El Dorado Apartments

creating families, creating places to live to raise their young, constantly foraging for food and water and a safe place to rest at night. Have you looked at any birds lately? Gone outside this ark, recently, to listen to them call one another, to watch them dive and soar and float on invisible currents of air. Scientists tell us they are descendants of dinosaurs. They also harbor the same incredible gift - life. El Dorado has Boat Tail Grackle nesting sites in the two story high hedges on the east and Sparrows have smaller nesting sites on top of the brick columns that hold up the balconies and the expansive roof. The huge flower pots in strategic places on the ground squat in their base trays that retain water for the flowering plants. These trays also afford drinking facilities for birds and rabbits and many other thirsty creatures. The short hedges out front quiver at times with all the birds dancing in them. Rabbits have nests in the bunch grass out front. Squadrons of Sparrows zip through the entry portico barely missing the residents sitting in the rocking chairs. Early mornings small resident canines out for their walk greet each other with happy yips until the irrigation sprays put a damper on all conversation. Every morning a couple of the residents gather up the breakfast crumbs and, rain or shine, heat or cold, scatter the crumbs under the bushes for the birds. Even the Sparrows who prefer seeds gather for the breakfast. Look closely and you might see a grackle dip a hard crumb in the water to soften it up. Smart, eh? One resident, on the second floor of the Ark, installed a bird bath on her balcony so the winged residents can have a drink closer to home. Yes, the sparrows and doves make a mess and 'white wash' the balcony railings which are easily cleaned. El Dorado, 'City of Gold', Independent Retirement Living Community, is alive both inside and outside.