Margaret Cheasebro

A pair of doves has built a nest somewhere among the plentiful branches of an evergreen tree that grows in my neighbor's yard. Part of it hangs over my fence and creates a shady ceiling for some of my flowers. The tree is called an oriental arborvitae, according to my trusty Picture This app.

The doves have created a bird-size doorway among the branches of the tree. Sometimes I see one of the birds fly in and out of that hole. Then the branches start to shake as the bird is either settling down on its eggs or feeding its nest full of hungry babies. There are actually several similar holes in various places on the tree. Doves may have created a neighborhood of nests in this tree. I've only seen doves fly in and out of one spot on the tree this spring, so I suspect this is the entrance to the active dove home this season.

The nest is about eight feet off the ground, away from the reach of neighborhood cats. One of those cats used to come into my yard quite regularly, and I would pick it up and pet it. But as soon as I adopted my dog, who loves to chase cats, the cat learned to stay away.

At first, I was sad that I couldn't enjoy both my dog and the neighbor's cat. Now I'm glad it doesn't come around, because it might worry the doves. I have taken great pleasure in watching them fly in and out of the tree.

I can't see through the branches well enough to spot the nest, but I know it's there. I wonder if I will soon see little doves take flight in and out of the tree as they learn to use their wings.

I have seen quite a few doves near other homes around the neighborhood, so I suspect the nest in my yard is only one of several in a dove community that has created its own little neighborhood within our human one.

The doves are gray with a hint of light blue coloring. They are fairly small and quite graceful in flight. I hope the babies grow up healthy and strong and learn to fly without mishap. Maybe I will someday see a few of them sitting on the fence, singing a song to their human neighbor.

If you're looking for an interesting activity to do with your kids, here's a suggestion. Find out how many trees grow in your neighborhood.

Make a game out of it. Have your children don their tree detective hat, take their clue recording notebook, and grab their evidence collecting pencil or pen.

Then walk with them through your neighborhood. Decide how many blocks this activity should cover. Choose a number that will let everyone complete the activity without getting tired.

It's best to walk instead of drive, if it's not too cold, because you can spot trees more easily when you're walking. If you live in the country, you may need to drive for safety if there are no sidewalks.

Encourage your kids to spot every tree and record the number in their notebook. An easy way to do this is to make one mark for every tree sighted. Make the marks in groups of five. Then it will be easier to count them when you get back home.

Before you start, have everyone, including adults, make a guess about how many trees you will find. Write down each person's name and beside each name put the number of trees that person guessed. When you get home, see who came closest to the correct number. Give the winner a standing ovation!

Were you surprised by the number of trees you counted? Have a conversation with your kids about why people might decide to plant trees in their yard. If you have trees in your yard, talk about some of the good things about having them there.

This activity will give you several benefits. Not only will you discover how many trees are in one area of your neighborhood, but you will get some exercise. And you will spend time doing something fun and interesting with your family.