Birds, Patio, Plants and Breezes

I am writing this post from the patio of our condo while I listen to the chimes sing, both bamboo and melodious, birds calling and the breeze is pushing the trees around. I sit next to our planter boxes where we have a couple of tomato starter plants and various seeds nestled in beneath the brown earthy goodness. We have had our first sprout today; the kale, italian lacinato variety, Katherine's favorite! It is always encouraging to have something come up from a seed and it is a good reminder that we need very little in order to survive. We all begin in the darkness of the womb, animate to life through gentle nurturing and God's grace and, when the time is right, we break through and begin to set down our roots and absorb life in its many glories.

I find a lot of peace and comfort in growing things because I get to sort of co-create with God again, even if it something I am not needed in order to accomplish, it is joyful. The earth is still an abundant, life-affirming place and spring is such an overtly plentiful time. What love and joy it brings, I am grateful to have been born in springtime, though I tend to prefer the quiet of autumn overall.

The birds came to us and told us to feed them the day after we got back. I was out on the patio going through dirt and planting things and the birds were watching, so they thought they might sit perched atop the roof and call down looking right at us!!! Next day, we got some seed to fill the feeders and they are happy campers. The birds we tend to see in our area are as follows; robin red-breast, red-winged blackbird, cassin's finch, house finch, european starling, mourning dove, pigeons, sparrows and basic blackbird and occasional goldfinch. I LOVE the red-winged blackbird, while Jay is partial to the robins and Kat hopes to see more of the goldfinches. We did just stop in at our local, brand new Wild Bird's Unlimited down the street and grabbed a cake cylinder to try to attract some Northern Flickers, those are fun to see and seem SO big compared to our little finches!

Jay is currently in the midst of resurrecting our wormbin, which has been out of commission for a little while after it went by the wayside when we went out of town last summer. We will compost our food bits, at least the ones Buttercup, the wee dog, doesn't eat and what doesn't get thrown for the robins, as they seem to like tomato if it is in the grass. I am looking forward to having things up and running while we attempt to have a quiet family summer at home, with a side of seeing friends and family when the occasion allows.

"What shall I render unto the Lord for all that He hath rendered unto me?
I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the
Lord." (Psalm 115:3-4; septuagint)