Writing has been harder to pin down lately. It’s not for lack of words, but rather, the lack of choosing them. I can find myself all over the place in the course of a day, exploring many places. My mind is an adventurer. Disciplining it is a chore. 

I’ve been tending to baby birds lately. My cats quickly discovered the fledglings and I’m down to one lone survivor, whom I’ve brought inside until he gains flight strength. I realize the odds are stacked against us, but we shall try nonetheless. I despise the fallen ways of creation. I feel responsible, as an heir to Eve. Animals weren’t meant to live survival of the fittest originally. When we fell, we pulled the carpet of the earth beneath us into the black hole. This is where my responsibility stems from. Hurting and suffering creatures, I cannot ignore nor despise. 

Basically all this means is that I’m a great big sucker. Why I held a dying squirrel as it fought for life (even though squirrels destroy my wooden home), catch and release possums instead of killing, have tended to several wounded birds and wild bunnies, and intervene when I see an animal about to become prey. I can’t help it — I wish that nothing would die. And if it must, in the hands of mercy, not drug off and mauled. 

As I’m writing, I’m watching a pair of cardinals play overhead. The male chases the female. It’s wild to see the pursuit ingrained even within the animal kingdom. I recently watched a documentary where a tropical bird did a fancy line dance with other males, having the female as spectator and prize. It was unreal. Made me marvel over how wooing and winning are such broad strokes over all of life.

Strawberries are bursting red overnight right now. Had a first pick this morning. The plants keep shooting runners through the garden and I’m just letting it go. If I had more space I’d have a garden just for berries. Asparagus is beating me to it. If I don’t check and cut daily, it just goes right to blooming. The thing about spring is that it goes so fast. Every day something shows up that wasn’t there the day before. It’s my most surprising season. I don’t know that I’ll ever tire of rediscovering things I know of, yet am still caught off guard by. These are my favorite kind of surprises. 

Then hens are in full-force laying mode. I’ve got one broody and she’s really hanging on. I try to empty the boxes more frequently as to leave her nothing to sit on. It’s yet another example of how creation intuitively knows of higher ways. Things like nurturing and protecting.

Speaking of which, I ran right out into the tornado watch this week to check on the bird nest. I was relieved to find the mama sitting on her babies, wings spread out as an umbrella. We were both soaking wet and I gave her my silent affirmation as a fellow Mom. I love this part of nature. I love to see the nurturing ways of created things. It feels like God. It feels like the right way. 

I now have a hoodie full of eggs, and berries sitting on a table waiting to be used. A baby bird inside waiting for more worms, and hoping it will thrive. A handful of kiddos who aren’t going to be thrilled about the impeding Saturday chore list. Sometimes you just need a Saturday to play catch up from the brutal weekdays. That’s today. My to-do list is longer than I’m capable of completing, but I’ll just roll it over to another day. I am a compulsive list maker. 

If the rain would let up a bit I could get my starter plants in the dirt. I’m behind this year, but I’m certain I am every year. Amazingly, it doesn’t matter. Stuff grows, and always exponentially in the spring. I just try to keep up.