It was Sunday morning, and my boys and I were going to run to the grocery store quick before the Vikings game started.
“Dad, there’s a goofy looking bird out here,” Henry, my 7-year old, yelled from the back door.
“Get over here quick,” Oscar, my 5-year old, echoed in a mildly panicked tone.
I got to the back door in time to see the boys slowly following a grouse through the alley, keeping just far enough back so the strange bird didn’t fly away. I explained to the boys it was a grouse and told them we could look for it again when we got back from the store. The Vikings started soon, and we all know Dad wants to get home to see his team play.
Fast forward back to the house, I’m unloading the last bag of groceries from the truck as the boys zoom off on their bikes, and the grouse makes another appearance. This time, I grabbed my camera and got a few shots from the backyard. I headed inside to flip on the game and notice a lot of action outside the front window — squirrels and birds in constant motion at the bird feeder.
The feeder is a recent addition to my front yard. My mom passed away from ovarian cancer in February, and the feeder was something she got for Christmas that she wasn’t able to enjoy before she passed. My dad let me bring it home, and now I keep it fully stocked and enjoy watching what comes for a snack.
Take a look at that goofy bird from my backyard and the visitors to my mom’s feeder in my front yard that gathered as I watched the Vikings beat the Eagles. And don’t forget to slow down sometimes and enjoy some of the simple things in life.
