A Busy Street Corner

 

8/10/21 Maple Leaf neighborhood

My mother loved all birds, and her favorite was the Anna’s hummingbird. She kept a feeder for many years outside the kitchen window so that she could enjoy watching them as she had meals. Some cultures believe that when people die, their spirits return to earth as birds. Whenever I’m out sketching and a hummingbird shows up, I always say, “Hi, Mom!”

Sketching this sunlit scene one early morning, I noticed a lot of action: A bunch of hummingbirds were busily dining at the dark pink Neptune’s Beard growing on the corner. (I didn’t know the name of this familiar flower, but a passing dog walker kindly informed me of it because he thought that was the subject of my sketch.) The bees were busy, too. I’m not sure which hummer was my mom, but I was happy to see that she was having breakfast with many friends.