Disappointed of Swindon

Last night Mr HCB and I were watching Mr and Mrs Blue Tit going in and out of Maison Bleu and we thought that the babies could be fledging today so we would need to watch out for the cats. We chased one away - not our neighbours' cat as it happens, but another one which obviously had its eye to the main chance.

This morning Mr HCB was up early as usual and there was a lot of activity in the garden. However, when I came down - considerably later than him - he said that he wasn't sure, but thought the babies were still inside as mum and dad were still going into the box.

I decided that I would set up the tripod in our conservatory to see if I could get a shot of them on their first flying expedition, and then I stood and waited, and waited and waited - to no avail. We saw mum and dad on the fat balls but then they flew into the nearby sycamore tree and after about half an hour, Mr HCB said he thought that the babies must be up there too, as there was no sign of their little faces in the opening of their house.

I couldn't even get a good picture of mum or dad so this is my blip for today - I'm sad and disappointed that I didn't see the babies flying for the first time, but the only consolation is that if they are all up in the tree, then at least a cat hasn't got them!

We went to church this morning and now Mr HCB has gone off to cricket, so I have some time to myself this afternoon. I guess I could have done a different blip, but sometimes it's good to let people see our sadness and disappointment - rather than covering it up and although today I'm sad I didn't see what I wanted to see - I am also happy to know that we nurtured a little family and they are now out in the big world and I really do hope they will be safe. I think we will still see mum and dad coming into the garden for food, and we may even see the babies as they get more adventurous.

Bringing up children can be a bit like that, can't it? We give our children the right food, good standards and teach them what we think they need to know to "fly" on their own, and then off they go, often without even a backward glance, leaving us feeling ever so slightly sad, but happy to know that they are confident enough to launch out on their own and they go with our prayers for their safety.

Teach your children
right from wrong,
and when they are grown
they will still do right.
Proverbs 22 : 6
Contemporary English Version


Have a great week, fellow blippers and don't worry, I'll get over it!