Every now and then, in the ongoing attempt at the practice of mindfulness, one is graced with a visionary flash of enlightenment incomparable in character. One never knows how or when it will arrive. The only certainty is that such a moment can not be predicted. One came to me a few evenings ago when our good friend Sheila, about whom I've written before, and who is my model and mentor in the spiritual practice of genuine mindfulness, joined Moe and me on the deck overlooking the backyard.
It was the end of the week. We brushed off the chairs. We relaxed with an appetizer and good beverages of choice to the tune of evening birdsong. We exclaimed over a steady stream of feathered species at the feeder and in the trees, including the beautiful and dignified pair of bluebirds I knew to be actively nesting somewhere in the vicinity, though I hadn't yet discovered where.
Squirrels entertained us by leaping and marching boldly past to clean up the seed chaff on the floor of the deck under the feeder, confident we would do them no harm.
The evening was mild, the scene was peaceful. Dusk folded around us and we chose to move inside for dinner. We stepped across the threshold into the kitchen. Then came the moment of truth that is the topic of this post. With all the elegance of the successful trial attorney that she is, Sheila turned to me and said, "Debby, your birding hobby is an admirable one, but are you aware that your deck is covered with shit?"
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| :-( |
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| poo of squirrel |
Well, yes, there is that. dkm
9 comments:
Hehehe... Bingo!!! Talked up...dumped - splat! (the reader)
Must say I didn't see that coming. But it's obvious - can't have critters without crap. Piles (very similar to your squirrel) appear on my deck rail. Possum. I don't worry about them until someone is coming round, then I brush them off or apologise profusely.
Wonderful squirrel photos. The one on its hindlegs, walking, is almost human. I can't believe they come so close. Those glorious tails...
Those squirrel shots were actually taken a few days earlier from inside the house through the sliding glass door. They didnt know I was there Same feeder. Same deck. But not that evening. They don't normally come that close. Plus i cropped and enlarged them. The window glass prevents sharp photos, but allows nearer views. Our chairs are at the far end of deck---but the squirrels definitely own the space under the feeder and seem to ignore our presence when we're there.
hahahaha nature lovers must at some point face the fact that there is a lot of scat in nature. sheila is so wise.
Yes and I just learned that scat is used only for carnivorous animals. For vegetarians, like squirrels, it's plain old shit.
Hi Deb .. I made a comment but somehow it didn't register .. was only that bird poo can be worth a lot of money as a natural fertilizer .. so get collecting ! :o)>
Haha---I'll pass that information on to my deck cleaner---Moe---
woah! i didn't know scat was only for carnivores! thanks.
Can't now find where I read that---and cant verify it at any other source, so it may not be true. Will keep looking and let you know if I find the original source. Could have been on someones blog that doesn't know any more than I do! Don't quote that bit of trivia till I can verify it!
Scat? haha
Which reminds me, I should be cleaning out the chook house poop. One winter I spread it around the asparagus. Gee they grew well.
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