Silence is...?

Last week, I had for the most part, 4 days of "silent retreat". It was so spiritually renewing. This is the forest scene I beheld as I enjoyed the soothing, therapy of maintaining the pool. It was peaceful, save for the incessant cries of a young hawk atop the tallest tree. Anxious either to be fed, or to be free of it's parental shackles,it's cry punctuated the forest. Once, I nearly found myself cursing the disruption. I caught myself however, knowing that very soon he would travel on to claim his own territory. That very afternoon, I gazed in awe as his momma, (who I have named Sienna) took him on his first open-air flight. They repeatedly flew low over our forest home. I also watched as she tutored him in the art of hunting. Throughout the following days, this pattern was repeated, until now the nest is silent~~~
HA ! HA! As I wrote that last line, the familiar cry of an adult streaked through the sky. It was My Girl, with the missing feather. She & her mate,are making their afternoon hunt~~~ right on time !

Coming Out Of The Haze

All this drama has left me a bit out of focus. Yesterday, was a foggy-headed day. for me. Our red-shouldered hawk, of 8+ years still hunts here daily. She is known by a missing wing feather.Apparently. the "new one" DID choose to live in the forest behind us. It is she who is teaching her young to fly out back. I watched her regular schedule before the leaves came in and hoped she would nest here. A variety of factors kept me from going down "below" in early mornings, so I hadn't been sure. Though the leaves are denser than I can recall, from our back deck we can see her come and go. I am so pleased.
The baby wrens are at "that rebellious age", which seems to extend across species. The young ones are fascinated by us. Although Momma is at ease around us, she must teach them to fear humans. She is constantly chasing after them, scolding & they are nearly her size.


I took this image some weeks ago. It is a reflection on aquarium glass. I thought it a unique perspective. Life has been feeling like this a lot for me lately. Thanks to your prayer support, it is getting back to normal. (the "One Minute Devotion" to the right entitled, "Thanks", goes perfectly with our experience these last days. Please check it out.)

My Girl

Do you recall the sound the Wraiths make in "Lord of the Rings" ? It is this bone-chilling screech that you feel to your innermost being. Sunday morning, I went out on the deck and heard just that sound....no other way to describe it. I looked up and flying low, was my girl...for 3 years she nested behind our house at eye-level. next, she moved betseen our home and London's school. I always know it is her because of the missing feather. For all those years, no matter where she has lived, she has always enjoyed her mid-day hunt behind my classroom.....
Anyway, Sunday morning, I heard her make that very sound the Wraiths made...She was flying low and being harassed by a crow. They made a couple of very low passes, all the while her screaming....They circled off and all was quiet, but it was a bit unsettling.