Hummingbird Art
We’re fond of hummingbirds around here. As I mentioned in this post, the sight of them is not uncommon, but it invariably makes us blurt in sudden stage whispers, “Sh! Hummer!” Then we watch, wide-eyed, as these flying, buzzing needles hover, flit, fight, and sip from the feeder.
My daughters have produced some fabulous hummingbird art this week.
Here’s Younger Daughter’s picture:
Here’s Older Daughter’s:
We’ve been enjoying bird poems from Jane Yolen’s Bird Watch. There, she highlights the hummingbird’s fleeting quality in the poem “Time Piece.” But today I think of these lines from Mary Oliver’s “Summer Story.” Watching a hummer, she muses,
I am scorched
to realize once again
how many small, available things
are in this worldthat aren’t
pieces of gold
or power——-
that nobody owns…
That right there is the pleasure of birdwatching. Nobody owns them. They are everywhere, and often they are exceedingly beautiful. They are works of art themselves, and the art of pictures or words seems fitting to acknowledge it. I’m glad my daughters seem instinctively to know this.
6 Comments
Ruth
I love that snippet of the poem — following the link to read the rest.
Barbara H.
I actually saw one here last week — hovered around, flitting, looking, for a very long time. I don’t have a feeder for them — I bought one, but we’ve had a time of fighting off ants in this house, and I thought maybe that sweet nectary stuff would attract them.
Your girls’ drawing are very nice!
Love your last paragraph especially.
Carrie, Reading to Know
How fun! We’ve had some hummingbirds buzzin’ around on our deck of late. Love watching them. They are so fast, mysterious and beautiful!
Amy @ Hope Is the Word
Oh, I love this, Janet. Your girls’ artwork is wonderful! That poem is a new one to me, and it is just lovely. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this!
Kelly
They are amazing artists – like their mom. I love your photos!
Janet
Thank you!