Tumeric heads

After several arduous attempts to deflate my bulging form, I finally descended on a minimum gasping and a maximum breathing approach. Yoga.  An early morning time, quiet corner, natural surroundings were all that I needed to perform these breathtaking asanas.  Fortunately, the terrace provided to all the requirements and succumbed to be my yoga corner.

I battled out an early morning tight sleep dream to reach the yoga corner… Closed my eyes and proceeded with my breathing exercises. My rhythm was lethargic; I was slowly lulling into a quick cat nap when some insignificantly tiny flies hovered over.  Swatted some hummers but they quickly returned in abundance. Wonder how they signal and get more for cover.

While tuning back into my meditation, incessant water needles mocked me further from the skies.  It kept its intensity for the benefit of the confused. Neither would it pour heavily nor would it stop drizzling completely keeping the confused steadily on the threshold for cover.

Heard another chirpy chuckle… this time I was ready to retort.  I walked over to the edge of the terrace that is just above the backyard to check out this new hindrance. Unperturbed by all my anguish there were some miniscule birds, balancing their slim bodies on a coconut leaf as they dubiously speculated the jackfruit tree.

 Last year I remembered there was a descent of such tiny black ones who demolished my curry leaf sapling, nibbling on the tender leaves and giving no chance for the plant to shoot. One of them also managed to give a sudden sharp peck to my baffled hubby who was naively flaunting his bird tune mimicking talents. Obviously the birds obviously didn’t like it.

I gawked at these new ones for the year … They stunned me with their yellow powdered heads and chest.. as if just escaped the wrath of a cook who hurled a bottle of turmeric on them.. Diminutive forms with their shrill notes, mumbled approvingly to one another and flickered away without acknowledging my attention.  Winged miniscule intruders with the pride of a peacock... !! 

Tumeric heads!! That’s what I named them… till I research and find their scientific names.

The next day brought in more strident chirps with their corresponding turmeric heads. I came out of the kitchen to scrutinize the bubbly chaos and found a bunch of them busy at work. Four nests were in making. The one who had initiated the nest making had almost a hoola hoop ready.

The others were either discussing with her or passing comments about her work. They soon gathered speed and wrapped up some thought provoking nests.

Nevertheless, the entire household celebrated the arrival of these noisy arrivals. As per each one's wake up schedule, they brought their respective steaming tea cups along to admire this knitting work. The kids took a longer time to gape at them meanwhile gathering the wrath of the elders, who religiously screamed down their giggling necks reminding them of school. 

I was totally frazzled with my attempts to gather information about this tiny bird. Caught up with a nature freak colleague who explained that this could be none other than the weaver bird.  She amazed me with details about this bird. They get this name because of their intellectually woven nests. 

These birds encroached my jackfruit tree. They used strands from my coconut palm leaves without even requesting my permission. They never thought twice about the noise they made jabbering to one another constantly while weaving their nests. They never had any qualms about protecting their "all rights reserved" signature tune by pecking my hubby when he mimicked them.
They just went about their business as if they actually belonged to this place or rather as if they owned this place.

I wonder if this world was actually intended for such winged creatures. The creator commanded “Go and Multiply and Fill the earth”. They went, multiplied, filled the earth. They were dressed in beauty. They were given wings to move all over the world, they never bothered about what to wear tomorrow or what to eat. God was their providence. They nested anywhere on the earth. They never had to buy land, take loans, or sign papers to make their homes.. the world was Theirs.....

They truly inherited the earth from God.