12/09/24

I have a collection of tiny bird’s nests. Each specimen is impossibly delicate, weighs next to nothing, and tucks easily into my palm. They are remarkable in many respects. But I keep them because they are colorful. The birds that made them wove strands of white and black are red and brown in among the grass and twigs.

We tend to find these nests near the winter lot in the early summer. The white fibers came from Steen’s mane and tail. Roland and Fitz provided the red and brown. Although three of our horses have black hair, I like to think those strands came from Arlo.

I don’t know what kind of bird makes these nests. I don’t know the color of the diminutive eggs that incubated and hatched in these soft woven cradles. But I like to think of the young birds that will return when it’s there turn to build. I hope they find plenty of new material to work with.