Preparing batches of Ontario strawberries for freezer jam, I stemmed them while sitting on the lawn swing.  One can’t stay indoors when there’s so much going on around Cedar Hollow.  I might miss something!

After Lady Wren popped into the Swiss Chalet, she treated herself to a brief stroll on the Walnut Boardwalk, stretching her legs.  You’ve heard the adage, Whistle while you work.  Well, Lady Wren’s is Sing while you walk!  She did a splendid rendition of “Oh What A Beautiful Morning!” 

 Going to the lower garden shed for something, I got spooked out of my wits!  Unlatching the doors, something wet brushed against my fingers and landed kerplop on the patio!  Yikes!  The tree frog!  This little tyke, for some unknown reason, likes to hide in between the two doors!  He’s a flat frog, all right, but is he that flat?  He played this trick on us last year, and the year before that . . . . and now I get the willies whenever I have to put  something in the  shed!

Below is a picture taken maybe eight years ago of his great, great, great, great, great grandfather, hanging onto a stalk of aloe vera near the pond.  Tree frogs make the most beautiful calls, much different than the ordinary frog.  When this little one gets old enough to “sing,” I’ll try to record him for you.

After supper, Lloyd cleaned out the chickadees’ nursery in Cedar Shake.  What a shock!  All we saw were twigs.  No soft blanket anywhere!  I guess bits of fine grass are good enough for baby chickadees, but I didn’t see much of that either.  Now, don’t you go knitting up blankees for chickadees, ‘cause they won’t use them!  You’ll be just wasting your time.  Sorry about that.

Just before a gentle shower began in late morning, Lady Wren emerged from Swiss Chalet, following a brief stop-in.  Don’t you wish she could tell us how many eggs she is tending now? 

Later in the day, I saw Lady Wren gathering sticks.  She certainly is determined to fortify the door of her nursery.  We’ve all heard of a baby snatcher this year who walked right into a maternity ward disguised as a nurse, so you can’t really blame Lady Wren for taking precautions.

Throughout the day, we heard Lord Wren coming and going.  His jacket may be a little darker than Lady Wren’s, but the easiest way to identify him is by the bass notes he warbles at the end of his song. 

We may be seeing more domestic scenes like this one during the next little spell.                                                     Peek-a-boo!  I see you!

Bounce the Hummer slaked his thirst at Cedar Hollow several times.  I hate to say it, but he wears me out!  He takes a sip, bounces six inches into the air, down for another sip . . . up and down like a ping pong ball!  Maybe he is hyperactive, poor chap.  Goodness knows I don’t put any red food colouring in his nectar. 

The black walnut tree has been expanding its lush canopy.  Mr. McD hauled out the loppers and removed the ends of a few branches that were beginning to obstruct our view of the Swiss Chalet and the activities of Lord and Lady Wren.  Now get this straight.  We’re not into any espionage business.  We just like to follow them on Twitter!  ♫♪♪

The line of vision from our lookout on the lawn swing is now clear.  Isn’t it fascinating how the wrens put a protective barrier at their front door?  Wonder what security company they’re signed up with?

The subdivision at Cedar Hollow received refreshing showers in the late afternoon.  It seems the hens and chickens succulents are pretty serious about guarding the edge of the pond.  I don’t know who gave them their marching orders, but during the last few days, they have gone all out erecting sturdy guard towers.   Can you spot them poking up in the centre front?

Here is a close-up:

Below is a picture of a hummingbird that just flew out of sight! 

Well, it’s not my fault.  I have no idea why the hummingbird didn’t exercise a modicum of courtesy and let me know which direction he was heading in.  I didn’t have a ghost of a chance to click him as he sipped for a split second at the newly opened hosta flower in the back flowerbed . . . and it wasn’t even red! 

I didn’t come up with this clever “out of sight” saying.  As kids at school, we had a good laugh when we saw someone put such a caption at the bottom of a page in a friend’s autograph book:   Above is a picture of a plane that just flew out of sight!

 I doubt if the hummingbird was impressed by the acrobatics performed at last weekend’s air show, smoke plumes and all.  Those man-made contraptions can’t touch his abilities.  After imbibing at the feeder, he often executes a supersonic Mach-3 straight up!  He’s at the top of the walnut tree before you can blink an eye—and there’s no sonic boom either!

Two things happened when I stepped out the door to refill the hummingbird feeder this morning:

     I heard Lady Wren’s Good Morning song

                   and

    I saw the beginnings of a hornet’s nursery lying on the sidewalk.  Where did it come from?    Usually you can spot where it had originally been attached.  We have seen black-coloured hornets taking a sip around the pond now and then, and they haven’t bothered us at all.  They cunningly construct the delicate tissue-paper walls from saliva and wood pulp, but  I don’t think our wood deck will disappear any time soon. 

Like yesterday, I could hear Lady Wren singing from every corner of the neighbourhood.  As her song drew nearer to Cedar Hollow, I got the camera on the ready.

Sure enough, after her arrival in the black walnut tree, she popped inside Swiss Chalet.  The obstruction of twigs she has placed by her front door didn’t slow down her entry in the least.  Nothing slows her down! 

Apparently she builds the bowl of her nest toward the back of the box.  It’s thought that wrens use spider egg sacs to help control mites in the nest.  The spiders hatch and eat the mites!

 Now, is this a picture of Lady Wren just after she laid her daily egg . . .  or had she laid the egg at the crack of dawn and then proclaimed it from the neighbourhood treetops?  Don’t you wish you knew?

 I’m so glad Lady Wren chose the Swiss Chalet with its cool, leafy canopy overhead to protect her and the egg-babes from the current heat wave.