Lake Tempo

Hummingbird murmured a quick hello on her way to the vintage ruby feeder that dangles from a contorted wire clothes hanger. For a millisecond I thought it was a bumble bee but the blurred wing action set me straight. Allegro.

Twenty feet away, a duo of ravens perch motionless in the remnants of a rotted elm tree. They are silent now, most likely exhausted from the relentless concert of squawks and shrieks they have been performing for the past week. Maybe the honeymoon is over and they have already entered the no talking phase of their relationship. Maybe they too are enjoying the absolute calm that presides over the lake. Calando.

The resident chipmunks scurry about the deck, recklessly dodging in front of Fritz our ferocious Schnauzer, ducking and diving between the boards at the last possible minute, narrowly escaping an untimely demise. The striped little thrill seekers derive a certain pleasure in the taunt, as they seem to laugh in the face of danger. And the dance continues all afternoon. Animato.

Life at the lake has its own rhythm and tempo - steady and quiet. Adagio.