Robin Crazies

 By Maryanna Gabriel

Right outside my front door is a hanging basket of petunias. Great, right? A robin has been bringing wisps of hay and tiny branches covered in moss and placing them domestically about the basket. She has been most insistent.

Please forgive me when I tell you this. I cleaned out the basket and as I swept away the fallen blossoms, I could see this was not a passing fancy. Robin has moved in. For her own sake, and the sake of my petunias, I upped the ante because even I know setting up house by front doors is not a great choice. Perhaps she was raised by a swallow. 

Build a shield, I thought, that's the ticket. I positioned a tripod of three skewers, pointy side up, meaning MOVE ON (for your own good) SIGNED THE MANAGEMENT. Besides, the nesting season is over, for goodness sake. 

"I tried to steal a photograph." 

The next morning one skewer was flipped to the ground as the robin regarded me warily from her flowery perch. Cautiously, I inched beneath her and watered my container zucchini. She held her ground. I tried to steal a photograph. She did not move. This morning when I got up, my first action was to peer through the window to see if Robin was amid the petunias. She was. 24/7 then. 

I have crumbled. Maybe toxins in the environment have scrambled her reasoning. I am unable to muster more fodder. Who cares about petunias, anyway? If she's that attached to the hanging basket then I shall let Robin be.