Waiting and Watching

Their wings and bodies drenched with cold, winter rain, my friends, the blue jays, patiently perch in the trees by the house by my back door.
There, they await the tiny pieces of peanut butter toast I offer them each morning.
No matter the weather: snow, ice, rain, fog, or sun, they wait for me to open the door
and give them this breakfast treat. While I might like to sit and linger with my tea and newspaper, I know they are depending on me.
Each day they gift me with their presence as do all the many birds who come for seeds
throughout the day. The squirrels, of course, partake too, but when the weather
is very bad, they spend more time in their nests, and only the birds spend the day with me.
When the cardinal comes, his red color stands out, and I admire his Beauty.
Many times throughout the day I go to my window to watch the birds.
The chickadees, always cheerful, make me smile. 
In all the birds I feed, I sense their gratitude. 
In this wondrous gift of nature, I know and see the hand of God.