Ah-ha, I realize now why Robyn-the-robin and I have a special bond. She figured it out way before I did. It seems that we have something in common.
You see, we’re both twin-mums. That would explain our shared under-eye baggage, at least. (Yes I know, other sources of chronic exhaustion are available. Parents – even twin parents – don’t have a monopoly on tired, etc etc, etc.) But sometimes it feels good to hang out with a fellow mum-of-multiples. Look! Here are her babies!
Twice this week, Robyn has let her two newly-fledged babies down to feast on mealworms by our back door whilst I was there. She’s never done this with previous broods. It’s fair to say that my cold old heart melted in a messy puddle on the rug – which is a shame, because it was a particularly pleasing rug. ↓
Her babies are extremely wary. Fair enough. That wariness will keep them alive. The only way that I could get photos was to leave a motion-activated camera outside the door. I hope that one day, they’ll eat from my hand just like their mother does but for now, I respect their caution.
Last year, Robyn disappeared around this time in July, reappearing six months later as though nothing had happened and dive-bombing my head in an attempt to get my attention, because we all know who’s the boss in this relationship. So whenever I don’t see her for a day or so, I wonder whether she’s headed off to Spain or wherever it is she goes for her autumn holiday.
I didn’t see her for a few days but she was back yesterday, hungry and cheeky as ever. Whilst I was prising bindweed out of the lawn using the scant remains of my fingernails, one of the twinnage came outside to say in a bored-because-this-happens-all-the-time voice, “Mumma, Robyn’s waiting for you on the sofa in the sitting room… and she’s done a stress-poo on the rug.”
*sigh*
Yet again, it’s the poor rug that suffers in this blog post. But at least Robyn is still here. Needless to say, I stopped what I was doing and went to fetch her ninth breakfast of the day.
But I seem to remember that this is a knitting blog. That jumper I began knitting last post? It’s been ripped back and begun again, because my desire for a mindless project meant that I didn’t engage my brain sufficiently to ensure I was casting on the correct number of stitches. As I finished many hours’ work on the body and prepared to begin the sleeves, I realized that I’d cast on a size too large. So now, I begin again.
Another day, another wander through the woods with the twinnage, knitting as I go.
Happy yarnery, my fine fibrous friends.
Phil x
As always, Phil, you make my day!
High praise indeed. Thank you.
Only one word . . Magnificent!
Only two words: thank you!
That garlic braiding…you done good!
It’ll do. It won’t win any awards, but it’ll do.
Her babies are on the floor! Oh wow, not a more jittery bird then a Robin. The only reason I ‘ve no vampires is the heaps of garlic in my house, it really helps. A darn, frogging back and starting anew. Sad is it. Laughed again dear, thanks.
And as always, thank you for your kind words. Thank goodness your garlic stash is keeping you safe from vampires!
lovely to read from you as usual ! pretty rug, even with the no-show poo… Hope the weather keep fine with many Robinneries to come xxx
Thank you for every part of that comment. ❤️
Phil, why does Robyn look kinda .. beat up ? In that glorious photo of her flying to your hand, wings spread, she shows all the bits of her that look as if someone’s been poking her with a stick or something. I do not for one moment imagine such has been occurring: I ask the question in good faith that you will be able to explain it to me. So: whaddya reckon ?
The babies are almost as nice as Robyn: but I must confess to being totally under her spell in a vicarious kind of way. I love her feistiness !
If that’s your first try at braiding garlic, you’re going to be a champeen. You’ll be able, one day, to enter your braided allium at the local fair, and win prizes ! There you will stand, simpering and holding up a huge golden cup while the crowds yell themselves hoarse, with Robyn sitting atop the cup and pulling your hair because you haven’t fed her for an hour ..
[M.R. drifts off in a pleasurable reverie]
M. R., she could be going through a moult. They do tend to look a little scraggy for a couple of days. According to the RSPB, adult birds shed their worn out feathers from this year’s breeding season and grow new, strong, warm feathers to see them through winter. Hope that puts your mind at ease, that someone is NOT poking her with a stick! Xx
Ho ! – I entirely forgot about moulting. What a twit I am !
Thank-you, O brilliant knitter, for reminding me.
Book ? Causing panic and hair falling out yet ?
[grin]
M-R, first of all, thank you for your wonderful comment. As Ruth says, she’s probably just a little haggard after parenting duties. But she’s bright and perky and eating/drinking well. I fear she’ll fly off soon for her winter holiday so I’m making the most of our time together.
I so enjoy reading all your up to and to have a bird friend wow. Life is good
Thank you – you’re very kind. (And I do love “my” robin.)
Thank you for not showing the poo-ed on sofa (although it might have been amusing); the alternate photo was just wonderful. Reminds me of a setting in a Jane Austen novel. Nice to know that other knitter’s minds wander enabling that precious frogging that makes a project last that much longer. 🙂 I was surprised by how large Robyn’s babies are!
