Our backyard neighbor fired up the grill over the weekend. Starting the propane blaze without cracking the lid. But rather than the clear propane smoke, back smoke poured out of the grill. He opened the lid to find the charred remains of a bird nest. Thankfully no birds. (Or unthankfully if you are fan of suburban wildlife!) Then Monday I captured these photos. Two bird returning. Twigs and straw in their beaks – ready to rebuild among the ashes!

You might think the birds would have noticed the danger. Taken a moment to ponder what happened to the first nest. But I imagine the prospect of a sturdy place with three skylights, plus the aroma of grilled meat (though I doubt they noticed the hint of charred nest), was all too tempting. So they rebuilt a nest bound to be burned down. I guess this is the root of the phrase “bird brain”.

From my perspective, sipping coffee from the deck, it was fun to watch the story play out. The black birds rushed in and out of the grill. They would rest on the edge of the pipe and then pop down inside. After a moment they would exit out of another pipe. In some unwritten agreement the left became the entrance and the center became the exit. The right was forbidden – for whatever reason. The birds marked their home with an array of paints (bird droppings – notice the right was clean, forbidden). And yet I knew how this would play out. Of course I could not warn the birds. I would in the coming hours warn the neighbors, so the nest was not bound to be charred – but removed.

Still, for the moment, the birds had arrived. A Luxury villa for a home. A neighbored devoid of squirrels to battle for suburban supremacy (since our trees are still new). The neighboring backyard with freshly turned over soil revealing juicy worms (my yard in preparation for our home garden). So sipped my coffee. I enjoyed their moment.

And did not stress about what their tomorrow would hold.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-5