05/31/2026
For the past six years, the regular visitors to my patio have been purple finches. They nest in hanging baskets, sing from the power lines, and patiently pick insects from my small urban garden.
This year was different.
Perhaps it's because this is the year I am leaving this home or perhaps it was simply chance. Either way, this became the year of the Carolina wrens.
The male arrived first, industrious and optimistic, building several starter nests as wrens do, leaving the final decision to his mate. Her choice surprised me: the abandoned skeleton of an oregano plant, still standing in its pot from last season.
There, amid dry stems and the remnants of last year, she built a home and raised four chicks.
As I prepare for a move of my own, I was happy to learn that Carolina wrens are often associated with happiness, resilience, and domestic joy—all things I hope to carry with me into the next chapter.
This photo captures the last days of the brood before the fledglings took flight this week. A small blessing, and a fitting farewell.
