Tuesday, May 26, 2009

baby birds


I have baby birds in my hanging plant again. They are almost big enough to fly away. I thought it was cool the first time they built a nest in my plant. Then I realized how difficult it is to water a plant when you have to water around a nest. Apparently it's a good place for a nest, though, because this is about the fourth one they've built in it. I don't have the heart to pull it out and try to train them to build elsewhere, so I deal with it, and the plant hasn't died yet. It is fascinating to me to watch the birds build the nest, then watch eggs appear, then the eggs hatch and the babies grow. The babies are tiny, ugly, and mostly bald when they first hatch, but so small and helpless I can't help but find them cute. Then they grow, getting more feathery but still with big eyes and little wings, a little funny looking. Now they are getting big feathers, especially from the neck down, and have tufty little feather wisps around their eyes sort of like eyebrows, reminding me of medieval-type friars. When the parent birds come to feed them they stretch as tall as they can and chirp loudly. Then they settle down again, fed, and stretch their little wings and maybe dream of being big enough to fly. Reminds me a little of us people, stretching as far as we can sometimes to reach God, reach grace, and stretch our little wings as we shuffle amongst ourselves and dream of one day being big enough to fly.

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