A letter to the Sparrow family

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sparrow (and family),

I'm missing you.

I love how you nest just under the eaves outside my studio window. As usual, I noticed you raised two separate broods this year--the first in early spring and a second in early summer.

I miss the scratching and peeping overhead as I work at my computer.

I miss the swooping shadows of you (the Mr. and Mrs.) as you bring in bugs and try to keep up with the voracious appetites of your young ones.

I miss the entertainment you provided for the cats. You made their whiskers quiver and their teeth chatter as they watched your every feathery movement. I know you knew what you were doing every time you perched on the phone line just outside the window. You love taunting them don't you?

I hope you didn't mind when I put out a little makeshift apparatus of branches this year when one of your adventurous little ones in your second brood decided to "fly" (more like drop) from the nest. I wanted to make sure he or she had a way to practice flying and have a high enough perch it could climb on its own until it could get over to the big rose hedge not too far away. I was so happy it only took less than a day for that to happen. I didn't want the garden kitty to get your little one. You both did so well in keeping track of him or her (I hope you don't mind that I was watching and keeping track too).

I always wonder if you will be adventurous and try to squeeze in the raising of another brood in August before the fall comes. I guess you know better. The weird fluctuation of heat and cool in August would probably be too hard on eggs and chicks. You're probably pooped out and need a good break anyway.

I guess I'll see you around the garden. Hope you're enjoying the bread crumbs I've been putting out. Hopefully they go well with summer bugs. I'll put sunflower seeds out when it gets cooler and the bugs get scarce.

Until next spring,
Cindy