Blackbirds and Red, Red Robins Came Bob, Bob, Bobbing Along

Today, a full week after the chemo treatment and five days after having the pump unhooked,  I was finally beginning to feel a little more energetic.  So I made up a weekly menu plan filled with all the delicious things I was going to cook for the next week, typed up a grocery list, and we headed to Publix. Up and down the aisles we  trekked, filling up our basket, occasionally having to backtrack  to  pick up something  we'd missed earlier. By the time we wheeled our cart into the check-out lane I felt as though we had walked miles. That took care of most of my energy, and by the time I'd put the groceries away and refilled the bird feeders, I didn't even have enough energy left to boil water, let alone cook one of the delicious meals I'd planned for supper. And that is how, with  enough groceries  in the fridge and pantry  to feed a marauding army, we found ourselves once more in our typical "best laid plans" mode,  and why Mr. G went out and brought  back a pizza.  Which meant that I  didn't have to cook and he didn't have to  wash the  kazillion dirty pots, pans, dishes and utensils that I leave after one of my  inspired cooking sessions, so it was all good. The pizza   wasn't too bad, either.

When I went out to fill the feeders today,  the air was filled with the chattering and tweeting of birds. I looked up and saw  that blackbirds were  flying in to  rest in the  tree next door before moving on.  They were soon joined by a few robins and I managed to get a couple of  shots as they were landing in the tree.
 For the  past few days there have been flocks of robins  in the yard,  followed by red winged blackbirds.  These blackbirds today seemed to be regular blackbirds and starlings.  They have been swooping into the trees in waves, then  flying down and covering the ground for a few minutes before taking off in a great cloud that casts  a dark shadow as they fly overhead.

But the blackbirds weren't the biggest surprise. When I went to let poor little Agatha out this afternoon, she stood on the deck sniffing the air, her ears   perking up, then going down as large numbers of robins  flew low  above her, going back and forth from the  holly tree that overhangs the deck to the woods behind the house. Agatha, who is generally afraid of nothing,  headed straight back to the house.  She wanted no part of those huge swooping things flying overhead. At the rate the robins have been going this afternoon  they may strip the holly of berries in no time.  They have been chowing down on them most of the afternoon and knocking   just as many berries off onto the deck making a fine old mess. Here's a little video I shot of them today- notice the  moon in that lovely afternoon sky. I wish I had just a little of their energy!