Backyard Update

I've spent a considerable amount of time in our backyard over the past month. Transplanting, cleaning up, roto-tilling, planting a new garden, mitigating various plant diseases and pests and my favorite thing - experiencing it all. Often I'll stop for a moment to stretch my back or admire my work and a view of the backyard drama will present itself.

Since it's spring I began my time watching the courting of various birds and listened for days of a poor crow in heat crying for a mate. That crow whined for 3 days straight until it finally shut up. Lately I've been watching the scrub jays defend their nest in the tree behind our neighbors house. I've seen them chase a squirrel right down the fence top pecking at him as they went. My mom told me that squirrels are egg suckers and crows are baby bird stealers. The scrub jays are often screaming at one crow or another, dive bombing it to keep it away from their territory and nest.

Yesterday morning I came across a terrible discovery. There was carnage in our bird bath. It appeared that a crow had been successful and was eating his breakfast on the edge of our bird bath until I startled him. There were lots of feathers, a small wing, blood and bone. I was very sad and could not bring myself to clean it out. I noticed later that the crow must have returned as the wing and bones were gone. I'm still a little sad.

Life goes on around us no matter how small or large, from the caterpillar crawling across the driveway this morning to the night blooms of the cactus - try to stop and experience the little things today. You'll be glad you did.