Many times in life, we move so fast that we forget to appreciate what is right there in front of us. Our yard is often a wealth of life that we take for granted. It may take the form of a plant or wildlife, but in any case, it deserves our attention. My grandfather learned this lesson a long time ago. You can often find him sitting on his swing in his back yard spending time with his friends. The crows, bunnies, birds, chipmunks, and especially the squirrels are so familiar with him that they will take peanuts from him hand-to-hand. They trust him so much that they will stand right there, shuck the peanuts, eat, and then ask for more. It is so calming to sit with him and commune with his backyardigans. If you look closely in this picture, the squirrel is running up a tree with a peanut in its mouth from my grandfather. The “face” on the tree was a Christmas gift one year. It stands guard over the yard year round… Papa understands the value of appreciating the animals in the world right outside his door. I hope to live by his example.
Recently, I looked out my front window to see a doe and two babies passing by on their way to eat a neighbor’s garden. I didn’t feed them, and I shot them only with my camera, but I appreciated their passing. Its a start.
