City wrens (haibun)

Parts and Pieces

Today I was walking to the office the oddest thing occurred.   There are a few trees lined on the border of the cul de sac and telephone wires in between.  I could not help but look up to see where all the chirping was coming from. One tree seemed to have hundreds of city wrens and now and then half of them would perch on the wire and chirp even louder.  I had to laugh to myself, thinking, “Gee, I wonder if this is a subcommittee of something or other that has to come to a decision on the fate of the city wrens in Mile End on rue Bernard.”  I looked up and saw a squirrel scurry quickly on the wire trying to join these birds. I hurried to take my smart phone out and aim…but alas, it was as if they could smell my anxiety or was it the squirrel who stopped the meeting?...they flew back to the trees.    I got about 4 birds on the wire and lost the squirrel. Darn!  So since I don’t have a photo, I still have that memory in my little brain. That’s all that really counts.

Last fall my son and I went for a drive in the Eastern Townships.  We drove through two small mountains and now we were arriving at Mount Sutton. I asked him to take a few photos as the scenery especially the trees were just breathtaking. “No, Ma,” he said, “If we take a photo now, we won’t try to come back again to catch this beautiful scene.” And he was right.  How did he get so smart? 

perched on a wire

city wrens in session

squirrel butts in

© Tournesol '14