Patience (written by James A Autry, about an experience with his autistic son Ronald, who had the patience to gently catch hummingbirds by reaching slowly up to where they were on the feeders until they'd settle in his hand "almost as if they were waiting for him")
The porch was alive with hummingbirds Swarming the feeders, Hovering with their invisible wings, Darting away and back, Delighting all of us dude ranchers Sitting in the big Adirondack chairs After a day on the trail. Ignoring the admonitions, Ronald could not stay away, "Don't worry," the ranch boss said, "He can't catch them." But the boss did not count on a patience He'd never witnessed before, A boy, moving as slowly as the wings were fast, The birds waiting to be cupped in the boy's hands. Then released back to their busy work, Each christened with a new name.
Surprisingly noisy, too, like a big dragonfly. I've gotten a couple of photos through the years as the ones that frequent my porch sometimes come by and hover in a way they probably think is menacing when I'm out there. CLICK. Gotcha, suckaa. Very beautiful; green with red markings.
I've retrieved several trapped by the garage window. Using the door doesn't occur to birds except to come in.
Hummingbirds are unalarmed by being carried, wait a few seconds after being released, then zing away and upwards. Obviously mixed feelings. Bird ambivalence.
Chipmunks regard motionless people the same way as hummingbirds do. You can hand feed them just by not moving, and they climb on you if necessary.
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Wow!
Patience (written by James A Autry, about an experience with his autistic son Ronald, who had the patience to gently catch hummingbirds by reaching slowly up to where they were on the feeders until they'd settle in his hand "almost as if they were waiting for him")
The porch was alive with hummingbirds
Swarming the feeders,
Hovering with their invisible wings,
Darting away and back,
Delighting all of us dude ranchers
Sitting in the big Adirondack chairs
After a day on the trail.
Ignoring the admonitions,
Ronald could not stay away,
"Don't worry," the ranch boss said,
"He can't catch them."
But the boss did not count on a patience
He'd never witnessed before,
A boy, moving as slowly as the wings were fast,
The birds waiting to be cupped in the boy's hands.
Then released back to their busy work,
Each christened with a new name.
mmmm petunias.
Hummers are amazing creatures.
Surprisingly noisy, too, like a big dragonfly. I've gotten a couple of photos through the years as the ones that frequent my porch sometimes come by and hover in a way they probably think is menacing when I'm out there. CLICK. Gotcha, suckaa. Very beautiful; green with red markings.
I've retrieved several trapped by the garage window. Using the door doesn't occur to birds except to come in.
Hummingbirds are unalarmed by being carried, wait a few seconds after being released, then zing away and upwards. Obviously mixed feelings. Bird ambivalence.
Chipmunks regard motionless people the same way as hummingbirds do. You can hand feed them just by not moving, and they climb on you if necessary.
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