It has been a quiet week. Today is rainy and grey, simply increasing my tendency to nest about the house. Speaking of nests, I have had birds on my mind. They are such beautiful creatures, and make such delicately complex homes. As I walked back up our driveway after getting the kids on the school bus, I noticed a nest tucked into a bush. Bittersweet grew about the bush, and a bunch of the bright orange and yellow berries had fallen into the nest. It was quite a delight for the eye.
Yesterday, I happened upon a large group of turkeys while hiking in the woods. It was the first group I had seen in quite some time. In the winter, they come close to the house, scavenging for windfall around the apple trees and staking claim to anything that falls out of the bird feeders.
We have also had a great blue heron in residence. There are several bodies of water close to our house, including a pond and a stream. It is not uncommon to see this large bird fishing, oh so still and patient, at the water's edge.