Shade, eggs, furniture

First off, eggs. The two catbird eggs are now four, so I am relieved that my aggressive pruning didn't stop the catbirds for more than a minute. I can peek out at the nest from my bedroom window, where mama sits quietly, only her little bright black eye showing that she's alive. Do birds have eyelids or just nictating (sp?) membranes. I should ask a librarian.

Gary delivered the potting bench this week and it's glorious. I hope to have time next weekend to outfit it as needed. I had asked for hooks, and boy, did I get them - he told me he just used all the hooks in the package.
  

Susan Harris over at Homestead Gardens has a great posting on brightening shade with shrubs. Having seen bottlebrush buckeye on yesterday's native gardening tour (more on that later), I am more and more intrigued. I think it would work well as a border along the west side of the back garden. Said to work well en masse, so maybe three along there?