Flights of Fancy

At first I didn’t notice the cause, only the effect.  As I carefully folded each sheet from the clothesline, birds dove around me, dancing overhead.  One little nuthatch stopped mid-air, made a 180-degree turn, then darted back into the treetops.  There were robins, at least 3 blue jays, a couple of orioles, a cardinal, about half a dozen chickadees and a handful of nuthatches displaying a choreographed routine.

After all the laundry was folded, I sat down in a lawn chair enthralled by the show.  It was remarkable!  More than once a Blue Jay dove so close I could have reached out and touched him. And the best part: when the orioles joined the dance!  Their orange plumage added much to the display.

I silently tip toed inside to get my son who, upon arrival, immediately assessed what was happening.  A nest of flying ants must have hatched in the soil under our patio stones and were marching in a straight line across the stones, through the lattice and up to the top of the fence post, which is positioned directly under the clothesline.  By bringing in the laundry I had startled them into flight, triggering the neighborhood birds into a feeding frenzy.

We sat back and watched with fascination as the seemingly thousands of flying ants marched up the post and took flight, only to be nabbed inches away.  However, we soon realized that some were making it high into the great blue yonder because several sea gulls began to dip, dive and turn above the tree tops. 

Later we reflected on the plight of the flying ants, having barely hatched and already were someone’s evening snack.  However, I must admit, the blackened top of my fence post thick with flying ants disgusted me. I fought the urge to get the hose and wash them away!  Thankfully nature once again amazed me with its balancing act. 

My boring evening of house work and laundry turned into something exciting; life is such an adventure!  One moment I was mindlessly folding laundry, and the next looking up in awe at God’s creation.  As the Psalmists declare, “How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” (Psalm 104:24) 

May you too be awed by God’s glorious creation.

Blessings,

Rev. Heather McCarrel

Photo by Jack Bulmer