I put my phone away today. I decided I was using the mobile device too often for too many things, and so I put it in time out. I sat with my baby grandson outside on the front porch, and simply held him and watched the world. He looked so cute, I wanted to take a picture, but the phone is my camera. I saw some interesting bird activity and thought about texting my dad, but my phone is my only way to text. The baby fell asleep, and I wanted to scan the news and my social media, but the phone was inside, in time out, and I was outside, without my artificial entertainment. I looked out into the yards of my neighbors. Across the street is a house that has a pet pig in the back yard. I assume he is a pet, and not pre bacon, because he is smaller, and has been there over a year. Then I noticed something interesting behind the pig pen. Crows were diving onto the ground, flying up and diving again. This section of grass is the land between the neighbor’s house and a church, up on a hill. As I watched a small furry shape flew towards the crows, and they lifted up and flew to the neighbor’s fence. The shape flew around the yard and returned to sit out of my sight by the fence. What kind of creature was chasing big black crows around? Two of the crows returned to the grass, and the fuzzy shape flew out at them again, running wide circles, sweeping the birds until they flew into a tree. I strained my eyes, and saw the fuzzy shape was a rabbit. The crows returned, two and three at a time, and no matter how many, the rabbit chased them up and away. Then I noticed a tiny shape, and realized the rabbit was protecting a kit. At one point a crow landed on the fence with something in his mouth, but when the rabbit charged the fence the bird flew up, dropped the tiny thing, and flew away. I watched entranced while the baby fell asleep in my arms. My heart ached for the fierce rabbit, beset by every side, outnumbered, she continued to chase, flying across the yard as bird after bird harassed her. At one point I realized the birds seemed to be feeding on something, but the rabbit would chase them off, over and over. Eventually I took the baby inside, and laid him down. I fixed my breakfast and returned to watch. The birds were gone, and the rabbit as well. I just hope she had more kits, I hoped she was in her burrow snuggled up with them. Nature is brutal. The birds have to eat. The birds have to feed young. The rabbit needs to eat, and feed her young. If we interfere we are choosing who survives and who doesn’t. Do we have the wisdom to do that?
All this entertainment and thoughts in my head, because I put my phone down. Yesterday I had noticed that whenever I had the phone out, my grand baby, all he wanted was the phone. Once he got ahold of hit his eyes lit up, and he joyfully tried to put it in his mouth. When I took it away he cried. When I hid it, he cried. This was the reason I put the phone in time out. Later but still morning, baby and I sat in the backyard. Birds flew overhead. Two mocking birds landed nearby, sang and flew off. A male cardinal flew right over my head, the sunlight shining through his spread wings. His mate followed. In the brambles beside the fence I noticed movement. Mostly I saw the leaves move, then grass move. Over time I was able to see a tiny brown bird head bopping up and down, mostly concealed, as the small bird worked through the grass. While watching an adult brown thrasher flew over, landed nearby and kept watch. The mockingbird flew into the brambles and two white butterflies scattered, landing on clover. Then everyone was gone. Just like that. A hawk soared overhead, lazily circled and moved on. Sitting outside has been the best entertainment I could ever have. Baby wants to stand up, and he sets his feet on me, legs, tummy, whatever he finds. He struggles to stand, and I hold him as he wobbly surveys his new domain. Baby birds, baby rabbits, baby humans, they all strive to grow, eat greedily, and learn by play. I am pretty sure my morning entertainment would not be as full if my daughter’s yard was one of those perfect groomed lawns. Without brambles where would be baby birds hide? Without berries what would they eat? Without taller grass, and deep variety of plants growing in the yard, so much of the wildlife would be gone. My three year old grandson loves to eat wild garlic. We munch on dandelion leaves and flowers. So do the rabbits. Earthworms are easily discovered when rocks are moved, and what joy these little creatures bring to the kids. Lightning bugs will flourish because their grubs can grow in taller grass and sedges. Pollinators are happy here, and so are the many birds. Sometimes perfection isn’t what it seems.
Without my phone I can’t double check the news every half hour. I relax, and I just help the baby discover his world, and watch the creatures nearby discover theirs.
Last week baby and I drove to a local park and walked the pathways, getting slightly lost and having a great time. My biggest struggle with walking right now is having to pack a stroller, bottles, diapers, water and so on, because I am tired of walking in the neighborhood. The other problem is keeping him out of too much direct sunshine.
For the AT I am still in Virginia, and will be for quite a while. I would be near the town of Bland VA, which I always thought was a funny name. I haven’t hiked there, but one Youtube channel had the title, Bland VA the most boring part of the AT. I guess the name is well chosen.
