It feels like forever since I've been back here, sitting at my desk, watching my furry and feathered neighbors go about their lives and writing about it. I had a total knee replacement done a few weeks ago which has been a lot harder than I thought it would be. This morning as I sat sipping my coffee in the only comfortable armchair in the living room, I heard a slight tapping on the window and some tweeting. From the corner of the window, peeking out from behind the open curtain, sat a little finch on the outside ledge looking in and tapping away. He was only there for a moment, flying off as soon as I struggled to my feet, but it was enough to get me out of my chair, and out of my pity-party, and over to my desk chair to take up my observations once again. The armchair may soothe my body, but my window on the world soothes my soul.
The birds that live in the cracks and crevices of the house next door have started repairing their nest. In and out they go, hauling strands of dried corn silk, long grasses and other items bigger than they are through the hole in the siding. This will be their third year there and I can't wait until that spring morning when I see tiny beaks poking out, calling for their breakfast.
My daughter has been taking care of my squirrel friends while I have been laid up and unable to haul food out to them. We have had some crazy weather, spring one day and winter the next, but I did notice that they are moving around more, scampering up and down the pine tree and even playing tag from time to time. We have continued to put out nuts and seeds for them as well as for the birds. Recently I saw two of my neighbors also putting out nuts and scraps. Maybe I've started a trend. It warms my heart to know that others feel for our animal relations as well.
Sometimes even in the darkest moments of life, it's the little things that help to pull us out of our misery and into the light of a new day. That little tap, tap, tap, on my window this morning helped me to rise and move on, redirecting my attention on the positive. If birds are nest building, can spring be far behind? If squirrels are playing tag again, and the first tiny shoots of the daffodils are pushing up through the ground, can baby birds and buds on trees be on their way? Those are the things I will look for now. Those are the things that will get me up and out of my comfort zone and over to my window on the world until I can be out there with my little neighbors, spreading nuts, seeds, and love.
And so it is.
