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Where Did Summer Go?
by LaVonne Boruk
"There is a whole covey of hummingbirds. Come look!" Alex dropped the
curtain allowing it to fall down over the window blocking his view, and
turned toward the kitchen. "I'm going to make a fresh batch of nectar for
them."
"They're probably just passing through on their way to Mexico for the
winter," Peggy called, disinterestedly, from her seat at the computer in the
corner. "You know they always leave in late August."
"No, they say we should feed them through September," he called back from
the kitchen where he was carefully measuring out sugar and water into a
saucepan.
When the mixture had boiled its allotted time, he carefully dropped food
coloring in the hot liquid until the red color suited his sensibilities.
That finished, he went outside to take the feeders down to clean and
disinfect them while the fresh nectar cooled enough to refill them.
Peggy said no more, knowing there was no use trying to dissuade him from his
task.
A storm was brewing. Somehow storms always bring the hummingbirds out of
their hiding places, and they buzz around in frenzy, fighting with each
other to get to the feeders.
Finding them missing from their usual places they flew around in circles as
if lost and trying to find their way back to the feeders.
Finally, when the nectar was cool enough Alex hung the feeders back in their
usual places on the patio just outside the window.
The tiny birds had stayed around later than usual this year. It was almost
the end of September and there was a slight chill in the air. From inside
the house he stood at the window, moving the curtain aside to make a
peephole that would not disturb the hummingbirds. He waited, and watched
expectantly.
But no hummers appeared.
He waited some more long minutes that turned into an hour, then two. Still
no hummingbirds appeared to drink his fresh offering. The storm came and
went. Alex watched some more, and waited. Surely the fresh rain would bring
them out.
Slowly, other birds began to appear. They pecked at the ground, and chirped.
But no hummingbirds came into view.
Still Alex stood at the window, waiting and watching for his beloved
hummers.
Two days passed, then three, and finally a whole week had gone with no sign
of hummers. The nectar that Alex had so carefully made and put out for them
was still just the way it was on the day he put it out.
Alex turned away from the window, dropping the curtain in disgust. It was
his birthday, and he'd watched for hours, as he did every day through the
summer, hoping to see the hummers. "I guess they have gone." He glanced at
the thermometer that hung beside the back door. "It's fifty-seven degrees.
Summer is gone. I guess the hummers have gone looking for a warmer place. I
thought sure they'd be here through September."
He went outside and removed the feeders. He brought them into the kitchen,
poured the nectar down the sink, then cleaned and disinfected them once more
before storing for the winter. It would be at least April and probably
later, before he would see another hummingbird.
"It's amazing how those tiny birds can fly non-stop across the Gulf of
Mexico, then find their way back here in the spring."
©2002 LaVonne Boruk
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