I visited with Daddy yesterday. He’s struggling with his lung cancer but is very brave in the midst of it. It is good to be with him.
A pair of cliff swallows built a nest on his porch some weeks ago. We’ve been watching them ever since. Daddy has been very respectful of them, even though they make a mess on his porch. He goes through his garage door whenever possible so as not to disturb them.
Whenever I visit, I attempt to photograph the babies. They don’t seem to mind. Yesterday when I arrived, I went to the porch because the garage door was closed. I looked up and saw all the babies perched on the eave beside their nest. They had not yet flown.
I went in the house to greet Daddy, then got my camera. I didn’t want to startle the babies into early flight so I changed the setting on the camera to no flash. I went back to the porch while daddy watched from just inside the door. The moment I snapped the photo, with no sound and no flash, all the babies flew! Daddy shrieked his delight.
I ran out and watched the babies soaring above me with ease, then returned to the porch to give Daddy a hand down the stairs so he, too, could see. We watched for several minutes as the babies circled above us, delighted by their strength, ease, and grace. I was worried that I had startled them into flight too soon but several hours later they returned to the nest.
It’s a miracle to watch such vulnerable little babies grow, then fly. It’s a gift to share that miracle with my Daddy.
