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Nesting Wrens

By Lorraine

Nesting Wrens are the new occupants among the Petunias and Inpatients.
 

Nesting Wrens

The wrens found a secure place in the basket hanging on the front porch.
 
 
 
They kept busy building a nest. Notice the bird on the top far-left flying in with a bit of nesting material.
 
 
Mama wren peeking out.  hmmm… now how do I go about watering this basket?

 

Wrens build an interesting domed nest.

 

Childhood bird rhyme

I have fond memories of my dad playing a sweet little nursery rhyme finger-play game with me as a child and how it fascinated me to see the little birdies vanish and then reappear.

My children remember well, when Pop-Pop played it with them too. Do you recognize this old nursery rhyme?

 

Two Little Dickie Birds
(my dad used the names Jack and Jill)

The rhyme, according to Wikipedia, was first recorded when published in Mother Goose’s Melody in London around 1765. In this version the names of the birds were Jack and Gill:
 

There were two blackbirds

Sat upon a hill,
The one was nam’d Jack,
The other nam’d Gill;
Fly away Jack,
Fly away Gill,

Come again Jack,

Come again Gill

 

 

Finger actions for the rhyme

Here are Daddy’s finger actions for the rhyme:

Out of sight, he would place a small piece of colored tape onto the fingernail of his index finger on both hands.

As he began reciting the rhyme he would show us both of his hands closed into a fist.

The hand actions are: (I adapted this Wiki Chart to Daddy’s version)

 

LineAction
Two little dickie birds sitting on a hillBoth fists are closed
One named JackWith a quick motion, Daddy would flip one of his fists over his shoulder and return it with the index finger extended to show, Jack.
One named JillHe would repeat with the other hand.
Fly away JackThe Jack hand is quickly drawn back alongside the adult’s head. As part of the movement the adult folds the marked finger and sticks out the second finger of the same hand and drops the hand back down to the original position. The child sees that the marking, Jack, is no longer there – it has flown away
Fly away JillThe action is repeated with the other hand
Come Back JackThe action is reversed to make Jack reappear
Come Back JillThe action is reversed to make Jill reappear
 
 
 
Vintage Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme childhood book.
 
 
 
Vintage Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme childhood book.
I am not sure if my dad learned this rhyme from the Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme book I received when I was five years old or if he knew it from his childhood.
My guess is that he knew it from his long ago childhood. ♥
 
 
You might also like…
Hummingbirds and Gladiolus 
Planting bulbs produced gorgeous Gladiolus in the garden and their bright colors attracted hummingbirds. Lovely combination of hummingbirds and gladiolus.
 
 
 
Away With HornetsFinding a bald-faced hornets nest tucked into a lilac bush and deciding what to do with it. To leave it alone, to destroy it ourselves or call and exterminator.
 

 
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Filed Under: Flowers Plants & Herbs, Home and Garden Tagged With: Birds, Childhood Memories, Daddy, Garden

Comments

  1. Toot says

    May 2, 2020 at 10:34 am

    Hi there…I love your blogs. I am so excited to see that you have the exact same Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme book I used to have as a child. When I moved from home, my sister took it and has lost it over the years. Would it be possible for you to send me the details including author, year/date, publisher, etc. so that I can do a search for it? I tried several years ago to search for a vintage copy to purchase with no luck, but I’ve since lost those details to so can’t continue my search. I would really appreciate your help.

    -Toot

    Reply
    • Lorraine says

      May 8, 2020 at 7:48 pm

      Hi Toot!

      Here is the information to help you locate a copy of the book we both enjoyed in childhood 🙂

      Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes
      Illustrations by Esme Eve
      Copyright 1958 by Blackie & Son Limited
      Grosset and Dunlap

      I just did a quick search and found there is currently one listed on eBay. Here is the auction link:

      https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1958-MOTHER-GOOSE-NURSERY-RHYMES-Illustrated-by-Esme-Eve/202970160281?hash=item2f41f6dc99:g:-zIAAOSwSPVenPvZ

      Hope this is helpful to you!
      Kindly, Lorraine

      Reply
      • Toot says

        May 9, 2020 at 9:51 am

        Lorraine…thank you soooo much! With your information, I was able to see the book information better and search for it on a broader scale. I found a really clean pristine copy in the UK which is now on it’s way to me. I can’t wait to receive it and spend hours curled up with those pictures and rhymes again – reliving amazing memories. Bless you!….I really do appreciate your help.

