Make yourself at home!

  The Little Bayou House is not a fancy place by far but it never seems to be lacking in visitors.  I am not a grand hostess since I just encourage my guests to make themselves at home.  I figure that if they raid the frig in the middle of the night, slouch around on the sofa or stay in their jammies all day, then they are most comfortable and that is what the Bayou is all about anyway.  This not only goes for my human guests but the critter ones as well. (At least, those critters that I like!  I draw the line at bugs, rats, mice, etc. Those, I require to stay outdoors!)

  One critter has taken up residence in the greenhouse.  Earlier this year, I had stuffed a bunch of Spanish Moss in a hanging basket.  I figured that it would store there well until I needed it again during the next clue hunt.  Spanish Moss is one of those standard "go-to" decorations that seem to scream "haunted house"  or in this case..."haunted greenhouse".  Anyway, when  I went in to water the plants, I noticed a perfect round door wallowed out in the wad of moss. Something had made a nice, cozy home.  I knew exactly who decided to call the hanging basket home!  A Carolina Wren had been hanging around the greenhouse for the past few days.  I could hear his calls every morning at daybreak.  After a bit, two wrens were busy as can be toting twigs and poking them in an empty watering can hanging on the wall.   That nest was abandoned when the hanging basket of moss was discovered.  How neat!  They had a ready built home!

  I will now be careful not to disturb Mama Wren even though it seems that these birds have never been frightened of their human hosts. Years ago, a pair of wrens nested in a plastic Jack-O-Lantern that was hanging in my laundry room.  The kids would take the thing down, bring it into the kitchen and play with the baby birds.  Mama Wren would fly through the open door and into the kitchen to feed her babies. She never minded that the kids were holding the little ones.  I, also, recall both Granddad's and Pop's sheds had wrens nesting near the workbenches.  The birds never became upset with the frequent visits by Granddad and Pop in either shed.  Obviously, wrens are comforted by the presence of people.  I like that.  I am in hopes that the wrens make it a habit to nest in the greenhouse every year.  There they can be protected from the elements and any large predators.  The little ones can be safe and I will enjoy having them nearby. Make yourselves at home, Mama and Papa Wren.