Yesterday on my way home from work, I spot the sharp-shinned hawk on a neighbour’s front lawn
as he rather joyfully enjoys a shower from their sprinkler
he’s just beautiful with his ruffled brown and white wet feathers
and I am quite simply in awe
this morning the Blue’s are back, as they have been for a few days
and I am thrilled to welcome them
not sure where they may have traveled to, but they do seem to have been missing from the garden for a few weeks
which was ok, as we certainly have welcomed several other families in the meantime
one brave young blue with funny bits of fluff and odd feathers sticking out
stays quite close to me
as I’m wandering
he is patiently waiting as I greet each flower in turn
until I stop a moment to take notice, of him there
so that he can remind me
it is time to replenish the monkey nuts that I put out for them
this I do, and I also refresh the bird bath by the apple tree
where they seem to congregate
it appears again there are five, to this year’s brood
I can certainly tell the young ones
they are often a little braver and always seem to respond when I
chat away to them
telling them, “It’s ok, C’mon then… ,
You’re safe with me”
these days they are avoiding the paparazzi, as soon as the camera comes out
they disappear
I can certainly relate to this, and I let them have their privacy
and instead just enjoy watching them
it is swelteringly hot today, and the girls, as well as the dog
have begged me for the air conditioning
so I have obliged their desperate pleading
closed up the house to keep it cool
and I instead
come out to join the Blue’s
in sunshine
this feeling of warm sun on my shoulders
is to me
pure bliss
when all of the nuts have been gathered up
one cheeky blue comes to perch on the pergola
above my chair to see if he can’t convince me to offer
just a few more
he chatters away to me gently in his softest tones
flattering me I know
as I coo back to him great admiration for his lovely bit of white-ish
tummy fluff
he edges ever closer to me
as we chat
and I am sure we have become fast friends
in kindness
in bits of mulch on the ground I spot a tiny little movement
the itty-bittiest little toad is making his way
in the world
and my heart opens to him
as he goes
he is so very tiny, and the great world around him
so very large
so many ways to be stepped on or lost
I too can feel this, and so
I try to bless him on his path to
freedom
my tadpoles have indeed sprouted their legs
and now begin their leaving
the surface of the pond lies hidden under a cover of
brilliant green duckweed
it is plentiful, as happens this time of year in the heat and humidity
of summer days
and although this obscures the sight of much else
it does I suppose offer a bit of protection to these
little fellows, as they bravely go
I have not seen Biggie Smalls (the frog) for several days,
as he is always free to go, I wonder if possibly
he went
but then as I stand, just quietly by
I hear his lovely croak
and realize he is most probably, just keeping cool
in the rushes
and just hearing him, is enough to know
he is still there
a beautiful dragonfly rests on a hyacinth leaf
his sleek black wings setting off the neon turquoise of his body
he is gorgeous
and I tell him so
and so he stays, to be admired
another brilliant sighting of a monarch in the wildflowers
has my heart aflutter
in grand appreciation
My husband has set off on his bike,
he soon comes back to tell me that apparently in the early morning hours
the train has derailed
about a block and a half from our house
upturned train cars scrumpled together
and scattered on the road
like a child’s fallen building blocks
quite surprisingly
we heard nothing
hot summer evening,
windows open in the night
yet no one in the house
disturbed in sleep
thankfully we learn, there were no injuries
no dangerous materials to spill
just a rather large crumpling of rail cars
a little disconcerting
this being
so close
but certainly yet again a very real reason for
expressing sincere
gratitude
sitting here
in the peaceful
beauty
of all this
and too, for not missing a moments appreciation
of beauty
of simple
of tiny
of delicate
and the great blessing and
quiet
nature
of this life
I
Love
my husband comes to kiss me
says I love you
and heads off to work
and I
return to my garden
to sit for awhile
in gratitude, in peace and
in Love
with the Blue’s beside me
and yes,
always
to say my Thank you
to you this day
for being kind ♥