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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1850669-Birds-of-a-Feather
Rated: 18+ · Short Story · Other · #1850669
A story about birds, people, life, death, and love.
Birds of a Feather


bird pictures for blog


Mrs. McKenzie loved her garden, she loved her yard, and nothing in the world gave her any more peace and joy, than relaxing on a warm summer's day in the solitude and tranquility of her own backyard. Mrs. Jacqueline McKenzie (Jacky) as her friends knew her, rested in the warmth of the morning sun, reclining in the oversized wicker lounge chair. The sun made its climb through the sky and shone down into her yard providing its heat, light, and life-giving energy to everything under its domain. Jacky closed her eyes and listened as her birds serenaded her with their gift of song. With the sun warming her face and the birds singing softly in her ear Jacky drifted off to a place of euphoric contentment, and inner peace.
Jacky's garden was a garden like no other in her community. It had been years since she was able to get in the garden and tend to any plant life. When her husband was alive, they both worked hours each spring, summer and fall. Tilling the soil, seeding, and weeding, bending, and tending, then harvesting the wages of their toils.
Several seasons have come and gone, and the garden has learned to survive on its own. A few of the vegetables still participate in the seasonal cycle of life, but the weeds, which were once rejected, are now king, and several varieties of wildflowers have made a home in Jacky's garden and yard. In the center of the garden are two high posts placed six feet apart. atop the posts are two bird feeders. Jacky’s long-time neighbor diligently makes certain there is an ample supply of seed in the feeders for Jacky's birds.

bird pictures for blog


The Finches and the Martins are the two most popular visitors to Jacky's yard each day. At morning's first light, they begin to arrive at Jacky's yard. They are the early risers among the bird population which claimed Jacky as their keeper. The Martins and the Finches flitted swiftly through the air between their perches on the lower tree branches and the bird feeder. "Good morning, Jacky," they sang as they flew past Jacky as she rested peacefully in her chair. "Good morning, Jacky, good morning, Jacky", the song rang out and grew in volume as the group of gathering birds grew. Soon the Chickadees and the sparrows arrived. "Good morning, Jacky, good morning, Jacky", the song took on the melody of an orchestration Al masterpiece. The bird families went about the business of being birds. The Red-breasted Robins arrived to peck for some tasty bugs or worms in the soil. The other birds were happy to warn the Robin family of the whereabouts of the calico cat. There was a un explicable moment in time where it seemed the peace could last an eternity, that was until the crows made their appearance. Jacky truly loves her birds, but it may be truer to say that the birds truly love Jacky.
Not that the other birds didn't like the crows, but the crows were bestowed a very different set of gifts, and unfortunately fitting in was not in their nature. The crows were much larger birds, they tried not to be pushy, but they simply needed more space. The crows also needed more food, and table manners are not one of their strong points. The crows were black and although beautiful, did not offer the brilliance of color to the canopy of nature that the smaller multi-colored birds did. Crows are quite vocal, but singing is not their talent. To the untrained eye, one may conclude that crows are an unruly mob of big, loud, greedy, bullies, but that would be a gross misunderstanding. One by one the crows took up perches on the higher tree limbs and hydro lines surrounding Jacky's yard. The crows sized up the remaining pile of seed on the feeders and began to stake their claim. Ours, ours, ours, squawked the crows. The smaller birds weren't quite ready to give up the yard to the crows. Some turned to Jacky for help. "Miss Jacky, Miss Jacky, help us, help us." they cried as they flew frantic passes by Jacky.

More of Jacky's birds


Such an odd morning this was because as quickly as the crows arrived, they collectively left and an almost eerie silence remained. All was calm when Jacky's neighbor, a widower named Hank, entered the backyard. "It sure is a beautiful morning Jacky," he said as he walked down the path that led to the shed. He went to the shed and went about the task of re-filling the bird feeders. His voice was the only intrusion on the silence as the birds sat quietly as if to listen to the man as he spoke.

As Jacky's neighbor worked at filling the bird feeders he spoke to Jacky.
"I figured you would like it if I fed your birds this morning Jacky.
I put some corn down out front for the crows.
I saw you earlier from my upstairs window and I called your sister as we talked about.
She should be here shortly.
I'll keep an eye on you until she arrives.
I'll keep feeding your birds for as long as I can."

More of Jacky's birds


The job of filling the feeders was complete and the man replaced the remaining feed to the shed. A single tear fell from his cheek and made a splash on the sidewalk as he walked past Jacky and headed back toward his own yard.
He paused to say, "I'll leave you to enjoy your yard now Jacky. Rest in peace"

More of Jacky's birds

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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1850669-Birds-of-a-Feather