Sparrows
The feather came to rest on a rotting paint stick. The bird is long gone. Being a sparrow, it is far to stupid to remember what it had for breakfast, let alone realizing that it left something behind to mark its passing this morning.
I thought them adorable when we lived at our old house. The area was packed with trees and woods, thus the birds didn't bother the houses. Out here is a different matter.
There are a plenitude of trees and bushes to roost in outside of town. The food sources, however, are too plentiful for them to bother. Why fly five minutes to grab a piece of bread when you can just stay put by tearing into a roof to make room for your entire flock?
I suspect they've done this to our property; I can hear their brood chirping in the wall behind the toilet. They have wrecked havoc on our next door neighbor's house. (So have the grackles though they stick to the "one nest, one family" notion.) We could install gutter guards like we had in the old house. We can't afford them now.
My mother is fond of the sparrows. "The bigger birds pick on them and won't let them near feeders and bread."
The other birds need to form a home association and banish these feathered deconstructionists.
Perhaps I'm being way too pessimistic. At the end of the day, take heart in the joyous things, and find something favorable to say about your antagonists, right? Don't be so negative about the things you can't control!
Alright. I'm sorry sparrows. My plan is to enjoy you to the best of my ability.
photo: Audubon
- 12 sparrow breasts
- bacon drippings
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 1 can tomato soup
- 2 stalks diced celery
- 4 diced green onions
- 1/2 tsp dry sage
- Pepper to taste
- 1 frozen pie crusts in plate
Braise the bird breasts in bacon drippings till golden all over, let cool and shred meat off bone with a fork. Mix everything together and spoon into frozen pie crust. Top with leftover mashed potatoes. (Or mix up instants.) Bake 35-45 min @325 till potatoes are golden.
