I am back in Hamilton just in time to miss a great opportunity to snow-shoe at THO. Even so, the birds here in Hamilton are happy to have me back. My feeders are covered in snow that is at least a foot and a half deep now and showing no sign of stopping. After the drive and walkways were shovelled, I cleared off a spot on top of the patio chair and the air-conditioner and dumped a bunch of seed and peanuts there. I am unsure if you can see just how many birds there are here, sheltering themselves in the cedars in between turns, but I am guessing there are about 50-60 of them.
The drought last summer makes food so scarce this winter, so I am tipping the scales for these little creatures just a little bit. There are lots of varieties of sparrows, dark eyed Juncos, starlings, purple grosbeaks a cardinal pair who depend on my feeders.
They pay me back by sharing their beauty with my eyes and mind and of course by singing. They always remind me of my great love, Townes Van Zandt. Specifically Townes haunting voice and lyrics, “the birds were talking all at once” come to me… and so I sing too, along with the little chatterers, in my off key and not so wonderful way.
Thankfully my dogs don’t mind much.
Tiny House Ontario 