Much as my head would like to, my body hardly ever allows me to sleep past 6:30 or so in the morning. Today, however, I didn’t wake up until a few minutes past 9 o’clock. My husband had already been up for hours, carefully tiptoe-ing around the house so that I could get a little extra rest.

The two hummingbirds that nest in our yard, however, were completely annoyed at my laziness. We have to take our birdfeeders in each night because of a neighborhood bear (one of the challenges of having the National Forest be one of the borders of your yard), and I try to re-hang them in the mornings before our small resident bird and wildlife colony become too active. When I hurried onto the deck today, one feeder in each hand”and yes, still in my slippers and robe”one of the hummingbirds was waiting outside the door, buzzing around at eye level, clearly not interested in hearing any excuses about why breakfast was late.

My husband, who’s already convinced I’m completely under the control of the chipmunks, birds, and squirrels who live in our yard, tried not to laugh as the tiny hummer danced around my hands while nectar dripped from the glass feeder as I hung it on its post. Perhaps he’s right”but even if it’s true, the pleasure I get from watching and listening as the natural world goes about its lovely business is absolutely worth being occasionally scolded by small, brightly feathered beings.

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