Two or three weeks ago, Davis went to change the light bulb in our garage door and when he got up on the ladder, he saw that a wren had built a nest there and it was full of eggs.  He postponed the light bulb business so to not disturb them and we've been watching the progression of the beautiful, natural process. 

Finally, one day, we could hear the chirping of little baby birdies and we were so excited.  We'd see the Mama bird fly out and come back with food for the babies.  So sweet.  We'd even leave our garage door open while we were gone during the day, so she could go back and forth as needed.  Yesterday, we noticed the babies attempting to fly out of the nest, but would, then, get stranded on the garage floor because of their poorly developed aviation skills.  A time or two, we've gingerly placed them back in their nest.  So enjoyable to watch the unfolding wonders of nature. 

Enjoyable, that is, until we witnessed nature's more sinister side.  With baby birds falling out of their nest, our dog, Sugar, (not sure the name fits now) decided that a garage floor full of baby birds spelled "BUFFET".  Blair and I weren't home, Carson was at a friend's house, and Davis was inside working.....and Sugar, well, she was outside eating baby birds.  Carson came home to the ghastly scene and found her in the garage, next to Mount St. Shoes, satisfying her barbaric appetite.  She growled at him as he got closer, for fear that he, too, had a craving for baby birds and was out to take hers. 

We were all devastated.  It kind of felt like when you were six and watching Mutual of Omaha's Animal Kingdom and Marlin Perkins would show the alligator take down the cute wildebeest weakling as her family crossed the river.  You'd wince and scream, "No, No NO....you, bad alligator meany!"  That's how it was when we saw Sugar with the young, fuzzy feathers stuck to her snout.  We're usually not offended by the slaughtering of her favorite prey, the lizards, but baby birds, Sugar??   

I tried to remind everyone that Sugar was just doing what dogs do and that we shouldn't be mad with her.  It was hard though as she laid around with her belly bulging looking drowsy from her big meal.  I don't think the birds sat well on her stomach, because she appeared to be feeling sick.  Maybe it was from the guilt.  Maybe it was from the kids' remarks of disappointment sent in her direction.   Every time they passed her dog bed, they'd sneer, "Sugar, I can't believe you did that"!  She appeared unmoved and would just moan and roll over onto her protruding belly. 

It may just be my imagination, but the birds seem to be chirping louder than usual today.  No matter what room I'm in, there are birds outside the window really belting out the tweets. It sounds very Alfred Hitchcock-y out there.  I think they have the house surrounded.....just waiting on Sugar to come out so they can exact their revenge.

We're terribly sorry about the incident, birds.