They know what time I get up, and each morning they wait in the trees by the back door for me to toss them some crumbled bread.
Then, they call to their family and friends to come and get some breakfast, too. Soon, many more blue jays arrive, and, alerted by the noise, some squirrels arrive, too. Since I’ve scattered the bread in different spots, there are plenty of areas for them all to eat. The summer mornings are peaceful, different from the winter when all seem to be fighting for food.
The blue jay in charge stays in the tree, for he knows, after I finish my breakfast, I’ll share some of my own raisin toast with him.
Sometimes my special blue jay friend sits on the railing and looks in the window at me. I think to myself, “If he had hands, I know he would lend a helping hand to me.”
They are my friends. They brighten my day and give me their company. They are a joy to watch, and I am truly blessed.
— Bernadette Gentry, August 2018