As you may have guessed if you saw this picture a few weeks back, we hosted a family of robins this spring. When we returned from our spring break trip, I found long grass, hay, and flower blossoms strewn on top of the fan on our porch and on the floor below. I thought the children had collected the materials from the yard for one of their games. It briefly occurred to me that it might have been birds, but there was no sign of a nest, just loose bits of materials. I cleaned most of it up and went on my way.
A few days later, though, it was back. This time I let it be and after a few days, there was a nest on top of the fan. I had a brief chat with the mama bird, suggesting that perhaps a fan was not the best place to build a nest. But I also told her that she was welcome as long as we could use the porch too. She decided to stay. Soon I saw her spending a lot of time sitting in her nest, and I assumed that she had laid her eggs.The nest was too high for me to see into, even climbing onto a table or step stool. Then one day when we were on the porch, I saw Buddy lap up a robin's eggshell, the first indication that perhaps the babies had arrived.
Before we left for Memorial Day weekend, the chicks looked big. I think there were four of them, although I'm not entirely sure because they were wigglers. They looked too big for the nest and I had a feeling that they would fly soon. I just hoped that we would get to watch some of the lessons.
That was when my curiosity got the better of me, and I climbed on top of the table and reached the camera up to see if it could see what I couldn't. It caught that sweet little beak. And later, more of them. Each morning during this period, I would check on the nest before I headed off to work and I would see the robin parents coming back to the nest repeatedly with a worm, a mulberry, or some other treat for their babes. So sweet.
When we returned, one of the first things I did was check the nest. I couldn't see any birds in it. I checked again and again over the next few days, but there was no sign of any of them. They were gone. Just like that, they had learned to fly and off they went. And they didn't even say goodbye.
My first empty nest experience. I know that many of you have experienced this with your children. Or are experiencing it with your children over and over as children go back and forth to school. Although I'm sure that there will be things I love about the days when my children head off on their own -- the ability to spontaneously go out, time with Gabe, time to travel, just time -- I know that I will also miss the children terribly. I'm trying to keep that empty nest in mind during these hectic days of rushing here, there, and everywhere. It can be exhausting at times, but it is also wonderful to have a house so full of activity, enthusiasm, and life.I try to remind myself of this when I get overwhelmed by the to-ing and fro-ing, the piles of stuff everywhere, and the general chaos. I know my time is limited.
One thing that I thought was very interesting about the robins is that the parents left the nest too. Maybe they just couldn't take how quiet the nest was without their chicks. I'd like to think that they headed off to the Caribbean for some rest and relaxation. An excellent coping strategy that I may have to adopt when the time comes.
Beautiful, just beautiful!
I know about the empty nest, believe me is not an easy thing to deal with, but you have Gabe and Gabe has you!
I so enjoy your writing, thank you!
And keep doing what you are doing, enjoy!
Posted by: eva | June 09, 2010 at 11:11 AM
I read and enjoy all your stories and recipes but this particular one about the "Empty Nest", along with the vivid pictures, deserve, at least, a "family pulitzer prize". It is a very touchy story but, as you say, it's 'natures' way'. Your parent's went through it, we've gone through it and eventually you two will go through it too, so start thinking of a "coping strategy" soon because time flies...Big Kiss.
Posted by: Maggie Siervo | June 09, 2010 at 11:36 AM