Work and Home

One of my favorite types of birds is the swallow. Whether it be barn swallows or tree swallows, I love to watch them. They display brilliant and sometimes iridescent colors that cannot be matched even in the 96 count Crayola box. But even more than their colors, I love watching them fly. Swallows can be seen at dawn and dusk flying high above the ground providing a spectacular show of acrobatics while they catch their next meal.

I had heard of purple martins, a relative of the swallows, but had yet to see any in my lifetime. I would even see their large apartment-like bird houses mounted on high posts. But I never saw any martins. Until this spring.

At the retirement community where I work, some residents keep up with many martin houses all over the property. And boy do those little "apartments" house a lot of martins! Everyday as I drive in to work, I'm greeted by the acrobatic display of these little birds. There are often dozens soaring above, attempting to snatch the best bugs from the sky.

The other day, Roy came to have lunch with me at work. The martins are not as active during the middle of the day, but we walked by some of their houses anyway to see if any of them were out. A couple were flying way out over the field, but this little guy was waiting for us. He posed for several minutes for us to take his picture.

Yesterday morning, I was sitting on the couch and reading a book to help me wake up. Roy was out for a walk, and it was peacefully quiet. Something caught my attention on the balcony, and I could see a bird on one of our feeders. Because of the blinds and the lighting, I couldn't tell what it was right away. Another one landed on our tray feeder, and just about the time I could see his black-capped head and bib, he let out the familiar song of a chickadee. I tried to get some pictures, but the blinds and the lighting made it difficult. I enjoyed watching the two chickadees fly back and forth from the feeders for several minutes before returning to the trees to sing their songs.



As I sat and watched the chickadees eat, play, and sing, tears came to my eyes. We're moving to a new apartment next month, one that doesn't have a balcony or anywhere to hang bird feeders. And while I'm very excited about our new place, I am going to miss our little feathered friends from our first home. They have been a gift from God as I've adjusted to this new chapter in my life, and I'm truly grateful for the joy they bring to me each day.