Knitting, Yarn, & Feathers

Preemie Spiral Hat

I loved knitting this little hat. I used Lion Brand Microspun. I seem to have a ton of it in my stash, for some reason. The free pattern is Tracy's at Wool Windings. She has a couple of other free preemie hat patterns on her site, too. Mine looks a little wonky in the center of the band. I'm not terribly concerned, but I do wish I'd noticed it and at least turned it around a little for the picture.

Isn't this pretty yarn? I bought it when were were on vacation in Pagosa Springs, Colorado a couple of summers ago. I only bought one skein and just haven't yet been able to decide on a project for it. It is a big skein, though, at 100 grams. It's soft like buttuh!

This is a baby sparrow I rescued last summer. I've rescued several baby birds in my yard, and in my neighbor's yards over the years. I've seen a lot of bird courting going on in the neighborhood lately. It won't be long until the baby birds will abound.

Our neighborhood, with it's fair share of cats, isn't the safest place for fledgelings. Whenever possible, I'll return the babies to their nest. If that's not possible, but the mother is nearby, I rig up a 'faux nest', and have Hubby climb a ladder and place it in one of our trees, making sure Mamma Bird is nearby and watching. I've done this a few times, and it's always worked. The little bird's mom will tend to her baby in the makeshift nest. I've used small, square Priority Mail boxes (shhh...don't tell the USPS), small wicker baskets, and mushroom baskets.

My nails look hideous in this picture. I guess I was too busy playing mommy to orphaned fowls to take time for a manicure. My hands aren't as dirty as they look. I was feeding the little fella some moistened (dry) cat food that I'd soaked in water until it was spongy. If you ever find a baby bird, never pour water in it's mouth. They have little tubes coming up from their lungs (or is it a tube...?). If you pour water in the bird's mouth, you could drown it, and you don't want that!

If you find a baby bird in your yard, and the mother doesn't seem to be around, call your local park ranger and ask them if there is a certified wildlife rehabilitator in your area. If you live in or near a sizeable town or city, check the internet to see if there's a listing of rehabbers in your area. For that matter, check even if you don't live in a big city. There still might be one listed in your area.

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

~Matthew 6:25-26 King James