I often enjoy retreating to the quietness of our backyard to sit and enjoy nature.  But recently, the backyard was unusually noisy due to several families of Common Grackles.  The dull brown juveniles screeched and squawked, demanding their parents’ attention.  The adults chattered as they made continual trips to the feeders in order to satisfy the endless appetites of the insistent juveniles.  Though an interesting scene to observe, the disturbance made by the grackles was quite the opposite of the peace and quiet that I had been expecting to find.

“We love to expect, and when expectation is either disappointed or gratified, we want to be again expecting.”  ~Samuel Johnson