Monday, January 17, 2011

Tucson morning . . .

As I struggle with my writing, every morning begins anew. The words don't come, so I walk out on the patio high above Tucson, the sun just lifting over the mountain, blue sky above, birds calling, bright morning everywhere.

And then she comes, as if I were invisible, a small green hummingbird. I stand still. She flits from branch to branch, then settles for long moments, tiny green in the brush. She stares at me, through me. Only her small brown head moves, checking everywhere. She stares at me again, and then she is gone.



Around me, the arroyo teems with life. Other birds fly by: a male Anna's Hummingbird preens nearby; a House Finch brown and blush-red balances atop a bare-limbed tree. Several Saguaro stand sentinel nearby, their limbs punctuated by holes, little nests for burrowing birds, an occasional owl, a cactus wren. Down in the valley, cars stream along ribbon roads. Back to the den I go, all enclosed, the outside world fades, invisible, and I write.

Today's prompt comes from Sunday Scribblings, prompt number 250! An amazing writer's blog. Visit to write or read on . . .

5 comments:

Deborah said...

A wonderful photo, they are darling litlle birds, and a lovely story too, I really enjoyed reading it :o)

Lilibeth said...

The hummingbird with its invisible wings. I love the way you wove it into the story and became invisible, then the world around became invisible.

Altonian said...

Charming tale which I can associate with. I have many birds and animals in my own garden, and the woods all around. I watch, and feed them every day.

Old Egg said...

There is nothing more wonderful than observing God's other creatures going about their daily lives. Birds particularly have been a great fascination for us. Sometimes like your hummingbird they find us and at other times we have to search them out in wild places but always to be thrilled by them.

Barb said...

You were refreshed by your encounter with Nature - the time your mind needed to gather words to write. The Hummer is a gem! I visited Tucson in the spring - the desert was lovely.