EVERY CRITTER ON THE CRICK
From my chair in the living room I have an unobstructed view of our front porch and our lane that leads up the hill to the road. I love to sit there, Freddie and Shonie sharing my blanket with me, and watch the birds fight for footing on the bird seed sock or push and crowd their way onto the ledge around the bird house.
I watch in amusement as the squirrels climb up to the top of the feeder and hang upside down as they try to dig out nuts and berries from the mix, often times loosing their balance and dropping to the porch floor six feet below. They shake themselves off and the cycle is repeated, over and over, until the squirrels either have a full belly or tire of falling off and scurry away, leaving the feeder to their feathered friends.
Of an evening I watch as one by one the deer come walking down from the woods across the road and make their way to the piles of sweet apple flavored corn we put out for them everyday. They gather and eat as the red birds, blue jays and rabbits share in the bounty with them.
Looking out the back windows I occasionally spot our resident hoot owl, Owlbert, circling as he scopes out a potential dinner. And, once in a great while, I will be lucky enough to spot a bald eagle as he flies in low, his tallons barely skimming the water, as he searches for fish or soars high and sits in the tree tops, head held back and white chest puffed out.
Several times throughout the year there will be pairs of Canadian Geese along the banks, squawking at each other over territorial rights, nesting and eventually raising their young. I throw them bird seed and corn and watch as they quickly half run and half fly to be the first to get there and gobble it up.
Our yard is always busy. Deer, fox, geese, owls, bald eagles, ground hogs, muskrats and birds of every shape and color come and go in search of their next meal because they have come to know we will both provide and protect them.
Stan often teases I feed, “Every critter on the crick!”
Yep. I do. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
