Training Wings

Well, I've about concluded our front porch bat is a youngster.  We sat outside till dark and MommaB pushed herself out of her usual shutter hideaway and flew off.  She's larger than LittleB.  I sat outside for an hour to catch the shot of the week!  Didn't happen.  She wasn't cooperating.  I could detect she got to the edge of the shutter but in the time of a twinkling eye, she swooped away.  Thought she'd move out behind the shutter and stretch her wings and get acquainted with the night, yawn a few times which would give me time for a few awesome shots.  She gave me absolutely no warning - was there one second and then she swooped to the yard and up to start her night's feeding before I could get the camera turned toward her.  She was as silent as the night. 

Little One continued to sleep and never left while I stayed outside.  But this morning, he was not in his spot.  But this afternoon I noticed he was propped up above a lower shutter amidst some spider webs. 

Actually only 3 inches from it is a nice juicy spider but guess Little One is still full.  I did some research and found they swoop and catch insects in their wings and then sit on a limb or perch and eat them.  They also swoop down over a water source and scoop water in their wings which act like cups and then it will sit somewhere to drink the water.  How wonderful God is to allow us to have them eating the insects around us while we sleep.  I do hope Little One finds a safer spot than hanging out defenseless only 3 feet above ground.  After all, there are numerous cats in the neighborhood. 

I've talked to mom twice today and she's doing well, although she said her foot is sore.  She took some Tylenol and removed her boot which she said was actually more uncomfortable than not wearing it because her foot swelled.  She promised me she had propped it up most of the day.  Each day will be better and she'll be fine soon.  Tomorrow she is permitted a bath and then she is to remove the bandage, clean the area, put Neosporin on the incision and then keep a bandaid on it.  She is to perform the  clean/Neosporin/bandaid routine twice a day beginning Sun. 

Sweetz picked beans and squash today and I took some down to mom.  I even washed and snapped the beans for her.  I cooked a pot of beans and steamed the squash with some herbs to go with our supper which was delicious.  We'll be having squash and beans about every day for weeks now. Yummy garden produce.  I cut big handfuls of thyme today.  It's washed and on a tray for drying.  Tomorrow I plan to harvest the sage, rosemary, and oregano and let them dry for winter use.  Tomorrow I will take leeks, potatoes and a garlic to mom. I'd say we'll all be eating grand. 

The skies are about dark, both from the time of day but also from an approaching storm.  Hope we get some rain out of this front! I read that bats don't fly in the rain.  Oh well, I guess they get to snooze during the rain too.  Might not be a good idea for humans too.