Unexpected delights

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Blurry hummingbird
Well, we haven't written since we left Hong Kong! So much has happened since - we've gone on several adventures, and there's a major life update.  Those will be longer write-ups, so for now, let me use "bird-spotting" as a transition from our life in Hong Kong and our life at Stanford.

I've always loved spotting birds, and when I was still living in Sheung Shui with my parents in Hong Kong, I would sometimes get distracted from my weekend morning quiet times looking out the window for little white egrets. I would watch them a while, admiring their wings when they flew or the curve of their necks as they stood in the water.

At Stanford, we live in an area of graduate student housing called Escondido Village. For the first (fall) quarter, we were living in an apartment in a midrise building, on the 4th floor. A tall tree stood in front of our apartment building, and I would be surprised to look out the window at times to see little jewel-colored hummingbirds buzzing by our window.

Now, hummingbirds hold a special place in my heart. I think part of it is because I had never seen one growing up in the urban jungle of Hong Kong, and the other part (perhaps inspired by the first point) is because I did a project on hummingbirds in primary school, cutting out beautiful pictures from copies of National Geographic and copying out by hand information from several different encyclopedias and reference books (yes - that was how we did "research" as little kids). I think I got a middling grade, despite my immense efforts on the report, mostly because I had (and still have) messy handwriting. Still, that project made me appreciate the amazing anatomy of these tiny little birds that can beat their wings at incredible speed.

This quarter, we moved to a two-story unit (also  in Escondido Village), this time with a smallish tree in front of the house.  I didn't pay much attention to the tree at first, but I soon noticed that I saw hummingbirds hovering around its branches every day. The "normal" greenish ones delighted me enough, but sometimes there would be brilliant blue or ruby ones.  I didn't understand why they were attracted to the nondescript little tree.  Anyhow, I loved catching a glimpse of them in the morning as I ate breakfast or in the afternoon while I sat in front of the computer.

Today, I looked out the backyard, and saw little white wisps falling to the ground.  My first thought was, "It's snowing in Palo Alto!"  Upon closer examination, I realized they were petals!

Petals
I gave the tree a better look this time, and realized it had tiny buds all over the tips of its branches, and there were even some early, small white blooms.  Now, my limited knowledge from Local Flora tells me that this might be a cherry tree. 

How exciting! As a little girl I dream of having cherry trees in my backyard so I can frolic among the blossoms.  I think in a month's time we will find out if my dream came true.  (And cherry blossoms in February - how about that?)

For now, I am content to know that this tree is a bird magnet.  Even now as I type, I look out and see several different kinds of birds on it or around it - blue jays, robins, wrens, and hummingbirds.

"How many are your works, LORD!
   In wisdom you made them all" - Psalm 104:24

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