Hawk on the Prowl

Today I sat in the yard with my coffee enjoying the mild sixty degree November weather. We’ve had a few freezes so most of the flowers and bushes in my yard are already dead. Since we have hawks in the area I often leave brown ones around for cover to help hide area birds when the raptors circle.

As I sat there watching the wind wander though the brown of my yard I saw a very unusual site. From the top of a tall pine in the neighboring yard came a hawk diving down past the house next door and through the small trees to come softly to light on my wooden six foot fence.

At first he sat there with his back to me as if to say, “I’m don’t see you!” but soon he slowly fluttered around to almost face where I was seated on my patio. I could see right away that he was a young Cooper’s Hawk and watching him was a real treat! With every breath of air slid past he fluffed his feathers and looked around for some tiny morsel. As I watch he finally rose into the air almost reluctantly and quickly disappeared in search of food elsewhere.

Gradually, the small birds came back out from their hiding places and began flitting through the yard again. But that moment of majesty made the day have a totally different feel. I love watching all the differences that nature offers here on a daily basis. It reminds me that we’re not the center of life, and we sure aren't alone here!!!

Fall in My Garden

This cooler weather is inspiring for me. I often sit on the patio and enjoy most mornings, now. The birds are flocking and along the fence every morning there is a line of sparrows waiting their turn to dip and drink from our bird bath. It reminds me of kids waiting for the bathroom.

Though the garden isn't as pretty as in the spring and early summer some flowers are still blossoming. The cosmos look great, and the asters are beginning to bloom. But I must admit there is much in the garden that looks quite ragged. But that too gives a beauty of its own. The tall brown stems of long dead lilies are now the perches for the goldfinches and sparrows.

The sweet autumn clematis is beginning at the very top to break out in lovely small white blossoms. It covers the trellis at the back of the garden and has often been called the garden "ice cream cone" by neighbors because the blossoms seem to balloon from the top down. There the littlest of my garden birds congregate under the leaves and flowers safe from the local cooper's hawk as it makes its daily pass over the yard.

The fall can be so restive and quiet here in my garden world. It's truly a place to escape as the days speed by. Here I can almost stop my world and take time to inhale the garden that nature creates all around me.