The Ballad of a Dove

I like to leave my blinds open while I sleep. That way I can fall asleep with the moon as my nightlight and wake as the hazy rays of dawn slowly fill my room. The numerous windows and a skylight over my staircase were what drew me to buy this particular townhouse. About a year after I moved in, I discovered that when the moon is full, its path aligns with my skylight as the hands of the clock tick past the the ending of one day into the next. The first time this happened, I laid in the middle of my hallway, with my back pressed to the cool wooden floor, captivated by the moon. In the stillness, I let the overwhelming sense of awe wash over me. I finally felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I was both grounded in myself and connected to the world around me. I fell asleep feeling full of gratitude that I get to call this home.

My deck is nestled between the branches of tall, verdant trees. I often sit outside and watch as cherry red cardinals hop between arched branches and squirrels scramble along the tops of interconnected fences. A melodic ambiance of bird song and wind whispering through trees fills the air.

Meandering sidewalks give way to a hidden oasis where boats rest along docks overlooking a tranquil yet active creek. Witnessing the enchanting sunset by the water with my family or embarking on exciting kayak adventures has allowed us to create unforgettable moments without ever stepping foot outside of our own neighborhood.

Winter blankets the neighborhood in a quiet stillness, but with the return of warmer weather, the sound of children's laughter and the whirr of bicycles fill the air, bringing a sense of joyful energy to the community. We stop and talk with neighbors on our way to the playground and make new furry friends with each dog we pass.

As time goes on, it's easy to become accustomed to what we have and overlook the hidden gems right where we are. While I love exploring new destinations and mapping out adventures, I often find myself surprised by the beauty and excitement waiting for me just around the corner when I return home.

And sometimes, there is magic to be found, even in my own front yard.

March rolled in like all the months before, but there was a hint of warmth to the air, blooming yellow daffodils and the promise of longer days. It was refreshing to finally shed some of the heavy layers of winter. Much to my delight, I found that it also brought a dove to a nest that had long been abandoned in my front tree. The dogwood’s bare branches, not yet filled with the leaves of summer, made it easier to watch her. Greeting the dove each morning and as I returned from work each night became part of my routine. Madelyn named her Emma. In addition to my salutations, I also started saying things like

“Mrs. Emma, you are such a beautiful dove”

and

“How is your day pretty girl”

My neighbors probably thought I was talking to my tree, but I didn’t care. I was excited to have a new companion. March also brought an onslaught of thunderstorms. Drenching rain and winds whipped through the tree’s branches. However, Emma did not seek out better shelter, and I began to wonder if she might be sitting on eggs.

Thursday, March 14th began like any other work day. My cat Piper, eager for attention and breakfast, alternated between batting items off of my dresser and trying to nudge me awake. The buzzing of my alarm clock pierced my dreams, and I pushed snooze more times that I should have. Eventually, I reluctantly pulled myself from hibernation. Pushing aside warm covers, I rubbed the remnants of sleep from my eyes as I made my way downstairs.

I really should set my coffee maker the night before. My half asleep brain and slow to coordinate movements sometimes lead to coffee grounds spilled on their way to the coffee maker. But I kind of like the routine of making the coffee each morning. It gives me time to look out my front window while I wait for the coffee to brew.

As the earthy aroma of coffee permeated my kitchen, it invigorated my senses. I looked to see if Emma was still on her nest. While she had been mostly stationary for the past 2 weeks, I thought I saw movement. I grabbed my camera, zoomed in and found that there were 2 baby doves in the nest! Instantly wide awake, I raced to grab my tripod. I shoved aside the low table that sits in front of the window, set up my tripod, and quickly searched for a view of the nest. All of my commotion must have woken Madelyn earlier than usual, because a few photos in, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I excitedly exclaimed

“Madelyn! Mama Emma had babies! Come here, you can see her better on my camera!”

I texted my mom, who has an apartment in my lower level, to tell her the same. I grabbed a stool so Madelyn could see the camera screen more easily and we stood there together watching. My mom emerged just a few minutes later.

The level of excitement in our kitchen was palpable. As we huddled around my camera, Madelyn asked questions like

“Can the babies even breathe?”

(Because the babies were snuggled up under the blanket of Emma’s feathers). And

“Are the eagles going to get the babies?!”

I did my best to answer her questions and explained that Mama Emma would do her best to protect the babies. Jacob had left to catch the bus just as I was making my coffee, so he was unfortunately not able to be part of our welcoming committee. However, I texted him to let him know and sent him a couple photos of the babies.

Time flew by in those exciting moments. It was hard to pull myself from the camera to go get ready. I set the camera to record as I got dressed, hoping to capture more of the unfolding story to view later. Before leaving the house, I gave my mom a quick rundown on how to reset the camera to record while I was gone. She felt unsure of her abilities, but we talked again on the phone later that morning, and I helped walk her through the buttons to push. After a few tries, she was able to successfully capture some video and pictures in my absence. When Jacob got home from school around 3, I called him and repeated the lesson. He gladly cooperated with my crazy requests and incessant texts reminding him to push record.

For the next 2 weeks, this was our daily routine. I woke early, without hesitation, excited by the opportunity to see what Emma, daddy bird (who we got to see later that first week) and her babies were up to. My backup crew captured some video and photos through the day, and I returned anxious to catch a few more photos before the sun dipped below the horizon. The weekends were exciting as I had a full days to observe.

While Emma retained her namesake for the entire time she visited us, daddy bird and the babies went through many renamings. Madelyn first named the babies Kiki and Eric, but they ended up as Rosey and Megatron (from Jacob, although we cannot mention this name in front of Madelyn as she insists the baby is NOT Megatron!). Daddy bird became known as River.

So, as you have not have the opportunity to meet our little dove family, let me introduce you to Mamma Emma, Daddy River, Rosey and Megatron. The mama dove has a much fluffier head and the daddy has a slimer head with a streak of iridescent blue on the top and a bit of pink on his neck. It is difficult to tell them apart at first glance, easier when you see them together.

These photos are my favorites from the first few days. I have been waiting to share as I am working on combining my photos and videos into a sort of dove documentary. However, considering that the full compilation is taking awhile and these photos are too adore able to wait, I’m going to go ahead and start sharing them. This is just the first few days of a magical 2 weeks we had watching the babies grow.

There are so many more, and I hope you will be just as excited as I was to hear the rest of the story.

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