SPRING BABIES

In my yard I have bird houses everywhere. On posts, on my potting shed, on my wood shed and on the chicken coop. I have bird feeders as well, that so far have remained squirrel proof, although one found my stash of bird seed the other day, and helped himself to a very nice snack.

Birds are a pleasure. Their song wakes us as the first morning light is just touching the sky. When I walk through the yard or sit at my window they entertain me with their busy ways, and I love to watch them flitter back and forth, building their nests and feeding their young.

This spring we had a bit of a windy day, and one of my bird houses on a post broke off and fell in to the wild roses. It not being easy to retrieve as the bush had many thorns, I put the task off for a little while. So the other day I decided to go get the house and repair it, but as I reached in to grab it, a Robin flew out surprising me. She had built a nest and had eggs to protect, so I left everything as is. This morning as I was on my morning stroll in the garden, this is what I captured with my camera.

Brand new baby birds. What a thrill! I zoomed in as much as I could with out disturbing anything and getting too close. I am so excited to see new life and am looking forward to watching them grow and flourish, and learn to fly. Nature at its best.

This spring has been a long one. What is usually a very quick season has been drawn out and I have enjoyed it immensely. The weather has been somewhat rainy and dreary this week, but has brought intense colors of green to the surroundings. The apple trees are in full blossom, and I stood under them this morning breathing in their heavenly scent.

A hot cup of tea and morning stroll is so rejuvenating. I feel ready to face the day ahead with a clear mind and a smile. Seeing those baby birds in their nest reminded me of the fragility of life. How small and helpless they are, relying on their mother and father to provide them with nourishment to grow, just as we do for our own children. Breathing in the scent of the apple blossoms as they floated down around me in the breeze filled me with such a feeling of tranquility and I feel so lucky to have been a part of it this morning. What an amazing world we live in, full of life and beauty all around us. No matter where you live, whether it's in a city, a suburb or the country, you can find beauty everywhere, and when you are able to see it and savour it, the beauty fills you with energy and life.

Sometimes, when I am having a very down day, or things are not going the way I planned, it is hard to see those beautiful things that surround me. They look bleak, or stark and gray and it takes a conscious effort to bring myself back around and to see what lies beyond my dark mood. So mornings like today are vastly important. They show what life really is, and that the small pleasures are what brings us the most happiness in life. And the importance of savouring these moments, to bring us through the hard times, is what life is all about. Because life isn't perfect all the time and it can be filled with so many struggles and challenges. We all have them. So it is so important to realize and see that life is all the beautiful moments all strung together that make it worthwhile. And when one can realize and see this, it makes life richer and more meaningful. I love my life with all its crazy ups and downs. Good days and bad ones. And I truly wouldn't want it any other way.