Mama Says Om Theme: Nature

5.24.2006

As spring began I started to clean out my little potting shed in the garage. The shed had been jam-packed with stuff that was shoved in as autumns' chill came last year.

I found a nice roll of batting that must have been tossed in last summer or the summer before. (I think it was for Maddies baby quilt that was never made.) I noticed that someone was nibbling around at the plastic and pulling out some of the batting.

As I dug through the shed I found a bird house that I had gotten at a plant auction. It was tossed in the shed after we moved into this house. I thought it would be nice to put out by the playhouse. As I was carrying it to the backyard I noticed that some of the batting had made it's way inside.

I looked a bit closer thinking that this must have been where that mouse had made its' home. Much to my surprise the little mouse poked his head out at me. a
I was so startled by the tiny little mouse, I dropped the birdhouse and went running to my husband, such a little girlie girl.

Our home backs up to a field and creek. There is a small lake across the street. Great blue heron, a red tailed hawk, kingfisher and giant snapping turtles all live out my back door. It is one of the reasons I love my house. I can walk to the movies and grocery store and still hear the baying of coyotes at night.
After the little mouse incident I kept thinking about how clever that little mouse was. We have a cat the spends lots of time in the garage (by choice) and the mouse found the perfect place; inaccessible to the cat, batting at the ready, and I believe there was a bag of thistle seed in the shed. It struck me how opportunistic the little mouse was.
As we encroach more and more on natural habitats the animals are finding more opportunities to make use mankind for survival. We had sparrows nesting in a wreath on our door, bunnies take up residence under decks and coyotes may make a meal of unwitting pets. Nature was once thought of as that thing out there.... but today, more often than not it is that thing right out our back door or living in the garage. I think about this fact as I work on my garden or plan activities for the girls. Our bird feeder attracts red winged blackbirds (name Christy by Annie) and gold finch ("yellow berd, mama"-Madison).We plant sunflower, coneflower and bronze fennel for birds and butterflies, we provide opportunities for interaction with the nature that is out our back door. I hope you too find a bit of nature out your back door and provide some opportunities for nature to find you.