The trees offer gifts everyday. During war, birds still sing. Hummingbirds still feed their babies every ten minutes. The fear of the crow coming to steal their eggs does not prevent the hummingbird from being a hummingbird and continuing on it’s hummingbird life. The hummingbirds get in territorial wars at the feeder multiple times a day. They attack, chase, and rest on a branch waiting for the next intruder.
A hummingbird will defend its nest, its food, its means for survival and legacy at all costs.
The end of May is female hummingbird season. We have three feeders – one out front and two in the back – last night I saw the first and tiniest female hummingbird while I was sitting in my Adirondack chair. They are quieter when they fly and much more calm. I saw the other type of female hummingbird on my balcony this morning, while I was eating my breakfast – a larger species – with the same low hum as it flew by.
When my dad was in the hospital dying… I saw things that others didn’t – I saw him shed a tear when he was being wheeled to get a CT scan – or MRI.
I knew, that he knew, at this moment – he was going to die soon.
We brought geraniums – the red ones – to his room – his favourite flower.
Each time the hospital lunch would come he would always order a medium-rare T-bone steak with a glass of cabernet sauvignon – saying it in a way only my dad could.
Even when death was on his doorstep – he was able to fill the room with soft laughter – doing his best to make his last moments count – at least while his kids were in the room.
I stayed strong for my sister…she collapsed on the floor when he passed.
where rivers are born 