Scary

 

How about this weird picture to start the day? That skeleton came from Trader Joe's on Halloween a few years ago. All I do is dunk his air plant head in water once a week. He's holding two tiny sparrow eggs I found under this nest box.

The House Sparrows (technically Weaver Finch) raise multiple broods over the summer. Maybe their messy nest material finally piled up in the box to the point where "someone" could reach down and grab the goodies. 

When I got back from Las Vegas, there was a mess of material on the ground along with the unbroken eggs. Sparrows aggressively defend their nests from other sparrows, so it was probably a bigger bird like a starling or crow. The mystery is why they didn't eat the eggs.

Anyway, I cleaned out the box and it won't be long until they start over. People consider house sparrows city pests, but I like their constant chirping after the other birds go silent for the summer.

While we’re on the subject of messes, this is what happens when you don't stake your peonies early enough. A big flopping pile of buds on the ground. That was a potent load of compost we spread last fall, because this bed has grown into a jungle thicket. 

Making an apple pie this morning and maybe do some light gardening later. I had one of those comprehensive eye tests yesterday where they point a laser right to the back of your brain. I'm sure that's why I woke up with a headache. Eye exams are very high tech and stressful now. The good news is I don't need to go back for another year.