Nesting

Nesting. I've been reading about it for quite a while now.

Before the recession really hit hard, the home improvement stores were all aflutter with anticipation of all the business they'd get from DIYers who were focused on all things home since -- with gas at then $4 a gallon and up -- they weren't venturing that far away.

As little lights have sprung up here and there in the economy, I've started hearing the term again. And, of course, as spring has arrived, it's brought with it a whole new reference.

Granted, this is a much more literal interpretation of nesting. I was, as you can see, able to catch the mother robin on the nest while I was out working on the shed Sunday. She was not at all amused with me working in the yard.

She would frequently fly into the neighboring tree when I would walk to or from the shed to cut or install my boards. I would have thought that after several hours of this activity, she would become confident in the fact that I was not going to harm her. (I never even really got all that close to her on any one of my trips.) But, each time, she would fly out quickly.

And as I would complete the task and return again, she would again repeat her flight to the tree. Her mate would pace restlessly on the ground below, even walking near my work area a time or two as some sort of a show of strength. But he, too, would skitter away if I so much as moved.

I haven't really gone anywhere since Saturday. And yesterday, I barely left the house except to feed the birds, dump the trash, and get the mail. That changes today.

I'm going to Hardware Heaven yet again. This time, the mother, who is feeling better, will likely go with me. I'm sure we'll make a few fun trips, too. We've been talking about the various things we need to get done and the best order in which to pursue them.

For right now, I'm still hoping to finish the shed before I go back to work on Thursday. We'll have to see if Mother Nature is on my side.