These are roses from my garden: Double Delights.
a mother's day gift from my daughter 3 years ago.
Is that a Red Tail?
I decide to take my lunch in the backyard today. I gather my tuna sandwich; apple & caffeine free diet coke & head for the screen door. As I exit the house, my four cats who have been cloaked somewhere all disengage their selves to join me for a bit of fresh air and sunshine; although truth be told; they prefer the shady spots.
I start to eat my sandwich and remind myself that I made a good choice by not getting fast food while I was out when I see a shadow cut across my overgrown lawn; a large bird; circling under the sun; enjoying the day also. I don’t look up; it’s most likely a Turkey Vulture. But then I see a second shadow closely following the first, now I am compelled to look. I stand up to see the oncoming offshore mist coming in. That thankfully cuts most of the glare from the sun as I stare upwards. I see them now; a pair, I can tell by the red glow of their tails what they are and my heart leaps! My favorite! Red Tail Hawks! And before I can blink; I see there are not just two but three. They start talking to one another. I can hear those calls & tears well up in my eyes. I am seeing what appears to be a family maybe; then; from the far north; another joins. Now there are 4 of the most glorious Red Tail Hawks circling over my head calling to each other. Their calls must awaken some long forgotten part of my soul too because my spirit seems to explode from my body to join them; I stand there unable to breathe. I watch them for a long while; then one breaks off and heads north; soon after, another goes back south while the remaining pair go ever higher until I can barely seem them. They are so small against the bright blue that only by not looking directly at them do I see them. They are heading west and on their journey.
I start to eat my sandwich and remind myself that I made a good choice by not getting fast food while I was out when I see a shadow cut across my overgrown lawn; a large bird; circling under the sun; enjoying the day also. I don’t look up; it’s most likely a Turkey Vulture. But then I see a second shadow closely following the first, now I am compelled to look. I stand up to see the oncoming offshore mist coming in. That thankfully cuts most of the glare from the sun as I stare upwards. I see them now; a pair, I can tell by the red glow of their tails what they are and my heart leaps! My favorite! Red Tail Hawks! And before I can blink; I see there are not just two but three. They start talking to one another. I can hear those calls & tears well up in my eyes. I am seeing what appears to be a family maybe; then; from the far north; another joins. Now there are 4 of the most glorious Red Tail Hawks circling over my head calling to each other. Their calls must awaken some long forgotten part of my soul too because my spirit seems to explode from my body to join them; I stand there unable to breathe. I watch them for a long while; then one breaks off and heads north; soon after, another goes back south while the remaining pair go ever higher until I can barely seem them. They are so small against the bright blue that only by not looking directly at them do I see them. They are heading west and on their journey.
© Bill Schmoker
