Unexpected Joy

My desk sits in the middle of my home office facing a bay window. My monitor blocks the middle window so I can  only view the side two windows as I work. This fall, I installed a new “squirrel proof” bird feeder outside,in the middle of the bay window.  I purposely hung that feeder outside of my sight line because I knew I would get distracted by the birds and by the acrobatic insanity of the squirrels as they try to crack the code of the feeder.  

I do realize that I'm denying food for one type of creature as I encourage another. Why do humans do this? What's with the judgment about who should be fed in the winter? For me, it's  because I love watching birds. My Grandmother Nicoll was a bird watcher and I choose to think of it is an inherited trait.  Plus, it calms me. Which is a big deal nowadays.  

This morning, in the middle of a morning video call with about 12 coworkers, I saw some movement in my peripheral vision. It wasn’t the usual flash of fur of a leaping squirrel – it was a bit more deliberate. Way less crazed.  So, I broke focus and leaned to the right of my screen and saw: 

 The cheek!

I immediately got up from my desk and banged on the window until she leapt away (taking out part of my holly bush with her).

I really wanted to let the video chat participants know what was going on outside my window but, I held my tongue: I’m already known as someone who interrupts a bit too much.  I do get easily distracted (see the aforementioned purposeful placement of the feeder), but at least I’m self-aware! I managed to keep a straight face when I came back on screen so as not to betray my momentary lack of concentration. 

At the end of the call, I leaned to the right of the screen again to check the feeder… and guess who was back?  Again, with the cheeky attitude. 

I smiled back (wickedly) as I calculated her height and spied a higher branch from which to hang the feeder. I've got to protect my birds! 

I cannot wait to see if she's back tomorrow!