Birds, Melons, Spiders and Country Living

This past weekend I did, among other things, water the plants on the front porch of the pond house.  As I reached up high to water the highest hanging plant, I was greeted by the sound of hurried and flapping wings.  Within a few seconds, at least one adult bird and several baby birds spilled out of the hanging plant, the plant in which I must presume, they had made their nest.

Well, I couldn't do much to help the situation, so I finished watering the plant and then took photos of some of the little birds...and hoped that because I did not touch them, once I left their territory, mama would call them back to the nest and all would be fine...until the next time I water.

This morning at the farmhouse we discovered the second melon to develop blossom end rot.  We took the melon from the plant and cut it open to inspect the interior.  Benson, the King of Nosy, had to perform his own inspection.

We "treated" the goats to the two halves of the failed melon.  They seemed completely oblivious to the fact that the melon was neither ripe, nor desirable...to them it was a TREAT!

Since I really DO have a day job, and really DID go back to work last Tuesday, I spent the majority of the day at my desk, conference calls and the like filling the hours until my legs screamed to go for a walk! Once I finished work, as the late afternoon was threatening rain once again, I headed into town to pick up supplies, check on the pond house, etc. When I went by the house, I checked and the birds all seemed to be back in their nest, because I heard a whole lot of chirpping when I went near that plant!  I do have to wonder about the mother bird who, knowing that plant typically gets doused with water every few days, would choose to build her nest there!  But what do I know?
 
When I returned to the farmhouse, it was dusk, and as I drove under the carport, I saw three big, beautiful does right at my garden...eying my melons and sunflowers and tomatoes.  Well, I had known this was coming... I live in the middle of the woods, abundant food for deer all around, but my garden was destined to be their preference...  When I got out of the car, they sauntered off into the woods, but I have my doubts that my garden will survive the night.  And what EXACTLY was my "guard dog" Killian doing while three marauders were prancing in the lawn???? Naturally, she was inside the garage, taking a siesta! If the melons do not make it through the night, at least I have photos of their promise, taken this morning.  And at least the goats had a chance to enjoy that ruined melon.

Work on the farmhouse proper has yet to begin.  We have been spending all of our time getting the property so we can drive around without sinking to our axles in mud, and planting a few "test" crops to see what shows promise.  Nevertheless, someone has been VERY busy remodeling the old farmhouse.  This spider is all about decorating the front porch as only she can do...or is this a HE?

At the end of the day, as I sit here and reflect, I am struck mostly by the beauty of nature...of things growing and changing and being completely, predictably, unpredictable.  I do very much enjoy this old farmhouse and property....it's been six months since I closed on the place.  That day the entire place was under snow and we had no idea what spring and summer would bring us....