Nature Girl

Despite my parents’ persistent efforts, I have never truly connected with nature. There certainly have been moments of appreciation and awe. I have an annual appreciation for the signs of Spring: fresh green tops showing in my flower garden and budding leaves on the towering Birch tree in my front yard. Clear, star-speckled nights, bountiful vegetable harvests from my parents’ garden, and the smell of lilacs are awe-inspiring. So, I wouldn’t dare say I’m completely removed from nature, but I certainly wouldn’t call myself a “nature girl” either.
This is all leading up to my new found love for backyard birds. I live in a small city in a residential area, have neighbors all around, and have a backyard full of birds. It’s a small backyard with some trees: cedar, birch, maple, oak, and pine. For Valentine’s Day I got K.C. a bird feeder and birdseed because he had noticed a cardinal in our backyard tree line and wanted to see more of it. The bird feeder was carefully hung on a sturdy branch of a small maple tree and at first, it didn’t seem to attract too many birds. Eventually, we noticed the seed level decreasing at a faster rate, but those shy birds were visiting us while we were at work! Finally, as the weeks went on, our backyard became the neighborhood hot spot for birds of all kinds. And they certainly aren’t shy about being seen anymore.

While I was cutting fruit this morning, glancing out my kitchen window, I saw the following in the backyard: 5 sparrows, 2 chickadees, 3 fat blue jays, and Albert, our big red cardinal. We suspect Albert has two girlfriends, as we sometimes see two females eating and flying with him. The joy I feel when I see the birds in our backyard is surprising, but welcomed. I guess this means I’m becoming a little more connected to nature. I’m okay with it.