HUMMINGBIRDS

Hummingbirds are dainty little creatures, but I haven't had much luck with them. I set out a feeder last year and again this spring. A month or so ago, one finally showed up. He's not very friendly though, coming out only when he thinks we're gone.

But we just came back from a trip where we visited some relatives near Atlanta, where both houses had out feeders for the cute little critters. In fact, one house had two. Evidently, they get refilled every other day and I could see why. The hummingbirds were flying around, chasing each other off, drinking, and sometimes just sitting on the little perch. There must have been a dozen of them.

The other house had only one feeder, but it too was a busy place. Six or seven little birds seemed mostly set on rushing at each other and scaring other birds away, though occasionally they would land and drink.

"I think they like the nectar best when it ferments a little," the homeowner said. "I noticed a wasp drinking the other day. He lapped and lapped and lapped and when he finally flew away, he was weaving."

Drunk wasps! What next?

She also offered a photo of a pregnant hummingbird taken a few weeks ago. "You can see the egg bulge in her fat little stomach."

And you can!

Love these sweet birds!

LONG WEEK

Monday morning, Memorial Day, we got a call of a problem in the family. We hurriedly threw clothes into the car and took off in rain from Beryl. We got to west Georgia the middle of the afternoon and spent two nights there.

We'd been scheduled to go up to north GeorgiaThursday or Friday for a family reunion, so instead of driving six plus hours back to the coast, we drove two hours into Alabama to visit a relative there for two nights. Then drove six or seven hours Friday to spend the night with another relative north of Atlanta. Finally, Saturday morning, we went up to Whitestone - a really gorgeous place with rolling hills and country roads - and enjoyed aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, and other people we didn't recognize. You know how reunions are.

Then about three thirty we left Whitestone and drove six and a half hours home in time to sleep in our own bed. Ahhh.

Boy, were we tired! And do you think the cats were glad to see us? They were not. Evidently the catsitter gives them beaucoodles of treats. Since we don't, they were not at all pleased to see us return.

Worse thing was I put on several pounds. I think it was that last day at the family dinner. Maybe the barbecue or ham. Maybe the rice and beans. Maybe the fresh creamed corn. Probably the luscious pound cake or the banana pudding like Granny used to make.

Yeah, it was the desserts.