What an eventful day it was Friday. One earthquake at 5.2 on the “r” scale for the 1st one at 5-something in the a.m. and then the aftershock at around 11:15 a.m. was pretty nifty (or should I say “lifty”). Hope you didn’t have any damage, that is, those living here in the Hoosier state.
Well… for us that is a different story. Yes, we did have some earthquake damage. Well, actually, I should say Daddy and Momma (sparrow couple) were impacted by the earthquake. Their front porch, I mean perch, fell off!
All Momma could talk about was that Daddy decided NOT to get insurance when they moved in. The insurance seller was an old bird they both thought had shifty eyes. Why, he tried to sell them flood insurance! They were in a High Rise, of all things! Daddy just wanted wind, fire, water and earthquake coverage… but no it had to be a bundled deal or no deal. Well, they sent him packing… he just seemed like a seedy character anyway!
And now, here they were, no front perch and no insurance. It made for a difficult entry and exit. You literally had to “make a hole in one” coming in… and look out if the wind was blowing! And to leave… well that had to be done with a…
Flying Leap!
And, there would be no vacation this year. They had been socking away a stash of seeds behind the string, yarn, twigs and such. This was to have been used to pay the Chippers down the lane to watch their brood while they flew back for a short visit with family. But maybe it wasn’t to be, because the Chippers had a brood of their own. The Chippers who were Chipping Sparrows ended up being surrogates for some cowbirds who had pulled a “shell game” on the Chippers and now they had Cowbird eggs in with their own eggs. And the wrens on the next limb over were under the weather. They had gotten colds and so it would be wrong to ask them to watch their brood when they were “chilled wren” themselves.
So, it would be no vacation and use the seed to get someone to put a porch, I mean perch back on the front of the house. But who would be good at that? Mr. Downy the woodpecker would be good to pound the peg back in but he was down nursing a splinter in his bill. The cardinals were busy because the Pope was in the country. Maybe the finch would do in a pinch, but maybe not, since they drag in all that thistle seed. And the starlings, well they in no way are Darlings!
So Momma and Daddy lay down to take a nap. All of a sudden… another earthquake! The house was moving and spinning and rocking and then it would stop. Then there were lights and sounds of wood creaking and squeaking and then all of a sudden, just as sudden as it started… it ended.
Daddy peeked out to see what else may have fallen off the house… with that much swaying and moving who knows what might have happened. Walking away was the Bird lady who fills and cleans the feeders and birdbaths. What had she done? So out he hopped onto the perch to look… wait a minute… he hopped out onto the perch… it was back. Had the Bird lady found and put the perch back?
Well… it looks like not all heroes wear tights and a cape!
Hope you are enjoying the adventures of Momma and Daddy.
There have been updates to the website, even a new gallery in Stock Photographs called “Let Freedom Ring.” Please take a look…
http://www.lindahoopesphoto-art.smugmug.com/
