WASP FEEDER

I was scooping out a cup of sugar and pouring it into a sauce pan when my son Alex came into the kitchen. “What are you making?” he asked.

I took the pan and went over to the sink pouring four cups of water into it. “I’m making hummingbird nectar.” I went over to the stove and turned on the burner placing the sauce pan on top. “I just have to bring this to a boil and once it’s cooled I’ll refill the hummingbird feeders.”

Alex looked confused. “It’s October. Aren’t the hummingbirds gone for the year?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “They could be. But the days are still pretty warm.”

“Yeah, but the nights are getting colder.” he reminded me.

“I know, but I don’t want to take the chance that a few stragglers are still around.” I reached in the drawer and pulled out a spoon. “I’d feel awful bringing in their feeders too soon.”

Alex looked out the back door. “Well, right now about a half a dozen wasps are drinking from it.”

I looked out the back door and sighed. “I’m out there every day cleaning them.” I went back to stirring the sugar water. “I’ll get this up to a boil and then go out and clean them off again.”

My husband Steven walked into the kitchen and came over to the stove to look over my shoulder. “What are you making?” He asked as he looked over at Alex, a hopeful look on his face. “Anything good?”

“Yeah, if you”re a hummingbird.” Alex laughed.

“Oh,” Steven sounded disappointed. “I was hoping you were starting dinner. I’m starving!”

I pulled the now boiling nectar off the heat and moved it to a back burner. “Now that this is done I’ll start dinner.”

“Yes!” both of them called out together.

Once dinner was done and I’d finished cleaning up I went over to the pan and tested the temperature of the nectar. “Perfect.” I said as I headed to the back door.

It was dusk, one of my favorite times of the day. The sky was a beautiful shade of pink. I reached over to grab the hummingbird feeders and shooed a lone wasp that had been getting a drink. I brought them back inside and began cleaning and refilling them.

“All set!” I said as I held them up for Alex to see.

Alex followed me out to the deck. “I haven’t seen a hummingbird in weeks.”

“Me either.” I began hanging them back on their hooks. “But like I said, better safe then sorry.” I turned around and looked at Alex when I heard the familiar hum of the hummingbirds wings. A ruby-throated hummingbird darted past my head and landed on the feeder.

I looked over at Alex pressing my finger to my lips. “Shh.”

We watched as the little guy took a long drink. While he was still drinking I looked over at Alex. “He must have really been thirsty.” I whispered.

Alex nodded his head.

A short while later he flew off the feeder and hovered in front of Alex and I. “You’re welcome.” I said to him.

He quickly darted past my head and over my shoulder. A second later I heard the tinny ding as he hit the metal gutter.

I looked down on the ground to see if he’d fallen. When he wasn’t there I looked back over at Alex. “Did he just crash into the gutter?”

Alex looked surprised. “It sure sounded like he did.”

“I never thought they crash into anything. They look so coordinated.”

Alex looked back at the feeder. “Did you put more than sugar water in there?”