My office is in the sun porch of our 1920s home. It’s a wonderful room and probably one of the biggest reasons we bought the place 30 years ago. This spring I put a copper bird bath in the shrubbery outside my window. I’ve had great fun watching the birds playing in that water.

I was sitting at my desk yesterday and noticed a lot of flapping wings out side. What a surprise! A hawk had found my bird bath. I’m not sure what kind of hawk. I looked at some pictures to see if I could tell. But no luck. I checked out some on line conversations about hawks in my area. But still I’m not sure what kind he(?) was.

I have a feeling it was not very old, seeming particularly ungraceful at take off. But perhaps that’s what happens when you’re in a too small space for your normal flight path. He lighted for a short time on a low hanging branch of a tree. A squirrel started up the tree right for the bird! Man, I thought, this is gonna be bloody. But then the bird flew away.

I brought my camera downstairs so in case he comes back I can snap a picture.

I was thinking about flying when there isn’t really enough room, about being intimidated by someone much less powerful than you. And you know, that bird just flew away. He stumbled a little in his flight plan, and he flew away from a squirrel. But I am guessing it didn’t keep him from finding his next meal or enjoying the sights when he got high enough to see them.

One foot in front of the other. What must be done now?