attract a mate. How fascinating. LIFE GOES ON It is now October of
MY BIRD
One in particular fascinates me. He or she is a gray heron or crane, about two feet tall. He walks all around my patio on his skinny legs looking into each glass door of the house. Because he is always alone my imagination runs away with me and I begin to think he is look- ing for his family or friends.
2012. Up in Philadelphia the maple trees will start turning into their beautiful fall colors soon. Here in Florida we are still in the Hurricane season and are watching the direc- tion of storms far out in the Atlantic Ocean. Isaac missed us bringing a lot of wind and rain but nothing of hurricane force. It is hard to believe that I have lived in Florida for nearly 39 years. When I think of Philadelphia and the streets I grew up on they are as fresh in my memory as if I had just left them. And when I think of the houses we lived in that we turned into homes I can see each of them clearly. I feel as though I could go down to Shooster’s Drive-In Restaurant and play a word game with Izzy until Herman closed up for the night. I can still see Michael carrying a big turtle across the back yard into my house. Or Frank giving instructions to teachers twice his age
Once, when the bird had not visited for a while, he showed up and I got all excited and yelled out to Herman, “Look who is here, our friend the bird!” “Don’t bother me,” he said, “Can’t you see I am reading the papers?” Herman is always kind and courteous – except when he is reading, and then he is better left alone. Another time when the bird was gone a long time I had just picked up a pen and tablet to write about the possibility of not seeing my bird again. At that moment he flew up to my window as if to reassure me that he was okay. Usually he stays for quite a long time but that day he just said hi and went on his way. I had no idea how intelligent birds are. Yesterday I saw a small blue jay sitting on the wrought iron fence. He was dancing around and around. From watching television I realized what he was doing – he was dancing and showing off to
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Helaine, Herman, Dorothy and Shelly
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