Every morning as I sit at my desk, I get paid a visit by this tiny little bird whose voice is as big as an eagle's. This little guy (or gal – how do you tell?) makes me smile each time he lands on my balcony and his voice gently pulls my attention from whatever work I am doing to *stop*, listen, and contemplate the beauty of nature.

He’s only about 4 inches long, stem to stern, but he calls out like a big boom box of a bird with the treble maxed out. His is the kind of singing and whistling that is caricatured in those old cartoons: “Tweet, tweet, tweeeeeeeeeeet, ptweet!” He has a recurring 12-note call that could coax a cranky old goat into a bird-lovin’ mood.

I’ve learned I'll scare him away if I don't sit still...which creates the PERFECT opportunity for me to take a moment of gratitude and count my blessings.

Today he is staying an extra long time, grooming, preening, fluffing his tail, and hootin’ it up for the ‘hood. Ta-weeeeeeeeeeeeet! What an amazing way to start my day.

My face hurts from smiling :o) Tweety’s got nothin’ on my bird!