Bluebirds and Tulips
Arrival of bluebirds
All three of my bluebird boxes have nests, and this year they all seem to be housing bluebirds. The arrival of the bluebirds is my favorite time of year. I love the electric blue of their bodies, an intense color that you can’t miss when they perch on the pasture fencing. I love how both the males and females are invested in brood-raising, and mostly, I love how many bugs they eat. Each bluebird eats upward of 2,000 bugs a day, and this year our farm is swarming with bluebirds.
Ravaged nest
In past years there have been disputes over who can occupy the bluebird boxes, skirmishes between the tree swallows and the bluebirds that rival a schoolyard brawl. There have also been bigger disasters. Last year we placed the post with one of the nesting boxes too close to a pasture fence, and a raccoon used the fence to conquer the baffle, then opened the screw holding the door closed and ate the bluebird babies, shortly before they fledged. I walked out of the house in the morning to see the door open and some of the nest scattered on the ground and immediately burst into tears. It’s not that I don’t understand the cycle of life—prey and predator and all of that—but I was horrified that my mistake was what made the baby birds vulnerable. We have since moved all nesting boxes further from fence lines, secured baffles, and added what I hope will be raccoon-proof doors, and we will try again.
Trying again are what bluebirds bring to my mind. For years bluebirds have been a symbol of joy and happiness. Like most things in nature, they have the potential to bring joy, and also heartache. The loss of those baby birds left me sad for much of the day. But for me, the bluebirds are also a symbol of hope. Their arrival heralds spring and all the chances for a fresh start that the season brings. This year as I admire the soaring bluebirds, I resolve that I will transplant my seeds early enough; I will keep my beds weeded; and I will stay ahead of the mowing.
Even though I know that I will once again work through the cycle where I aim for perfection and eventually come around to the idea that good enough is okay, especially when there is family to spend time with, animals to care for, and long summer evenings to admire. Spring and the bluebirds capture the time when anything seems possible and big goals are in order.
This year one of my big goals was to figure out how to harvest tulips for bouquets. I didn’t grow them last year, and I wanted to trial some this season. After furiously planting in the fall, I was caught off guard by the warm winter. I was worried the lack of extended cold would impact their health. While my early varieties did have short stems, the later ones are magnificent, and I still have a few bunches available.
If you are interested in a bunch of these stunning double tulips (that look a lot like peonies when they open!), I can deliver to 08551 or 08525, or you can pick up a bunch at the East Amwell “Green Scene” at Clawson Park on Sunday. They are $20 for a bunch.
