By Barbara Jorgen Nance

Winter is wrapping its arms around us. There’s only a few curtain calls left before the migrating birds take their Traveling Minstrel Show on the road. They’ve already put on their overcoats. In past weeks they entertained us with their chorus line around the bird bath, creating the usual rollicking ruckus and singing their little hearts out.

This week there’s a calmness in the air, as though they are observing a moment of silence. Each bird ceased his chatter and gazed into the pool of half-frozen water. Do their dark eyes see their own reflections? What do birds ponder? I doubt they think of such things as crow’s feet wrinkles around the eyes and beak. I don’t think they discuss varicose veins on their skinny bird legs or thinning  feathers, do you? Is there even one bird in the crowd that wants to talk about dangerous or noble or philosophical  ideas?  They have nothing to prove, not do they want to impress each other while gathered around the water cooler. Maybe they just ponder birdseed and bugs. Possible strategy for their exiting show of aerial acrobatics that they’ll perform for us in the “The Theater of Sky” today.

I like to think birds just love their life and go about living it to the best of their abilities, like one should do. After all, what’s not to love in bird world? They fly around at will. They vacation with their snow bird friends in summer and their tropical bird of paradise friends in winter. I want them to send me postcards! Lots of them.

Just a few last aerial stunts before the final curtain call in the “Theater of Sky." The birdsong begins fading in the distance as the Migrating  Minstrel Show flies south. I miss them already, don’t you? The sky won’t appear as blue and the clouds won’t seem as soft. There’s a hollow emptiness in the sky without their song. But unless they had ice skates that fit their tiny pitchfork toes, they have no use for the frozen bird bath until the spring thaw.

I will look forward to their return with greater anticipation than in years past. My New Year’s resolution might be to look forward to all the little joys in life with greater anticipation than in years past. Oh, I have so much to look forward to. I could just sprout wings and fly away.

Excuse me while I disappear.