The wrath of wrens

Josh and his girls came to visit Sunday

Couldn't get this one to smile

my niece's photo of a Polynesian structure in Taiwan

Miss Hannah looks a lot like me at the same age

Even worse than the squirrels, are the chipmunks. The squirrels have a long ways to travel across hawk territory to get to my feeders which in some cases squirrel proof but chipmunk proof feeders do not exist. As soon as I fill the feeders and disappear, the chipmunks scramble to stuff their cheek pouches, run as fast as they can to unload and then refill and scramble. They take much more than they can possibly eat. I was surprised to find one feeder that they can easily access still full of seeds. What gives?

Wrens.

I have 3 gourds in 3 trees. All full of wrens. They are small, homely, brown birds but they sing sweetly in the morning and evening and pick off insect pests. One of my feeders hangs on a branch adjacent to the gourd. Steve watched as the wrens pecked at the chipmunk trying to get too close. The chipmunk gave up.

Sometimes when I am under one of their trees, they will make a hissing sound but otherwise tolerate me. I should get more gourds for more insect patrol and chipmunk attacks. The swallows did not nest this year at my house. I don't think I've seen them since I left.

I am gradually returning to my routine. Back to  2 exercise sessions a day. I lost the weight already that I gained on the trip. I've seen all the grandbabies. I spent a lot of time weeding. Somethings died due to lack of care while I was gone. Too much water in some cases; not enough in others.

It is cool and dry today. So nice.