....disturb

Yogis,
When we moved into our current house the property had four dogwood trees. Three lined the gravel drive and one was in the backyard. These were the old-fashioned kind. Branches that were slightly gnarled and reached outward, layering themselves just so. The newer hybrid varieties, though lovely, differ from these originals which were most likely around sixty years old at move in time.

Over these last ten years, one by one they have slowly lost a branch at a time to the point where they no longer had any leaves to speak of. The one in the backyard is the only one still standing. She too is losing a branch a year but still manages to put on a beautiful spring show with what she has left.

A few weeks ago I noticed that she had developed another new dead branch. I mentally added cutting it off to my spring garden to do list……which is quite lengthy.

Days passed with other garden needs taking precedence. Picking the remaining dandelion flowers to make an oil. Spreading seeds. Putting together my new raised garden bed frame. Planting a hydrangea bush out front that I impulsively bought when all I was supposed to be getting was an herb plant. The only time I would be reminded of the branch was when I would see it from my bedroom window. Tomorrow, I would say to myself.

Tomorrow arrived and I sat on my bed for my morning meditation. At one point I opened my eyes and spotted a yellow goldfinch sitting on the bare branch. How cute! Eyes closed. A few moments later I peek to find a cardinal now perched there. Hmmmmm…….

I looked down at the yard, now with new eyes. Bird feeder hanging from a pole in the middle of the grass. Dogwood tree off to the right about fifteen feet. Dead branch pointing from the tree directly at the bird feeder. It was an ‘aha’ moment.

The dead branch was absolutely perfect! Close to the feeder but far enough away to give a bird a chance to check out the situation before committing. No leaves meant no obstruction. And here I was about to disturb what nature had so elegantly created. What my mind saw as wrong, was unquestionably right!

Life is stormy and in our desire to smooth the ride we tidy up. We move things, line them up, remove, trim and clean. Once I have my house and yard in order I will feel much better! More in control.

We disturb……

One thing we are great at is disturbing. Land, oceans and now even the sky. Is it possible for us to allow even a small part of nature to stay in its wild and messy (…..although the closer we look the more order we see) state? Time will tell.

I walked into the backyard to take a picture of the bare branch for this note. Approaching the bird feeder, as if on cue, the bluebird dad swooped in and landed right on it. He looked me in the eye to reconfirm that yes, nature had done her job beautifully.

He also took the time to let me know that the feeder was empty……..

The branch will stay,
SARAH