dc nesting

Last summer I spied a nest in a tree behind the day care and between the ponds.  Or the pond and the pit rather.  I'm not sure really if I spied the nest or it's creator first.  The bird was a Baltimore Oriole with orange feathers as bright as the sun and quite hard to miss.  The nest is of the hanging variety... kind of like a sock.  I watched the male and female (who is not colored like the male) all summer long and continued to watch the empty nest, all of fall and winter, just wondering what it's next step would be.  Would it fall?  Would it's inhabitants come back this year to the same nest?  Would the nest be in any condition to live in again?

Today, I got my answer.  The kids and I took a walk to the dirt pile to check out the new piles of dirt Shaun hauled in last week and when we got back to the playground I just happened to glance in the direction of the nest only to realize is wasn't there.  Although the kids were already on swings, I excitedly almost panicked saying "The nest is gone!  Who wants to go find it with me?!?!?"  Of course they all did.  So we journeyed out of the playground once again and it didn't take me long to find it, thank goodness.  I admired it's building materials and structure and shared with the kids and we talked about it the whole way back.  I hurried inside to get my bird books to show the children what the owner's of the nest looked like.  They were pretty amazed and I was so proud.

We decided to go inside and gather scraps of yarn and string from the craft room.  We then went out front and tucked the strings away in the suet feeder so that maybe, when we find more nests, they might be made with some materials that we supplied for the birds.  I think that would be very cool.  I found a tiny nest over the winter that has, what looks like, my long hair (or someone's) weaved throughout the inside.  Birds are so amazing.  I am tickled to already be noticing more voices and even spotting some of the summer birds back already.  I am one who thinks of them flying over the ocean right now on their way home.

The tree you can see to the right and right behind the nest I am holding 

is the one the nest was hung from.

I would be so honored to find a nest with some of our string in it.  

You never know!

This is a picture of the kind of bird that made the nest.

Click the picture for more information about Baltimore Orioles.

Photo from www.allaboutbirds.org

  

do you know plantain?

Are you familiar with Plantain?  Plantain is pretty common in yards everywhere... especially ours.  I always felt that maybe I could do something with this plant or weed as it is commonly called and thanks to a fantastic library book I found that something!  The leaves can be used in salads and I followed a recipe for a facial mask that is very refreshing and that is said to eliminate toxins in the skin, treat skin conditions, tighten skin and even reverse wrinkles!  That's no weed!  That's a backyard miracle worker!  

Plantain Skin Smoothie

1-2 cups plantain leaves

1/4 of an avocado, peeled and pitted

1/2 cup water

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.  Apply to any are of skin that is experiencing discomfort.  Let it dry, rinse it off.

Mine took around 30 minutes to dry.  I first removed my make up then applied it before my bath and rinsed it after.  

Here is the cool book the recipe came from.