The Birds

While working in the backyard, I can hear the baby bluebirds cheeping whenever Mom or Dad arrives with a meal. While the wren houses go unused, the chicks from the wren family in the flamingo-shaped birdhouse are leaving the nest, fluttering their wings. And this afternoon, a young robin found itself trapped behind the poultry netting protecting the chokebery shrubs; we rescued it. It's a living aviary out there.

Last night when I let the dog out for her final trip around the yard, I watched a light show in the dusk. I may not have monarchs in the milkweed or swallowtails on the spice bush, but at least I have fireflies.

All the plants, new and established, are doing well. I think I am getting the upper hand on the weeds; mulching around the shrubs helps. My yard chores are starting to shift to pruning and transplanting. Soon I'll be eating garden tomatoes.

On a completely different topic, after the latest rollout of Google's new Health app (a replacement for the Fitbit one), my Charge 5 first went on life support, then crapped out altogether. Judging by the online complaints, I'm not the only one suffering. (And as a former software developer, I'm appalled over this debacle.) It seemed pointless to replace it with another Fitbit product that may or may not work with Health. Instead, I purchased a cheapo fitness tracker from Walmart for $25. It works fine and has all the functions I care about, and then some. It doesn't seem to have a brand name, but the app that comes with it is called GloryFit. Take that, Google!