Hello bean blossoms, and welcome back to the Good to Grow blog.

The hummingbirds are back!

A few days ago, an angry tiny bird appeared by my office window while I was working. I heard him before I saw him. Yay, the hummingbirds are back, I thought to myself. Then I went back to work.

And he flew by the window again. And again. And again. And again.

So I stopped working and pulled out my favorite feeder. Yes, I encourage the bad behavior. I’m a sucker for it, actually. They’re so mean, but they’re so pretty!

I pulled out a pitcher and sugar, and measured out one part sugar to four parts water (I use filtered water – no wonder they’re so impatient, they’re spoiled!). As I stirred the mix I couldn’t help but stare at the feeder and think about my Dad.

You see, I bought this feeder for his 70th birthday. He looooooved watching birds. He used to email me photos of the hummingbirds around his house in New York. So when his birthday approached, I went to Wild Birds Unlimited here in Albuquerque, and I picked out this feeder for him.

I got to see his delight when he opened it. Later, he emailed me photos of it hanging next to his house.

Then he died, a little more than a month later, suddenly, of a heart attack.

The feeder came back to me, and now, every time I look at it, I think of him. It’s that time of year again, when life begins anew. Yep, the hummingbirds are back alright.