Thank you for all of this. And Robyn’s babies are as big as she is, though perhaps most of their size is comprised of fluff. (And I’m definitely taking the Jane Austen comment as a compliment!)
Hi Phil (& Twinnage & Robyn & robin babies)
Apart from a frogged jumper & a poo stain all seems good in your world. Really impressed at your garlic. It’s on my wish year for growing next year/ this winter, whichever… Got to investigate when to plant it! Nice to see Robyn and brood doing well. Love your blog, always make me smile.
T x
Thank you very, very much! I’m not sure where you are geographically, but here in southern UK, garlic is honestly very easy to grow. You plant cloves near the end of the year then harvest them near the middle of the next year.
You made my day. I needed it. We have been forced back into “lockdown”due to “COVID”down here in victoria , Australia. Boring but essential. A ray of sunshine in my day. Thank you.(and thank Robin too ) At least I’ll get more knitting and crochet done hey ? And a giggle or two from you and your twinnage antics
Thank you Faye for such generous words. I’m sorry you’re force back into the tedium of lockdown, though. Wishing health to you and everyone around you.
Skip that knitting book and try some fiction :-). I would not be surprised if you turned out to be the new Angie Sage for example! You would be good at it, mark my words ;-).
You’re very kind! Actually I have a novel that I wrote as part of a creative writing masters degree that I’m too stupid to send out to agents. I always do this – put the work in but then fail to take the last step to make things happen.
Thanks for making me smile. Love hearing about the twinnage (feathered and otherwise) as we’ve got some robins that come to my home made (Heath Robinson style) feeders. The garden bird poo has most definitely increased – all fine until I’ve gone out to fill the feeders in bare feet. Hey ho, I’ve had worse but that’s another story.
Eek, think of it as free fertilizer, maybe? And thank you for your kind comment.
Well done with the garlic, the knitting, Robyn, and the blog! Keep on keeping up our morale, plz.
I’m still fighting the ravening molluscs, but we have flowers on our (somewhat late planted) French Beans today, and the RMs haven’t (yet) devoured the new flowers on the primulas – mainly cos I’ve been checking them over every day and stomping on the blighters!
Anyone got a tallish-pot-climbing toad or frogs they’d like to pass on? Don’t use slug pellets, though am sorely tempted!
Noooo, resist the temptation to reach for the slug pellets! I feel your mollusc-victim pain, though, I really do. I might be a tad biased, but do you have a pond? The frogs and toads that ponds attract work wonders on the pest population.
Also, thank you for saying such kind stuff. 🙂
“Co-incidence? I think not!!” Made me laugh!! Thanks for making my day!!
And thank you for leaving a very kind comment! (Glad to be of service.)
How long did it take you to train them to come to your hand? I thought you were going to say you bonded over your love of worms for breakfast!
Eek! Worms for breakfast? No thanks! It took a while, though. She followed me round when I was digging over the garden because she realized that digging = free worms. Then I left mealworms nearby, and finally I began to feed her from my lap and hand. Now she’s completely in charge of this family, so be careful what you wish for! (I do love her though.)
I love this!! I want to do the same. I’ll look for some meal worms at Agway.
This is my first visit to your musings and I loved it! You can craft a good story out of your daily adventures! Thank you for the mood lifting humor too. – Wendy
Thank you Wendy! Seriously, I deeply appreciate such kind words. If I can raise a smile on people’s faces then my work here is done.
As always, a gem of a post, Phil, Thanks for making me laugh.
And as always, a wonderfully kind comment. Thank you for making me smile.
Hello Phil – I have a question for you. If you make a mistake (as with the jumper) and have to cast on again from scratch. What do you do with the “wasted piece” of knitting? When this happens to me I don’t like to frog it & re-use the same yarn, because it’s often full of kinks and just.. not nice to knit with. I’m wondering if there’s anything else to do with these spare random pieces of knitting X
Hi, I hate waste so I always rewind and reuse the yarn. (I do the same with swatches, too!) It doesn’t seem to have a noticeable effect on the finished garment, but I’m probably in a minority… Sorry I don’t have any clever ideas for alternative uses for the yarn.
Thank you! I think the yarn quality probably makes a difference here.. I need to invest in better quality yarn. I’ve noticed pure wool doesn’t split/get ruined in the same way & I prefer to knit with pure wool. I normally use wool/synthetic blends because of cost – but I would like to knit in pure wool always.. but cost is a factor. This has reminded how much better wool is though! Thank you for replying to me X
that’s amazing! it was such a fun read and the pictures are great as well! loved hearing about the birds???? thank you for sharing and making my day with this lovely post????
Follow @everythingtips for tips and recommendations if interested! It would mean a lot to me!????????