It does get cold and rainy in Phoenix — just not often. However, we have been in the middle of record lows and enough precipitation to upset the wild birds that visit our suburban back yard. My daughter and I bought some wild bird seed on sale, and sprinkled the contents in the grass just beyond the patio. We then spent the better part of an afternoon watching the hundreds of birds that stopped in for a snack.
We were intrigued by the cardinal that pecked happily away in the middle of the resident quail family, and who has been a visitor in our bushes for the past several days. The tiny little sparrows (I think that’s what they were) got bold enough to come up under the roof of the porch and perch out of the downpour. Even the hummingbirds who live in the oleander bushes seemed unafraid of the bird bustle, but did sit directly on their feeder to prevent any encroachment.
For less than $5.00 and certainly less than the cost of anything except a video at Blockbuster, Laura and I shared an adventure that lasted for hours. The day was one of those little gifts that occur with virtually no planning, and certainly no expectations. A bag of bird seed, some rain, and the rest was magic.