        – Toot

        Reply
  2. Rhondi says

    June 18, 2011 at 12:28 pm

    Hi
    This is my first time to visit your blog and I love the name. We had birds nesting in our hanginf planter a couple of times too. It's so much fun to watch them. I'll be back to visit agian.
    Rhondi

    Reply
  3. Penned Pebbles says

    June 15, 2011 at 2:30 am

    Beautiful photos and my boys used to love that rhyme!

    Reply
  4. Jeane` says

    June 14, 2011 at 12:53 am

    Oh my word! I had COMPLETELY forgotten of that whimsical little rhyme that my great-grandpa used to do with pieces of the sweet and low packet paper at restaurants when I was a little girl! Thank you for zipping me quite quickly back to my childhood!

    Reply
  5. Pattie @ Olla-Podrida says

    June 13, 2011 at 8:36 pm

    How PRECIOUS! I love little wrens so much. In fact, when the blue shoes (now planted at the base of our garden bench) in today's post were in the garage, wrens once nested in them!

    Reply
  6. d~ says

    June 13, 2011 at 12:14 pm

    I love your nature pictures and the wrens are so sweet as is the memory of your dad and the rhyme.
    🙂

    Reply
  7. no spring chicken says

    June 13, 2011 at 3:22 am

    I used to do this rhyme with my kids when they were little, sans tape. Sweet memory..

    What an absolute delight to have nesting wrens in your basket. It was beautiful, now it's stunning!

    Blessings, Debbie

    Reply
  8. NanaDiana says

    June 13, 2011 at 2:46 am

    Oh that is MY favorite little children's riddle too! What is really fun is to "attach" two little birds to their little fingers and let THEM try to get rid of it…and if they can shake it off…watch them try to make the birds come back~ LOVED this post! xo Diana

    Reply
  9. Buttercup says

    June 13, 2011 at 12:43 am

    What beautiful pictures. What a nice summer afternoon on the porch watching your visitors.

    Reply
  10. Garden Lady says

    June 12, 2011 at 11:10 pm

    Sweet, sweet, won't you have fun watching the little birds. Watering is going to be challenging

    Reply
  11. Sandy says

    June 12, 2011 at 9:07 pm

    I remember my parents teaching
    that to me, too! And we just
    discovered this week that we
    have darling little wrens now
    in an old decorative bird house
    on a corner of our fence post.
    It bothers me to see they've
    nested there because we have so
    many cats in our neighborhood.
    They could easily hop onto the
    fence and reach in and snatch
    the baby birds. Keeping a close
    eye on that bird house!
    Have a lovely evening…

    Reply
  12. Ann says

    June 12, 2011 at 7:51 pm

    I remember this nursery rhyme too but with the names Peter and Paul. I noticed that's the name used in the one book in the picture also.
    I never knew about the hand motions though. what a sweet memory

    Reply
  13. marie says

    June 12, 2011 at 1:29 pm

    I remember that nursery rhyme too…but not until you reminded me!

    There are house wrens building a nest in one of my pots this year as well. I discovered them when I was watering it and one swooshed out at me! Not having much knowledge about birds, I headed over to Google and found a good article about these sweet litle birds. The article mentioned that I can still water carefully around the nest…the wrens will fly off when I do and then they'll probably "scold me" from a distance and come back when I'm done watering. That is exactly what happens! Each time the little wren flys off to a nearby tree and very loudly cautions me to be careful!
    I haven't gotten any photos of them yet – they move to quickly for my little point and shoot. Thanks for sharing yours!

    Here's the link if you'd like to read it.

    http://www.wbu.com/education/wrens.html

    Reply
  14. Mildred says

    June 12, 2011 at 1:58 pm

    What sweet little birds! Interesting to read Marie's comment above about watering. Also, I have heard of folks using ice cubes carefully laid down in the pot to water.
    That is such a precious memory of your Dad, Lorraine. I know your childhood book is very special to you.

    Reply
  15. Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook says

    June 12, 2011 at 12:46 pm

    What a lovely memory, so sweet!

    How will you water those plants? Good luck 🙂
    Gorgeous shots!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Homely Baby Bird | Grateful Prayer | Thankful Heart says:
    March 18, 2018 at 5:17 pm

    […] baby wren has hatched from the nest built in my porch hanging basket.  I guess it will take a some time for this little fellow […]

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Lorraine. Welcome to Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart. A place to find food for your tummy, projects for your hands, and encouragement for your heart.

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