Cat bird seat!?

Lorraine settanni 12/9/25

 

My  house had the better views of the other two  houses my father built on his subdivided corner 

But also,with the most restrictions. 

 However seeing past those limits, the orientation of my house was ideal for viewing rainbows  and allowed for clear sightlines to watch the lunar eclipses over the past 40 years. I was in the catbird seat so it seemed.

These attributes made living there not entirely bone achingly depressing and suiside inspiring and probably ensured my longevity.  I watched for inspiration from above, and it came in on wings mostly. I had a birdseye view of the miracles that flew or floated across the dome of clear sky above the ponds. 

 

Her first word was duck, because we sat on our porch every night around 6:30 to watch the hundreds of ducks fly overhead on their way to an imaginary duck party we assumed. They flew so low that we could hear their squeaks as if their wings were in need of lubrication. Google said they vocalize squeaks to inform the flock of direction and to keep everyone together.

 

Have you ever seen a night hawk? They are an ornithologist’s dream. I just happened to be outside the afternoon a flock flew in,  an awe inspiring thrill and a blessing to behold. I laid down on my  back in the grass not to miss a moment of their aerial dance. 

 

I was awoken to the sound of the air balloon blowers early in the morning regularly in the late 1970’s. I was on their route home.