Flying Through the Work

The pear tree in the front yard split again last week. Well, it has likely been two weeks now, but we try not to pay too much attention to that sort of thing; it just makes you feel guilty. Yesterday Hubby sawed the branches down to a more manageable size, and today's chore was to drag it over toward the fire pit. When #1 and I went out to start hauling wood we noticed a small bird in the yard near the tree. Hubby and I had noticed a nest when the branch first fell, but it was in a different branch and the birds seemed dazed, but fine. Evidently this same bird family decided today was the day to leave the nest. The young bird was having a difficult time getting off the ground, and I thought perhaps it was hurt. I sent #2 in after a towel to throw over it and catch it. The mother bird was on the electric wire over the driveway twittering advice and warnings to the baby. We were able to keep Kelly away long enough to get the towel over it and pick it up. The closest I can identify it is that it was a nuthatch or phoebe. It was black, white, and gray with a definite black mask on the face. We put Kelly in the house and let the youngster go in the tall weeds of the irrigation ditch next to the field. Then it was back to work. Hubby and #2 cleared the debris from the yard while #1 mowed. I started cleaning out the work shed. It was a warm, humid day and the work was hot and dusty. I sneezed most of the day, but it was very good to get that off of my to-do list. After #2 finished helping his dad, he came to help me. Once #1 finished mowing the yard, he helped me with the shed and #2 headed to the goat field to mow. #1 didn't appreciate all of the work today. He felt it was unjust since he had school work to complete. Of course the school work was not high on his list yesterday when it should have been completed, nor was it a priority while he watched tv this morning. To add some salt to the situation, I made him go back and fix all of the places he missed in the yard. Then again. And yet again. He is either very blind or very careless. Lately I have felt like that mama bird on the electric wire singing at times and persistently shouting advice and encouragement at other times. #1 wants to fly, but he just isn't there yet. I know he wants to be older and do more, but he is also pulled toward watching cartoons and playing with his little friends. He is stuck on the ground trying to fly while I helplessly watch on the wire. I know I can't protect him from all of the dogs he will encounter, and I know others will try to trap him in their towels. It would be nice to think that all of those people with towels are well-intentioned like I was, but I know it isn't likely. I hope and pray that he learns to fly before he must fly.