "She's up!" We have our "I'm so glad to see you. Where have you been?" run about...  then we all go into the kitchen and I fix myself a latte.The Prospector is a very early riser and he always shuts the bedroom door so the dogs don't decide to jump all over me while I'm still sleeping. He's one of the good guys.
 (That's one of Squeeky's eggs behind my coffee, blown out and drying. I'm going to decorate it for Easter.)
Then I sit on the couch with the dogs and read the paper or watch the news.
Most mornings I go outside with the dogs. It's kind of a ritual. They expect the routine of it.
Our Abe Lincoln rose has the most beautiful "first rose of Spring" on it right now.
The first roses are always the most beautiful. I wish that I could preserve it like Squeeky's egg.

This morning I couldn't sit on the steps because it rained yesterday and the edges of the steps were still wet, so I walked around pulling a few weeds and talking to the dogs.
I noticed that the hummingbird feeder was almost empty and the Hummers were upset. Being the resourceful birds that they are, I saw them flying over to the Salvia plants near the fence.
I ran in and got my camera and now... I would like you to meet the Hummer's of my garden. The beautiful little creatures that come back every Spring and grace us with their presence.
We feed about 15 of them from March to November.
(Yes, that's Corgi hair on the plant leaves.)
I read that they go down to Mexico for the winter...but as soon as the weather starts to warm up, they arrive. With the mild winter we had this year, they may only have gone to LA. LOL! Maybe a small condo in Malibu.
We have two or three that stay all winter and we feed them all year.
We have mostly Anna's and Allen's, and once in a while, a Rufous or a broad-tailed. 
They are very interactive and, in the summer, if I put the sprinkler attachment on the hose and water with it, they will fly though it and drink while I hold the sprinkler.
I love these little birds. It's a sure sigh of Spring when they come back into our garden. My bird book says that they may nest in the same tree or bush year after year, a phenomenon known as philopatry... faithfulness to the previous home area. They will return to the same branch and build a new nest atop an old one.

Have a happy Sunday. 

9 comments:

  1. such amazing little creatures. Nature is so fascinating...

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  2. Fantastic shots! I saw those beautiful little birds for the first time when I was in Brazil and fell in love, they are so pretty, fast and tiny. You are so blessed to have them choose to spend time with you.

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  3. First I want to thank you for your visit to my blog. Now I want to say what beautiful photos of the hummingbirds and the rose is lovely. Have a blessed day. Madeline

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  4. Oh my goodness, a hot latte, a fresh red rose, and hummingbirds in the garden. What a beautiful spring day! I don't know how you got such great shots of the birds; they are usually moving so fast! Anyway, thanks for sharing your fabulous photos!!

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  5. really.....not fair

    but nice photos

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  6. Greetings from Montreal, Canada. How beautiful to see flowers and hummingbirds! The flight captures are sensational.

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