THE PEACOCK TREE

Up early this morning...brewed a cup of tea and went out onto the deck. Spring, it definitely is the season between winter and summer....had all of the makings of becoming a warmer day, but with a slight reminder that winter was not that long gone. I took an afghan off of the back of the couch and wrapped myself in it. At first I was watching and listening to the ducks that stayed on the pond last night, but out of the corner of my eye I could see the silhouettes of our peacocks roosted in our old walnut tree. It did not rain last night and there was only a slight breeze so they decided to enjoy looking at the stars rather than their roost in the barn. I stayed out there long enough to see if there was any order as to how and who would fly down to the ground. I noticed the oldest female re positioning herself to a different branch. I could see her bobbing her head just like we would before jumping...then what she did surprised and amazed me. She flew over our house and onto the yard between the house and the barn, I thought she was going to just fly down to the ground below the walnut tree. From the kitchen window, I have watched them come sailing over the house from the other side, some making noise, some quiet, but all landing beautifully and then running a bit. I always thought they jumped from the tree to the roof and then flew down, but, this morning, I watched them all maneuver the branches of the tree, take off, fly over the house and then saw the last few sail softly down to the ground (after going to the kitchen window). Our big male peacocks all sleep in different areas, one always stays in the barn, one in an open machine shed and one up in the trees with all of the females. What a glorious sight. I think I'll get up early every morning just to watch our peacocks start their day.