Reverence for Nature

We walk our dogs at least twice each day. Most days, we walk my sister's dog as well. Instead of considering this a chore, we take this opportunity to appreciate the dogs' quirky personalities and breathe in nature's beauty. Our walking routes have lovely areas that are flush with towering trees, flowering bushes and green grass. While we don't have seasons per se in Southern California, we do have periods of budding, growth, hibernation and re-growth. The activities of the birds, insects, squirrels, possums and even an occasional coyote follow these growth periods. There is so much to see if we look! Even our dogs are vigilant; although, it's the animals and smells that interest them, not the plants and trees.

Our backyard attracts animals as well. We have so many birds, butterflies and bees that visit us. I can even respect the fat worms that beset my tomato plants and the ants that carry any speck of food to their homes. I'm not crazy about water beetles or mosquitos but they do have a purpose. I just choose to stay very clear of them!

Last year, we discovered two nests. One enterprising hummingbird decided to use our hanging candelabra as their shelter. I'll admit it was quite clever since you'd have to be Houdini to get to her nest. We, also, had a mourning dove build a nest in our empty hanging basket which, to me, appeared to be far too vulnerable to predators. My husband and I kept an eye on them, chasing away the crows that were curious and building a sturdier "roof" for them when the rain came.

Finally, the eggs appeared! We celebrated as if our own children gave us news of a pregnancy. Then, we began to see little heads peep out in the hummingbird's nest.

Days and days passed before the dove's eggs hatched but they did. We were ecstatic!

We began to get very anxious of the larger birds who sensed (or, perhaps, heard) the new births. A majestic hawk kept a post in a nearby tree. Alas! One day, we noticed the nests were empty and the hawk was gone. Two doves stayed close for a while. I had read that the mates took turns watching the babies and, clearly, now they were searching. While it was devastating to watch, we were reminded that we just witnessed a life cycle that few people are privileged to see up close. Nature continues to teach us so much!