And there it was! Birds had built their nest on my porch light.
I know. It happens all the time. But not to me!
For several days I wondered why all this long dead grass was decorating the front porch. I assumed it had blown there. Twice I swept the porch and before I knew it, there was all that stuff again. Even as I write, it sounds like I was pretty dumb, or to be nicer about it, unaware. But, finally, I looked up and there it was! I can't see into the nest, of course, but I have caught sight of a bird whipping past my kitchen window. Can't identify it yet, though my guess is it's a house sparrow.
This comes at a time when I have been particularly drawn to birds, especially the eagles in Decorah, Iowa, where a live web cam allows me to be a "peeping Carol" whenever I want to. I witnessed the 3rd eaglet as it opened its egg and have watched with delight as the parents carefully nurture these three less-than-beautiful children. Seeing them, it's hard to believe they will grow into the magnificent birds their parents embody. At the site, I learned that these eagles mate for life; that their former nest was destroyed by a storm in '07; that this 5-6' wide and deep nest is 80' up in a tree. I've watched the parents trade off: one on the nest, the other out hunting. Of course some of the unfortunate hunted look yucky as the eagles rip them to shreds, but this is the way of nature. I learned that on the farm as a child. Sometimes the nest looks pretty bloody and messy, but in no time the parents have cleaned house and all looks fine again.
Meanwhile, at Fenner Nature Center, kids from a local school class are spending the week experiencing something called Annie's BIG Nature Lesson.
From their website, here is the Mission of ABNL:
The mission of Annie's BIG Nature Lesson is to immerse children, teachers, and parents in the beauty and wonder of the natural world; to engage them in authentic scientific investigations by observing the local ecology, drawing and writing; to nurture citizens who value and protect natural resources; and to build a school-community partnership that inspires responsible environmental stewardship.And so while I was there yesterday, I talked with the Director, Margaret Holtschlag. We soon discovered that she had known my late husband, Norris, for whom a special fund for nature education is named at Fenner. She told me of how she had encountered him once out in the park somewhere, taking pictures, of course. She didn't remember the conversation, but said she'd never forget the look on his face. It communicated beyond words his passion for nature and photography. Oh yes, my husband, the contemplative--the one I used to think wasn't very "spiritual". Needless to say, Margaret and I quickly bonded.
I was helping with data entry for Bill Earl's Fishing Event, something collaborative instigated by a good friend of the late Bill Earl, who loved fishing. On three consecutive Saturdays in May, 50 kids each time, at three locations, will be taught how to fish and given a free fishing pole. Each event is nearly full. It was fun to see how the kids are coming from outlying communities, as well as Lansing, how there are lots of girls signed up, as well as boys. There was a set of triplets even!
Well, how does all this hang together? I'm not sure.
I'll leave that for you to ponder, dear reader.
I give thanks for rain, though I am mighty tired of it.
Remember to breathe, look, laugh & love!
