Waiting for Birdsong

"Hope" is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all

And sweetest - in the Gale -is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I've heard it in the chillest land - 

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

~ Emily Dickinson

Today a turtle dove has been sitting in the redbud tree. Of course, waiting for a warm and sunny spring day, like the rest of us!

Seems fitting, somehow, after thinking of birds so much the last day or two. 

Derrick sent me a picture of a bird that had been "hanging out" with him in a parking lot for about 20 minutes, waiting for a store to open on Sunday morning. The gull reminded both of us of the days that Henri found us. I asked Derrick if he had a special stash of seeds in his pocket to entice the bird over. "No and no!" Derrick responded, knowing he won't take a bird into his life now. 

Later in the day, T and I went to the lake. We really just stopped by on our way home from a trip to Wisconsin and Illinois. Made a quick perusal of The Cottage and how spring looks at the lake. Thankfully, the grass won't need to be mowed for a week or two, still a bit too chilly for that. Henri's dogwood tree is far from ready to blossom. But I looked at Henri's favorite curved branch, thinking of our days together. 

In the night, I dreamt of a small bird that gotten into a building somehow. Of all the people there, I was the one that was able to gently catch it in my hands to take it outside to safety. A little girl walked along with me, to watch how it would fly away. The bird was not really a bird I've seen before, but a small brownish/yellowish song bird. It obviously felt comfortable in my presence. Once outside the building, when I opened my hands to let it fly away, it simply stayed in my cupped hands, enjoying a sort of walk with me. 

Can't imagine what that dream might actually mean, but it left me with a good feeling. Longing all the more for a warm and sunny spring day to enjoy birdsong!