A springtime homesteader has taken up residence on our back porch. Each spring I move the house plants I manage to salvage before winter’s first freeze out of the wash room onto the back porch. The older I get the more select I get when choosing which plants to save. One that is always at the top of the list is a largish aloe plant. It’s usefulness makes the huffing and puffing and grunting and groaning it takes to get it in and out each year worth the effort. This time around, the aloe bested my strength, and I sat it down in the first convenient spot I came to as I bumped my way through the back door. (These hips are good for something!) While I thought about where it’s summer home would be, it sat on my DH’s very cluttered work table. In no time at all a lively wren couple started building their nest sheltered between two fat leaves. I thought it wise to discourage their efforts, but wrens aren’t easily discouraged. They are bold little creatures! We have three large and curious dogs who frequent our porch, and any hatchlings would be in grave danger, so I asked my DH to fashion a shelf in one corner of the porch. The shelf made a perfect spot for the aloe, and I was certain moving the plant to a new location would be the sure nest-building deterrent. Wrong! Days later I peered into the little nest. From a distance it looked as if the birds had abandoned this site. I crept in a little closer and zoomed in with my camera. The first pic when smoothly, but as the light flashed with the second, that fearless little mama just about side-swiped my eyeballs as she shot out of nest and into the backyard. I’m not sure who startled who the most. 
What an unbelievable camouflage job! The perfection of God’s design never ceases to amaze me! Here is what I found. There are actually two eggs, but I couldn’t get a good fix on both from that angle.
The coast was clear now so I took another close-up.
We’ll have to be vigilant to protect the young from our dogs. I shudder to think of the chaos that could transpire one day soon. The words of a familiar song comes to mind…
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
It’s my prayer that His eye will be on this little wren family, too.
Until next time…
remember…
His eye is on the sparrow. I know He watches us.
I can’t wait for the pictures of the babies!!! I love watching the birds because it reminds me how much God cares for us!
Terri, I understand completely! I am amazed how many different birds He created for our pleasure. I’ll do my best to capture a shot or two of the babies. That’s one fiesty little mama…and after they are hatched daddy bird will be on the job, too. I can just imagine the next warning I get may not be a near miss.
Glad to see you!