To everything there is a season...

I think I'm going to call this our Hummingbird Summer. From the first sighting of the nest, until today...flight!!


I'm going to put all the photos we've taken of MammaSweetieBird and then George & Gracie and make a photo album.


That way, we will always be able to look back and remember this summer - for all the good things.


We can do that you know.

Just remember the good times and choose not to dwell on anything that is not good. Anything that makes us sad. We have such accommodating memories, don't we. And that's probably a good thing.


Lord know I have blocked out years - too painful to remember except on those rare nights when the nightmares come.


But to find the good in a potentially bad thing - like with my brother.


The good is that, while going in for something totally unrelated, they discovered the spot on his lung. Being a 'rough-tough-old-cowboy' (and a man), he might not have known that anything was there to have checked out. No symptoms. So, this is all good. It is.


OK, so George left this morning at some early time after I spotted he and Gracie just starting their day. A few hours later, Mr. B noticed MommaSweetieBird buzzing around the pups laying in the grass. An unusual thing for her to do- she's seen them there before. When we made further inspection, we noticed Gracie, standing on the nest's edge. holding on with all (insert the number of toes baby hummingbirds have) holding on for dear life.

She started flapping her tiny wings, like hummingbirds do, but she was not flying - not yet. She really had a look of fright on her little face. She would preen and look and stretch, and flutter, but not let go - not all the way - not to fly. Not yet...

MommaSweetieBird would come in front of her - almost teasing - "come out & play Gracie" Then dart off.

Poor Gracie, would stretch her neck to her where MSB (MommaSweetieBird) would go - and when she'd be back. Watching...waiting...holding on...

Then more preening, more flapping, more holding on. Just couldn't take that first BIG step.
As we watched, we finally saw her flutter up and..............fly! Of course, it was only a few feet out of the nest ...but by gum, she FLEW!

We tried to capture this from a vantage point in the back room so as not to make her any more nervous...so the photos are not a clear as I would have liked.

But, there she was, in all her miraculous beauty - finely flying with MSB to the neighbor's large tree.

While watering he back yard, Mr. B saw Gracie come back by herself and sit on the string of lights...all be herslef...but not back into the nest.

So we said. "goodnight sweet Gracie. Say hello to George and your Mamma for us.

If you look closley, youcan count over about 4 -3/4 bulbs from the left and see her...

So, we close the chapter on "Hummingbird Watch 2008" - but we wll contine to monitor their flight plans!

Thank you all my sweet friend who are praying, thinking about us and celebrating with us. You are all a part of what I consider my "family" and I appreciate you , each and every one.


-me