Good bugs, Bad bugs and One upset bird

Hazel has had more than a few run-ins with bugs and birds lately.  We had an aphid problem in the greenhouse so we introduced them to hundreds of lady bugs and praying mantis, no more aphids. Hazel enjoyed that the bugs were on our side which meant no harm to us or the plants. On the other hand we have had an amazing mosquito hatch this year.  As a result I'm down a few quarts of blood and I'm sure the rest of Alaska is feeling it too.  Hazel and I did a quick cabin trip to drop off the camper and assess winters toll on the place.  Overall things were in good shape, with some repair to the kitchen needed. The best part of the trip was the swarms of mosquitoes that were our constant companions.  Hazel looked like she had developed chicken pocks over night as a result, I'm sure I didn't look much better but I didn't have to look at myself.  I thought for sure the chocolate chip cookies and Doritos would help ward them off, not true. Anyways, Hazel didn't make a single complaint about the menu or her zillion bug bites but she did want her mommy so we headed home a bit early.

If we hadn't had enough excitement already, Hazel and I found an injured magpie at the school near by. I made a phone call to the bird people, they suggested that we catch it and take it to the emergency vet and they would pick it up the next day.  I figured why not, Friday evening what could go wrong?  We were able to catch the bird and then wrapped it in a blanket. Hazel was riding in the chariot and Cahill's seat was vacant, so I figured it was a great spot for the bundled up bird. I put the screen over Hazel and the bird and asked her to make sure it stays wrapped up. This worked for about two blocks, Hazel let out a blood curdling scream, I looked back from my bike and saw that the magpie had escaped from the blanket and is giving Hazel a piece of its mind(one of my finest parenting moments, who puts an injured wild animal and their first born in a confined space and thinks it's a good idea, Me apparently).  I was able to grab the bird and re-wrap it.  This time I put the secured bird under my arm as we rode home.  Hazel had mixed feeling about the event but in the end she decided it was pretty funny.  We boxed up the bird, put a little tape on top for safety and placed it in the back of the truck for delivery to the vet.  After we dropped it off Hazel decided she wanted keep the magpie, luckily I was able to talk her out of it.