What lovely stories - and a great starting post, gnu.

We have a lot of hummers around here. They are presently enjoying my Phlox, and they were here very early in summer for my columbine flowers.

I've a risque rescue story. I sometimes work for a friend whose stained glass business is a bit more successful than mine. Several years ago, I was working in his over-the-garage rural studio alone when a hummingbird flew in and couldn't seem to find her way out. Finally, despite my having every window open, she got tired and lit down, but when I tried to approach, she'd exhaust herself more trying to get away. I was going to have to catch her, and looked for something soft, which is kinda rare in a glass studio.

Now, it was really hot working up there with the kiln going, and I'd already removed the only article of clothing I could, and that article was not gonna do the trick. So I looked out the window, made sure no one was around, whipped off my T-shirt, gently collected Ms. Hum in it, and deposited her outside where she could recover safely in a nice bit of flowering shrubbery. And dashed back in before the next car came along!