It’s a dog day afternoon, and the welfare birds (as our old friend Joe called them) are coming in for lunch. Singing happy bird songs, too, as if a soaring mercury is what they’ve been waiting for. Titmouse drops four or five seeds down to waiting doves and a squirrel before taking one for himself. Goldfinch waits for his turn on a nearby branch. Lady cardinal flies in from across the driveway, chooses a sunflower morsel, and flies back into deep shade to enjoy it away from the crowd. Hummingbird buzzes in for a drink at her personal feeder, ignoring the jostling of house finches who come and go en masse. Birds, of all different feathers, sharing a bounty. It’s a peaceful scene on a hot hot day. ~K |