Today's Thanx word was 'birds.' Who isn't appreciative of birds? In a way, I feel I am every day. In warm weather I open the kitchen door and am often overwhelmed by the day long cacophony of nearby activity in our fountain- crows, Stellar's Jays, robins, house finches, bushtits, sparrows, occasionally Western Tanagers. Birds bathing, washing food, drinking, hanging out, instructing their young; it's engrossing, messy, smile-inducing and I truly love them all, but I rarely think to express my gratitude!

So, today, when 'birds' came up, I took that moment. I am thankful for the all colors bright and subtle, the often precarious life, the family devotion (even when crows take ownership over the back yard for days at a time during fledging), the charming and cute fluffing out after bathtime. And today, I added in gratitude for the world birds allow us to escape to and explore vicariously if we remember to let them. Imagine being up high, circling, tree to tree, line to line, hunting, scavenging, finding perches, building nests- all in their own airy realm, one I can only visit in my mind.

Taking just a few moments to appreciate these small living things added something much, much larger to my day.