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\up0 \nosupersub \ulnone \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2 Heller, Hotel Ostprey					page 1\
Word Count 350\
\
Maryellen Heller\
4 Harvest Hill Road\
Danbury CT 06811\
Cell: 203-232-9355\
Email: [email protected]\
\
Waves rolled. \
Wind whistled.\
Thunder boomed followed by bolts of lightning. \
Osprey and his wife Ospreyetta hunkered down in their nest protecting their three baby eggs.\
They could see the ocean waves getting higher as the storm got angrier. \
It was the best view of the storm from their home way up top of the big poles.\
They saw the bolt before they heard the crash. The biggest tree fell to the ground as the bolt of lightning cracked it in half. And with it went the half dozen nests that were homes to the birds that lived in that tree. \
Osprey knew he had to do something to help but what?\
Rain pelted him as he flew down. He looked at each nest. It was lucky there were no eggs yet but he knew soon there would be. Robin and Redbird looked long overdue.\
Looking around, he had an idea. \
\'93How about I take your nests up there?\'94 he said pointing to a nearby tree. All the birds agreed.\
Using his talons, he flew each nest to a limb.\
As the wind howled he put the nests in place but with all the mighty wind he couldn\'92t anchor them. They crashed to the ground for the second time. \
Ospreyetta watched the whole thing from her nest. \
\'93My eggs are safe but where will those mothers lay their egges?\'94 she worried.\
Looking around her nest,  she realized just how big their home is. Every summer, after vacationing down South for the winter, they come home and add to it.\
\'93Those birds are little ladies, even pregnant, and they sure could fit in the holes and crevises in our nest,\'94 she thought.\
So when a very tired Osprey flew up to check on her and their eggs, she told him her idea. His face lit up as he inspected their nest. \
\'93Of course it will work!\'94 he beamed. \
So as the storm swirled around them all the birds moved in. And that\'92s how Osprey and Ospreyette became Aunt and Uncle to so many baby chicks and their home became Hotel Osprey!\
\
}