if you plant berries,
they will come
And they never fail to make me smile, these ultra-smooth birds that somehow seem a bit more sophisticated than all our other feathered friends.
It took time to get them here, first I planted mulberries, and then the elderberry patch. These days, they are regulars.
If you had told me thirty years ago that I would be a gardener and a bird watcher, I’m sure I would have laughed. If you’d told me I would plant trees and bushes to try to lure cedar waxwings to my yard, I probably would have snorted (right after I asked what a cedar waxwing is).
But both birds and my garden have become part of my daily life, offering joy and rhythm and and a presence I am constantly learning from.
Life lessons.
Patience. Acceptance. Being present.
And how to fall in love with the sky.
My own small way to fly.
September 12th, 2013 at 10:25 am
if you told me that my skin would sag, i wouldn’t have believed that either!
it is nice to be young and know all you need to believe, and it is nice to be 30 years later and a gardener. being alive.
September 12th, 2013 at 11:11 am
i think you can find much to learn of most things in nature…if you plant berries, i will come too…ha….i will take berries over chocolate any day
September 12th, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Love this. Love the life lessons. Beautiful piece of writing and a lovely picture to go with it.
September 13th, 2013 at 9:26 am
Wonderful – it’s funny how we change and start to appreciate things we thought dull, uninteresting, or took for granted when we were young(er).
September 13th, 2013 at 3:24 pm
I NEVER thought I would be into birds as much as I am now, it is funny how things change. I put out different food to try and attract different kinds. As for gardening . . . these black thumbs aren’t ever going to turn green.
September 13th, 2013 at 7:15 pm
like you, who would have believed me to be a bird watcher? yet, i am. it is the calming of the day for me. i recorded their summer sounds this year so i can relive them again when the winter winds howl and the summer is gone.