My Neighbor's

I’ve spent the last two weeks writing for class. As a result of this almost non-stop extravaganza of writing for my classes I’ve spent little time writing for this blog. However spending so much time stuck to my desk has had an interesting side effect. I have in front of my desk a window to a little undeveloped lot. In that lot there is a drama going on each and every day. This mini-drama of sorts involves the birds that occupy said undeveloped lot. The characters in our drama are around a dozen or so chickadees, the four or so blue jays and the cardinal and his wife. We also have the squirrels aka the bullies of the lot. There is a hierarchy that exists and I am fascinated by the interactions that happen between all of my neighbor’s right outside my window.

So let us begin with the cast of characters and their descriptions. First off are the chickadees, they are best described as the teenagers in the lot, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, are constantly flirting around the lot, fighting over the best perches, hopping up and down on the ground looking for food, chatting with one another and just generally trying to make it through the winter. When the weather turns the chickadees are a great first warning, they find a low sheltered spot, puff up their feathers and call it a day. They are also my alarm clock on nice days, as they wake up with the sun when it’s shining. The chickadees and I are kindred spirits; we’re all just trying to make it till spring together.

The next players in our drama are Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal. The cardinals are a beautiful couple, and Mr. Cardinal is a fine provider, the both of them seem well equipped to make it to spring. Mr. Cardinal and I play a game, every day he hops over to the bird feeder that I set up right next to my window and digs in and every day I attempt to take a picture of him and every day he foils my attempt. He is a shy and allusive fellow very particular about his habits. He and I share a special bond in that sense. The cardinals bring a wonderful splash of color to the otherwise muted landscape that winter brings to the North Country.

Then there are the Blue Jays they reign supreme amongst the birds in my lot. They occupy the highest perches and when a choice morsel of food is discovered by the chickadees they are quick to assert their authority and take it for themselves. They answer to none of the other birds on the lot, but do at times quietly defer to the influence of the cardinals. Last of the birds is the allusive Mockingbird recently discovered who sings a beautiful song and is ever allusive yet stunning to behold. The last players are the squirrels they are the true bullies of the block, they do and take what they want. I do my best to shoo them away from the rest of my neighbors when I can, they are a nuisance and must be handled as such.

My neighbors and I all share in the winter together and we all anticipate the spring with baited breath each and every day. I appreciate them for the distraction they give me as I write and write and write for my classes and I enjoy the stories I make up in my head as I see them flirting and chatting about the lot. It fills me with a sense of peace and contentment and provides me with a good distraction from my school work as I sit day after day, reading, researching and writing. I love watching them and observing their habits. Have a wonderful day from sunny, but cold Boston MA.

Shalom.