Yuck

For as long as I can remember, I have been intrigued by nature's rhythms: growing seasons, weather patterns, animal babies in the spring, swallows returning to Capistrano. What a phenomenon, those birds flying in at the same time every year. How romantic. Not! Those crazy swallows also return to my house every year - usually on May 1. How do they know May has arrived?

We didn't see any swallows the first couple of years, then, boom, swarms of them nesting under our eaves, pooping on my roof outside the studio window. And I need to open that window when I heat my wax medium and paint. Ewwww. Now on our new patio, we sit right below the other high peak of the roof - just where the swallows like to nest.

Finally last year, we had our pest control man spray a repellent. When it seemed ineffective, he returned and resprayed. That worked. Birds liked my roof, but didn't nest under the eaves. So he sprayed again this March. Then on Saturday, May 1, I noticed a few birds. By yesterday, swarms of them. Today, pest man sprayed again. It is illegal to spray or do anything to nests once eggs are there. So we had to hurry.

The birds are beautiful. And I do like them when they aren't bombing me on the patio, but I really really want them to nest somewhere else. Please little swallows!

Yuck.