April 29, 2025

I am retired. In the morning I take my coffee, settle into my recliner and watch life go on. From my sliding glass door I watch three worlds. The first, about one foot away from me, centers on the bird bath, frequented by squirrels, cardinals, starlings, many others, especially in the spring and summer. The second world is a half block away and is the confluence of two alleys and all the neighbors’ back yards. The third is the sky and tops of trees.

This week I have been enjoying activity in all three. The bird bath crowd was its usual action of pecking for left overs, squirreling away purloined nuts from the walnut tree and just flying from branch to branch with no apparent motive. In the ally were three bucket trucks from the electric company, absorbed with messing around with wires, cables, odd containers and even a blanket, carefully covering something high on the post. The uppermost world was alive with the crow family, swooping from tree top to tree top, I presume busy with nest building and just enjoying flying around.

Then came the day of non-collision. A raccoon wandered into the squirrel/bird world, sniffed around, drank from the bird bath then wandered off. A hard hatted lineman showed up at my door to announce a cessation of power for an hour. And a crow flew down to my yard for a look see, I guess. They usually come in the winter, in the snow, looking for food.

I think there’s a lesson here somewhere. No problems. No wars. No bombing or destruction. No seizing property rights or any hostile movements whatsoever. Worlds go on peacefully. Putin take note.