Thursday, August 11, 2011

Baby Bird Rescue and Garden Pearls in Pearl District

Not alot of progress on "Free Bird" - I did finish up (using correct colors) the white Peacock, and made some progress on the red Peacock.

 Part of my evening though was taken up with a "Baby Bird Emergency".  When Tom-Cat and I strolled around to the back patio this evening, I spied a baby Barn Swallow on the ground.  Though I was pretty sure it was dead, I walked over and picked it up...and it was alive!  So there I am alone (with a cat) and a baby bird in my hand.  I went into the house and got our biggest utility ladder, and positioned it under the nest, and climbed it one-handed - but the ladder was not quite tall enough.  So off I went to the garage, where I found a taller ladder and brought it over to the nest one-handed.  Thankfully, at that point, my Mother returned home.  She helped me position the ladder, and held on while I climbed up with the baby bird.  The nest is build on a pillar with no more than an inch or so clearance to the overhang ceiling.  Thus I had to be extremely careful to get the baby Barn Swallow up and inside the nest.  I managed and within seconds the parents came swooping back to resume feeding their clutch...of two beaks...then within ten minutes there were once again three hungry beaks so I think the rescue mission was a success! 


I wanted to share some of the small urban gardens I saw in Portland's Pearl District.

A side garden / patio on an end unit...

A quiet, green courtyard...

Isn't this a welcoming front entrance?

Interesting use of plant materials... 

These Coleus glowed in deep shade...

Each small front garden on 11th and Hoyt was different and personal..

I liked the exuberance of this one - zinnias, salvia, helenium...

This double unit belongs to an Art Gallery owner...note the flag on the fence...

His front porch garden has both plants and art sculptures...

I think green spaces are restful to the eye and soul!

6 comments:

Ann at Beadlework. said...

Nature is lovely, as always. I'm glad you were there for the little bird - I hope it survives.

Teresa said...

How nice for the bird family that you were there.
Love the garden photos.
Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches

Nancy said...

So glad you came along to help out that little baby bird!

Melanie said...

Awwww. Poor baby birdy. So glad you were able to rescue him.

Ruth said...

You may not feel you made much progress on your Free Bird, but I'm certain one little bird who exercised too much freedom is very happy you weren't stitching for a little while :)

Siobhán said...

Good for you, saving that bird! I'm glad the parents fed him again--I'd heard that they won't take to human smells on their babies but maybe that's another animal. Or something. Ahem.

Nice progress on Free Bird. Every stitch is progress!

Loved the garden pics!