Last Friday, in preparation for the advancing winter storm, our school system dismissed three hours early.
This gift, so to speak, would take an unexpected and exponential turn.
Driving along brine-dusted backroads many thoughts crowded my mind…concerns about work, about people in my life who are facing battles…all I really wanted was to get home, to rest, to feel hopeful for a little snow, as we’d gone over a thousand days without any measurable snowfall. My granddaughter Micah, age three, has only seen flurries on a mountain vacation. She’s never made a snowman.
It’s hard to remember exactly what my thoughts were as I rounded the bend where a patch of woods borders a field:
I glimpse the body of the deer by the roadside. Bright pink innards exposed, the only shock of color in the entire brown-gray landscape… when suddenly there are wings extended wide, curled at the ages…
Buzzard, says my brain. I see them all the time. But in that instant, a flash of white.
An eagle. An eagle. An eagle. Rising on its mighty wings, barely three feet away.
Oh oh oh.
I don’t know how I know, I just do: it’s not really flying away.
I’ve already passed, so I stop the car to look in the rearview mirror.
It’s still there. Plain as day, back at the carcass.
Only one thing to do…
I drive a short distance for the first safe place to turn around. Happens to be a tiny church tucked into the woods. I pull onto its driveway – broken concrete, in need of repair – and call my husband while circling round:
You won’t belive what I just saw – an eagle by the road! Eating a deer!
Wow…you better keep your eyes on the road. Be careful.
That’s just it, though. I WAS keeping my eyes on the road.
I am still keeping my eyes on the road, going back…
It’s still there.
I know I can’t get too close or it will fly again.
No other cars are coming down the road in either direction, so I get a short video:
Apologies for the erratic movement…
The video doesn’t capture the magnificence of the bird, and I wish I could have recorded it taking flight, the incredible majesty and grace of it, like some kind of winged dancer… I had to move on before someone came around the bend and found me stopped in their path.
I took the next road on the left…
The name of it, on a green street sign: Glory Road.
One more time I passed the field, slowly. One more time I saw the eagle, just as a school bus came along behind me…I had to keep going, but could see, in a quick rearview mirror check, that the bus had slowed. Not because of me; there was plenty of distance between us. Not to make a drop-off, either.
I am sure that bus was full of children who, like me, paused to see the eagle for a moment, so close, so huge, rising on its glorious wings.
Right there in sight of Glory Road.
*******
with thanks to Two Writing Teachers for the Tuesday Slice of Life Story Writing Challenge
Note: Eagles primarily eat fish. In winter, when fish are harder to come by, eagles will eat roadkill. I almost entitled this post “Provision.”
Discover more from lit bits and pieces
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
lit bits and pieces 
I have not seen many eagles in my lifetime. Wow! They are tremendous. Their wingspan is double the size of our typical hawks. I’m glad you took the time to go back and soak in the experience.
LikeLike
Wow, what a big bird. I have only seen eagles in a zoo. We don’t have any big ones like this in Estonia. Plenty of deer though. You have to be vigilant not to collide with them on smaller roads.
LikeLike
Every so often I will see an eagle flying along the river. An added bonus is when the eagle flies over the high school where the mascot is an eagle.
LikeLike
The eagle is my school’s mascot also 🙂
LikeLike
How awesome! I have seen eagles at a distance, flying, near the Mississippi River, but never one staying in one place like this. I love the way you have described this moment. Your excitement comes through clearly!
LikeLike
Fran, yes! That is a true gift – an unexpected and exponential turn indeed! I know how much this meant to you to see this majestic bird – – and next to the sign that said Glory Road. It is as reverent as answered prayer to be thinking of those facing battles and to see an eagle by a Glory Road sign……a sign indeed, that the Good Lord has it all in His hands. What a moment! I’m so glad you were able to get some of it on video.
LikeLike
Kim – you’re the first one to know: I SAW TWO EAGLES THERE TODAY. On the ground just a few yards away. Stunning. They must have an eyrie nearby. I’m overwhelmed. I hardly dare to hope for more videos – we will see!!
LikeLike
Lucky you! We see eagles frequently here, even flying overhead at recess, but I still thrill every time I see one. They truly are majestic, and seeing one as closely as you did reinforces how big they are. I love the idea of that school bus full of kids marveling over the scene. I’m sure they all arrived home bursting with the news!
LikeLike
Hello Fran! Oh. I am so happy to read your writing again (my fault, of course, for being away for so long). I feel like birds are often a theme in your writing- I remember the ones who nested in the wreath on your door. That eagle was amazing. How cool to find him on Glory Road!
LikeLike
Dear Kathleen – Please forgive the long delay in responding to your lovely comment. Yes, birds are often a theme in my writing; they bring awe, comfort, and strength to me pretty much every day. That eagle took my breath away – so unexpected, so glorious. Four days later I saw it there again, with its mate! It ranks among the greatest sights I’ve ever seen – and I wrote of another today 🙂 Many thanks for your supportive words as always. It is so wonderful to connect again!
LikeLike
You needed the trip to Glory Road… and there it was. I hope you will see the eagles again…
I just spent a week at my brother’s house on a lake and on two days, I saw eagles over the water. Neighbors in the area are protesting expansion of the utility company on the wetlands where the nests are…
LikeLike
Fran, the eagle is enormous and so determined to eat his dinner. Glory Road and the eagle make for an amazing story. The interesting piece is that I also saw a roadside scene that mimics your sighting as I was driving down our street. I was astonished to see the large roadkill. My son told me that it was a deer being eaten by 2 large birds. They were not eagles but the sight made me so sad that I wanted to put it out of my mind. Thank you for your story that presented an amazing scene.
LikeLike