On a miserable morning of steady rain that dripped from the new leaves and pattered to the ground the young robin family left their nest for the first time to take possession of their birthright.
Shortly after first light the first of the spotty breasted youngsters appeared at the suet feeder,small vulnerable very wet and still with the fledglings gape which made his mouth seem large like a cartoon bird.
Both parents followed and with them three more spotty youngsters,unsure of themselves at first but soon discovering that food was plentiful and various. Nervously the parent birds watched their well grow chicks become acquainted with their surroundings now and then calling out alarm when a magpie appeared.
Such happiness so early in the day seemed a good omen,once again my tame pair had reared a respectable sized brood and I rejoiced in their success. Heavy rain fall meant of course that there was no gardening today and truth to tell I was not sorry that it should be so,I had been in too much pain to sleep and all that a night in bed had done for me was to increase the stiffness in my joints and the dreadful pain in my shoulder.
Glad to get up I made coffee for my son and I and we watched Judge Judy for half and hour before waking Pa. Breakfast cooked by my son was a lovely mix of hot buttered crumpets and honey covered English muffins,fresh orange juice and a pot of good tea. Moist air and a sudden rise in temperature has caused a mass hatching of mozzies an having not wish to become smorgasbord for these little horrors my son put up the mosquito nets bought last year,and I dusted my bedroom and did a little tidying ..
Another wet afternoon cause us no grief,my son returned to his writing, Pa to his railway magazines and I decided that at last it was time to write my memoirs,something I have been threatening to do for ages. Whether they will ever be released to the public gaze is uncertain as quite a few of those featured are still alive and so care is needed.
Often I feel that I have lives several lives and my life has been unusual to say the least, I should like it all to be written down so that in the future those who come after me will know about me,from the horses mouth as it were, not some watered down version full of half truths and evasions.
More wonders were to be seen in the garden later in the day,I had opened the kitchen door for some fresh air while preparing chicken and bacon pies for dinner when my attention was attracted by a bird call,one I have not heard for some time. Looking out I saw a small bird sitting at the top of a young ash tree too far away to be seem properly but I was sure that I was listening to a wood warbler. High in the tree he sang his song for over an hour and then,suddenly, he was joined by another bird of his kind and since they did not fight I hopped that he had found the mate for whom he had sung so sweetly for so long. Moments later they left together and as I went to close the door a thrush broke in to song in the damson tree and the magic was complete.
Tomorrow will I hope be dry and with luck and half a bottle of horse liniment I shall be back in my beloved garden,there are seeds to so, potatoes to earth up lettuces to transplant and a garden full of small robins waiting for me to disturb the ground to help them in their search for grubs,not exciting some might say and yet I promise you that there are few things more full of lasting pleasure than the creation of a garden for oneself of even more so as a gift to another. There is a poem which begins”If I could give you anything in the world, I would give you a garden.” In words and pictures shall hope to share mine with you.
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