There’re Back!

Awwww …. One of my most favorite signs of spring is upon us … the hummingbirds arrived this morning at the feeders and are busy about getting stocked back up on their sugar water. I was starting to get a bit concerned since they usually would arrive about middle of this past month, but then again we’ve been having some terrific storms along their migratory root so all is forgiven!

Funny how I notice these sorts of things now days when it made little to no difference to me in earlier years. I suppose it’s just another sign of ageing or perhaps, now that I’m no longer a card carrying member of the rat race, I have a little more time to notice what which is truly important. Along with the birds, feral cats, wild turkey, rabbits, deer of course, the occasional skunk the parade through the property has resumed. I can predict the time of day simply by looking out the window to see who is on their way in or out of the large woods behind my house. This year there have been considerably more rabbits than in years gone by. Yesterday, out of the corner of my eye I noticed one, then two, then five and before it was all over I counted 22 of the critters scrambling over open ground, avoiding the many red tailed hawks that seem to be circling on a daily basis.

I suppose it’s these things, my garden and a few friends I see each day at breakfast that have eased the pain of being an elder orphan. I’ve been offered a few jobs over the past year, but each would essentially require me to move to another city in a different state and start all over again. I do enjoy the challenge, but now days the risk is a bit more than I care to endure. What good is a great job when the place you live isn’t as great so why take the chance? Again, another sign of the times …. A tiny bit of fear for the unknown.

But, thankfully, more of my friends have returned, on wing, to amuse me with their acrobatics and their antics. It seems to be the smaller things in life now that I’m most thankful for … I just hope I never forget that!