I’m on an anti-fretting campaign. And looking for kindred spirits, fellow hopers, clothesline compatriots, dirt worshipping diggers and bird watchers.
A few days back I asked…Given the realities of everything we are living through right now, how do we keep our heads above the waters of overwhelm?
Let’s deepen our connections to Mother Nature and see what healing we can offer our hearts and what resilience we can bring to our communities. I aim to post resources, thoughts and encouragement here for the next few weeks.
Today, it’s all about birds. We love that our space here on the ridge is popular with so many birds. I think they like the open meadow, the shelter of the trees and the abundance of bugs (the more they eat, the fewer bugs eat us!)
Cora, Wilma, Batman and I have discovered Merlin, a free phone app that identifies birds in an area by their calls. Just push “record” and voilá…the bird species begin to scroll on your screen!
We sit out on the three season porch most mornings and eat breakfast with our Sibley guide and the Melin app and binoculars. Here’s what the app has picked up in the last few weeks…
We have yet to actually spot the indigo bunting, the scarlet tanager or the magnolia warbler, despite our best efforts. The fun is in the listening. The waiting and watching.
The birds often flit down to land on the wooden posts we use to secure chicken wire to deter woodchucks. They preen and sing while they cock their heads to find bugs and larvae in the gardens.
We sit in silence and are wrapped up in pure pleasure as we watch their comings and goings. A few weeks ago we watched the bluebirds fledge their wee babies.
If you look closely, you can see the bluebird box on the far end of our hoop house.
The blueberries are beginning to ripen, and so we have netted them. This is one thing we are not willing to share with our feathered friends.
I did a walking meditation in the meadow on Tuesday morning and made a bouquet to share with friends.
Early yesterday as the ash from Canada began to lift.
And very blue skies above the hay field across the road from us today!
A few years back we visited the Birds of Vermont Museum, a wonderful resource for all things bird in Vermont, including a collection of gorgeous carved wooden birds. We may need to revisit this summer!
Maybe you are a birder? Or a bird appreciator? Maybe you’re an ornithologist! Do you find inspiration while watching birds? Does your blood pressure drop as you calm down and sit and wait for the birds to come to you? Let us know in the comments! (Thanks Stacy, for letting me know the comments were “off”! Just fixed it.)