I went outside near dusk to set the hose going on the plum and apple trees–it does not rain in summer in California–and came back in. After letting it run about a half hour, I went back out there and, the hose being shortish, simply held it awhile to let it spray over thataway a bit too.
A male Anna’s hummingbird came darting in among the plum leaves near my face, making eye contact. No flowers here, hon, I thought at it. But that didn’t seem to be what it was looking for: it zoomed over to the arc of falling droplets, zipping through them over and over. An aerial birdbath!
I’ve been trying to remember to get out there and do that once a week. I just found my incentive. Hose-Anna!