“Alex!” I called out to my son. “You have to see this!” I was kneeling on our couch my elbows leaned against the windowsill looking out our window.
Alex came into the living room. “What’s up?”
“You have to see all the robins in our holly tree!”
Dozens of robins were scattered on our front lawn. They’d fly into the holly tree where they’d pull off one of the berries than fly back to the lawn or a tree branch to eat their yummy snack. The holly tree was actually vibrating with action. “It’s like having a bird feeder that I don’t have to fill!”
Another dozen robins were stationed under the tree catching all the berries that were falling to the ground.
“Isn’t that crazy looking?” I look over at Alex. “It’s nature’s bird feeder.”
“They sure are hungry.” Alex agreed. “How come we never see them at the bird feeders?”
I turned around and sat down on the couch then shrugged my shoulders. “I guess they don’t like seeds.”
Alex went into the kitchen. “So besides holly berries what do they eat?”
I picked up my phone, followed him into the kitchen, and leaned against the counter to do a quick search. “Okay, it says here that they like fruit.” I looked over at our fruit bowl sitting on the counter.
Alex looked over and began to laugh. “You’re going to make them a little fruit salad?”
“I’d cut up an apple for them but…” I looked back at Alex. “It’s one of the first times I splurged and got organic.” I pointed to the apples. “They cost a fortune!”
“Hey, I ate one of them the other day.” Alex looked surprised. “I thought they tasted better than usual.”
“You can taste the difference but the robin’s aren’t going to.” I picked up an apple and gave it a quick wash before taking a bite. “They can wait until I go grocery shopping and get the cheaper ones for them.”
I held up the apple as I swallowed the first bite. “Oh my gosh, you can definitely taste the difference!”
“I told you.” Alex looked out the kitchen window. “By the way the bird feeders are empty again.”
“Ugh,” I placed my apple on the counter and headed for the back door. “Keeping these bird feeders filled feels like a full time job!”
Alex came to the back door as I went over to the canister we kept the bird seed in. “Well, now that you’re going to start putting fruit plates out for the robin’s I’m pretty sure you are making it a full time job.”
I sighed as I left the porch and headed for the feeder. “I know.”
“You know who else is going to like the fruit plate?”
I stopped and turned around to look at him. “Who?” I asked feeling a little confused.
“The squirrels.” Alex laughed as he pointed on one that was hanging upside down on one of my feeders trying to get to the last of the seeds.
“They’re the real reason I’m always refilling these things!” I cried as I waved my arms to scare it off the feeder. “Shoo…” I cried.
Nothing more annoying then the blank stare of an unafraid squirrel.
Slice of Life 