Baby birds and pirates...

Wonder of wonders...... that snake yesterday only killed one of the baby birds. I'm sure he would have gotten the other three if my husband had not been able to get the snake away from that nest. The first thing I did this morning was look out the kitchen window at the barn swallow nest.... and there they were-- three tiny heads peeking out from the nest as the mama bird was feeding them. Birdie-business as usual.

All is once again right in the world of our barn swallows. Every time I go outside now, my eyes are searching up and down the length of the porch, looking for snakes. It still amazes me how the snake managed to get up the porch columns.... and how on earth did it know the babies were up there in the first place? I guess snakes have a good sense of smell? Or do they just know that a bird's nest means baby birds are probably inside there?

I have gotten used to a lot of creepy crawly slithery things since we moved to Texas in 1993. I don't cringe at the frogs and lizards anymore..... I don't care if an armadillo is making holes in the garden... the possums are ugly, the raccoons are a pain. But I have to draw the line at snakes. Especially copperhead snakes. This is the second one I've seen, and I know it won't be the last. Heaven help the baby birds if my husband isn't here to save them.


As for pirates...... we saw the latest Johnny Depp movie yesterday.... Captain Jack Sparrow, at your service. That character just makes me smile all the time. I told my husband to get his pirate costume ready because we're having a Halloween costume party this October, without fail. He's worn that costume before, but that was at our old house.... the costume will be 'new' to everyone here.... and with the latest 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie being released, it's just the perfect time to get that costume out of the box.