Hummingbirds always bring a smile to my face. I can see the bee balm patch from my kitchen window, and I find myself glancing that way frequently when the flowers are blooming. Last summer the hummers seemed especially present, even in unusual places. On several occasions as I sat in the middle of the woods, a hummingbird flew near me, hovered a bit, and then flew away. I’ve never seen hummingbirds in the woods before, so it seemed like some kind of sign. I tend to think of joy when I see them, so maybe the universe was giving me a little smile. We can certainly use more joy in the time of COVID, so I’m passing it on with these pictures.

[Note: these were taken last July, but teaching has been crazy this semester, and I’m only now starting to catch up on old pictures.]