Bluebirds, Birthday, and Sympathy

Do you ever remember seeing a bluebird growing up?  I know I don't.  I heard them mentioned in songs and possibly saw pictures in storybooks, but I never saw one until I was a much older adult.  They were on or near the endangered list during my childhood which could explain the lack of siting any.

There were many blue jays to be seen though and I think that to this day most people don't realize that there is a difference between a blue jay and a bluebird.  This disturbs me when I hear people say things about bluebirds like "they're so noisy" or "they're so mean" because most likely they're not referring to a bluebird at all.  

Bluebirds are not noisy.  In fact they have a sweet vocalization and don't scream or caw like the jays.  And unless they're defending their young, they are very docile.  

We have our second clutch of four that hatched last Friday and Saturday and Mr. and Mrs. Blue are taking very good care.

Below you see him at the dish of mealworms that HWNSNBP puts out for them each evening.  

And perched on a dead branch that we allow to remain in the oak tree outside the garden to give us a better view of the parents monitoring the nest without being hidden by the leaves.  These chicks are growing fast.

The bluebirds aren't the only ones with a birthday this month.  Sharing a card below for my cousin who celebrated earlier this month and whom I've not yet had a chance to wish her a happy birthday in person.  Our lives get so busy it seems.  Wish we were more like the birds.

And a sympathy card for my boss who lost his father recently.  This card was inspired by Paula at Stampinantics.  I meant to take a picture of the inside also where I repeated the grass image in the lower corner stamped off in blue.  

Sunrise, sunset.