My troubles with the neighborhood avian life are apparently not over. Last week, we had this. This week, it is the wrens. Or rather one specific wren. Wrens are cute little birds and they are early morning singers which gives us something nice to wake up to. They do have one rather irritating habit this time of year that I could do without. It is the males actually who have this habit and as is often the case with persons of the male persuasion, they are at the their most irritating when they are trying to impress a woman. In the wrens’ defense, they do not seem to annoy the female wrens – unlike human males who often aggravate rather than impress human females, but I digress.
What seems to impress female wrens are sticks. Yes, you heard me – sticks. Piles of them actually, all neatly clipped to a certain size and arranged just so. In early June, male wrens begin assembling these piles of sticks. In an effort to cover all their bets, they do not limit themselves to just one pile of sticks either. They place the sticks in numerous locations in hopes of finding a spot that will impress a female wren enough that she will want to marry him and have his babies. The males build the nest foundations and then sit near them and sing, presumably extolling the virtues of each particular location and the beauty and precision with which he has exhibited the sticks thereon. Or in this case – therein, since the wren of which I speak has chosen this decorative and unsuitable bird house on my front porch.
What makes this bird house unsuitable, in addition to its location on the porch, is its proximity to Riley who likes to spend his summer afternoons napping right under this spot. There is nothing Riley likes more than trying to catch bees and other bugs that fly past him and I can’t image he would discriminate against a wren or two.
This wren examined the potential new home
He seemed to find everything to his liking
And immediately began bringing a lovely pile of sticks so he could get started on his new house.
He then sat on the railing and began to sing about his accomplishment, hoping a lonely lady wren would find him irresistible
My recent interviews with backyard wildlife have enabled me to understand the lyrics, which seem to be sung to the tune of “Oh What a Beautiful Morning”:
Oh what a beautiful bunch-of-sticks I’ve made!
Oh what beautiful sticks!
You should co-ome and see them!
You’ll want to have babies with me!
No matter how many times I went out and emptied the house of sticks, he came back and put in more. Finally, I turned it face down so that he couldn’t get in it anymore and that seemed to convinced that he ought to look elsewhere. We were somewhat prepared for this event, since a pair of wrens nested in a decorative birdhouse out in the garden last summer – and ruined it. I bought a new, sturdier version and we got it out there a couple days ago. No wrens yet, but it won’t be long.
Now I just have to deal with the pair of chipping sparrows who have their nest in the dwarf Alberta Spruce in the front garden. My weeding is giving them absolute fits – they sit in the crabapple tree and swear at me the whole time I am out there.
This really cool plaque is hanging in my kitchen now
Due to 
Riley was thrilled
We didn’t all have some – just Riley [though when we were kids, my sister 
And all of that stuff was wonderful and I love it. But my cousin is also an artist. He works at Hallmark in the engraving department which involves cards with the raised embossing on them. [at least I sincerely hope that is what it is, since people he works with read this blog – hi Hallmark people!]
He turned it into something so special.
I always layer the ingredients in the jar I am going to keep the rub in because that way I know it will fit.
I did measure what I used this time, so I could give you an idea of proportions.
, so that it would sprinkle evenly.
Usually though, I just work it all through the strainer and then dump it back in the jar.
You can use any combination of hot stuff. Chipotles are smoked jalepenos – they have a very hot pop when they first hit your taste buds, but it doesn’t sear your mouth so that you can enjoy the next bite just as much as the first one. The chili powders I used for this [I bought all of the ones mentioned at The Great American Spice Company, but they have good ones at Penzey’s and other places too.] – have tons of flavor without being too hot. I am going to use this same rub for Chicken Fajitas next week, and I will show you then how to hot this up if you like it spicier. If you want to make a rub and grocery store chili powder is all you have, then go for it – it will still be pretty darned good.
Don’t tell the cow, but this is great on beef too.
If pork sushi doesn’t grab you, how is this? A little better?
Okay – have to run – I hear a pork chop calling my name! I hope you give this a try – let me know it turns out, okay?
