Woozy from impact, the little pygmy nuthatch fluttered drunkenly back to a juniper branch after smacking headlong into our upstairs window. Immediately upon landing to collect his wits, another pygmy nuthatch snappily flew in and perched beside him. An onslaught of chittering from the new little bird filled the air. She flipped from one side to the other, relentless with what sounded like:

“What were you thinking? I TOLD you not to fly there! We had this conversation yesterday! You could have DIED! We’ve been over this! THAT is a thing you cannot fly through! You never listen to me!” On and on she went with her I-Told-You-So lecture. He just sat there. Absorbing the pain.

It reminds me of my middle son. He learns by doing. Not by hearing. He was the little guy who, after I told him not to put a zip-tie on his finger, he put a zip-tie on his finger. And tightened it. Then there was the washer. You know the thing that goes between the screw and a surface? Yep, I agreed it was cool, but,

“Do not to put it on your finger.”

It took olive oil, engine grease, vinegar, butter, ice, and finally a neighbor’s bolt-cutter to remove it.

He was also told to not run immediately after receiving a cast for a broken arm. “You might trip and fall and hurt your arm,” but as soon as we got home from the doctor, guess what he did. You got it. Ran, tripped, fell and landed on his fresh cast. Ouch. He learns by doing.

I’m guessing this little pygmy nuthatch was just as stubborn. I bet his mom later said, “Do not go play around in that bird bath down there. You might get cold/sick/hurt.” And that’s exactly what he did. Ha. Mom got the kid to take a bath. Sometimes moms have to play the game. Oh? And we do.

Splashy Bath. 12×12 watercolor on gessoed wc paper, matted with foam-core backing. $40.

And here he is, enjoying every minute, throwing water everywhere, thinking he’s tasting the forbidden fruit.

Do you remember a time when someone gave you a lecture like this…and you deserved it? Or when you had to bite your own tongue to keep from saying I Told You So? Comment your experience. I’d love to hear it!

Purchase this original watercolor for just $40 to remind you of  those times when you have been on either the receiving or giving end of an I Told You So lecture. Or, purchase it just because he’s so cute! The painting is an 8×8 watercolor on gessoed paper, matted into a 12×12 with a foam-core backing and placed into an acetate bag to protect it from the elements. To purchase, send me an comment. I accept PayPal and will email a PayPal invoice.

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All images and paintings on this site copyrighted by Sarah B Hansen.