falls to the earth

Margie and Robin have some really lovely spring photos over at But Be Like the Sun and Fruit on the Vines. You should go look at them because I can't find the cord to download any new pictures. Hudson has been walking for 3 weeks now and we still have not captured it on video because the memory stick is full on the camera. Pretty soon we'll be like that commercial where the parents have the 21 year old taking a bath in the kitchen sink so they can finally film it. Even though I don't have a visual I do have a spring story to tell. I have been watching, for around 45 minutes now, a baby bird who is stuck on our little patio. Actually, I think he's technically a fledgling. He spent the first 20 minutes or so staring at the brick wall. Then his mom brought him a snack and told him something. He then hopped up on the tricycle and started flexing his wings a little. Then he did this little deep knee bend exercise over and over. Then he fell off the tricycle. Then his mom brought him another snack. Then the leaf blower guys came by and he scurried around probably thinking the apocalypse had come and here he was with no mommy and a tricycle that he's too little to ride. He has now crouched under one of the pedals and appears to be napping. I stood at the door for awhile and quietly, as do the little sparrows in Peter Rabbit, implored him to exert himself. I thought about trying to help but from the looks of his mother they are some sort of jay and I think they can be rather aggressive when they feel their young are in danger. I intervened with nature a few days ago at the duck pond just outside the zoo. We were enjoying watching some new ducklings and this nutria (it looks kind of like an otter/rat) paddled over and seemed a little too interested in one of the ducklings who had wandered away a little. The mother duck didn't seem alarmed but I didn't really want Harper and Hudson and Izzy and Abby to have their duckling experience marred by carnage so I started clapping and scolding the nutria until it slithered back into the water. It's possible that this was more alarming to Harper than the alternative would have been. The entire way home she asked, over and over, "Mommy why were you clapping and being loud to that otter? I don't want to see the ducklings next time Mommy. Mommy why were you clapping and being loud to that otter..."

Harper has found a house she likes. We pass it when we walk to the park and we've watched it being built over the last few months. She said on Friday, "Our house is almost finished Mommy." Did you say OUR house, Harper? "Yes. That is going to be our house. For Harper Anne and Daddy and Hudson and Mommy." (I was pleased that Hudson was included.) Just for fun I decided to look up the house on har.com and it costs $2.2 million. Her hopes, I'm afraid, will have to be dashed.