holy shit

Sorry if I offended anyone with that title, but the story must be told...

While re-doing the landscaping in front of my house, I moved a beautiful stone bird house to a hook in between the bedroom windows. This house, never before occupied, has been rented now by a pair of House Wrens, who I found out last night, have since given birth. I love having the birds chirping outside the bedroom window in the mornings, my wake-up call before the alarm.

We are in the process of finishing the border around the house, and last night set out to lay the last of the pea gravel. Because of recent rains, we decided not to drive the truck on the lawn, so I had to shovel the pea gravel into the wheelbarrow to transport around the house. My son was helping for a bit, actually just being chatty (very little actual labor came out of those hands), keeping me company.

He was the one to inform me that there were babies:

"Mom, did you know the birds in the house had babies? I can hear them tweeting!"

"Make sure you stay away from the house, honey. They will want to protect those babies, and we don't want them doing anything to them. ok? "

Time elapses.. Several more loads of pea gravel walked past the birdhouse to be laid. As I'm rounding the corner, I see my son (age 12, taller than I) bending down, about 3 feet in front of the bird house, trying to peer in and see the babies.

All of a sudden, that little House Wren (all 4 inches of him) swooped out and got my son on his head.

"HOLY SHIT" was all I heard.

I of course started laughing hysterically, until I realized what he said. When I questioned his words, he dropped his head, ashamed of what he'd said. I of course just laughed and told him he deserved everything he got from that little bird - I'd do the same if there was a peeping tom outside YOUR window.

Hopefully it was a lesson learned.