The Timeshare

  A Timeshare is a housing unit that is shared by tenants equally during the year.  Most of the time it is a vacation home that is "owned" by many tenants that are each allotted a certain couple of weeks per year to use the home.  During the rest of the year, the home (condo, apartment, whatever) is occupied by the different tenants.  This works well for folks who vacation occasionally and like to have their "own" place to go instead of the hassle of hotel rooms.  The concept it is a brilliant idea!

  I am thinking that the birds on the Bayou have come up with a similar plan.  The rose arbor has become a "housing project" for birds.  First, doves made a nest and were getting quite comfy when a pair of mockingbirds confiscated the nest and added onto it.  This did indeed improve the place and made for a much sturdier nest.  The mockingbirds raised their brood of four hatchlings despite the few harrowing incidents of storms, snakes and marauding hawks or crows. The little ones have been out on their own now for a good three weeks.  

  I was out plucking worms from the tomato plants when I heard a familiar call.  A mourning dove was just above my head on the arbor. After we said our "hellos" and exchanged niceties, he flew to the fig tree.  I thought this was rather suspicious so I checked the arbor.  Sure enough, in the same nest that the doves before had built and the mockingbirds improved, Mama Dove was setting on her eggs.  Ahhh, a new family of little ones would soon be hatched.  

  While I was standing there admiring the sweet face of Mama Dove, a chickadee started fussing at me.  That one was checking the little yellow birdhouse just inches from the dove abode.  It does appear that the arbor with its protective rose thorns is the condo of choice for the nesting birds. Wise choice as I am in the garden most of the day and will shoo any predators away from the nests.  I guess this Timeshare has a great security system as well as convenience.