I went to work today and it was one of those forboding, humid, sticky and
smothering hot August days that I more than remember as normal for here. I
resigned myself that I was going to take my time, wait on the customers and
not run when the outside phone rang if I was in the back of the nursery.
The time slipped by rather quickly and I was called upon to go inside and
work the cash registers which I did gratefully as I started getting
overheated and was soaking wet.

When it came time to go home, though, my extra bottles of GatorAid were in
the outside greenhouse as well as some Japanese bloodgrass I'd scrounged
from the dumpster in a bag. As I picked up my stuff, one of the younger
cashiers asked me if I wanted to see something sweet. Well I'm always game,
so I said yes, and she led me to the pallet display out front where the
tropical plants have been all summer. The standard hibiscus, Jasamine bushes
and all the plants that love Florida and THIS weather here, but come hard
freeze will turn a nice black and say no thank you I'll pass on returning
next springtime.

There are three hibiscus standards left and those needed marking down to $5
and Amanda told me to step up on the boards and look inside the middle
hibiscus. I did so carefully, and there was a wren, carefully hiding behind
the huge woven nest that held her precious three fledglings. They popped
open their mouths as I gently moved a few leaves to get a closer look, but
mama never left her spot behind the nest as she watched me with pearcing
eyes. I talked quietly and backed away and marveled at her tenasity and
persistance with all these customers all this time poking and looking and
disturbing the pots and plants. We both agreed that we'd keep an eye on the
plant and the family and hopefully the babies will fledge and fly before my
plant specialist decides to trash the plants for space.

Nature is amazing at how she adapts her children to modern society. I'll
bet that the nest is lined with cigarette butt filters, too...........every
chickadee and wren nest I find is so far.
Just thought I'd share a smile on a sticky day.
madgardener up on the ridge, back in fairy holler, overlooking English
Mountain in Eastern Tennessee, zone 7, Sunset zone 36