There is always a sliver of hidden hope though it may be washed out by the glare of the new day sun and all the busyness and demands of one's work and necessary routines . . .
Hope that we may learn to love and live in peace. Why is it that we cannot be content with where we are . . . always assuming everyone else has a better life or perspective or morsel of food. Always wanting more but rarely questioning at what price. Often we want what another has . . . as this male cardinal seeks to dethrone the female who is contently partaking of her rose hip breakfast.
Having chased her off and taken her seat . . . will he now have peace and simply be . . . What was he thinking . . . is it so different from human thoughts of greed? Is it innate in all creatures of nature?
She will move on and find another good hip within the thorns . . .
bearing up . . . accepting . . .
an onlooker wishes to know what all the fuss is about and tries his luck with a thorny landing
Chickadees do not know quite what to make of a Rugosa rose hips.
A Pileated woodpecker sails by as if diving through the ocean of air in joyous
carefree reverie
spreading his wings embracing life.
While
Red-tailed raptor flees annoying
pesky Crows who never give him a moments peace.
Wild Turkey males bond for now down on the ground walking proudly with their wattles and beards near the forest edge.
Robins delight in the crabapples from which there are thousands to choose from
One glimpse of a fellow feathered friend 'NOT' and he bounces.
Bluebirds share coloring of rufous blouse and white bloomers, as well as an appetite for berries, hips and fruit . . . but Robins have no appetite for sharing.
And like the Crows with the Hawk will not let the Bluebirds be.
This gardener has a great fondness for Bluebirds . . .
and does not approve of such bullying, even though I may understand they have an instinct for survival, but there is always more than enough food and many berries left on the trees come spring. I have never noticed this ungracious behavior before.
So it seems like I must speak out on behalf of the Bluebird's rights. I scold the Robin for chasing the Bluebirds. He is but the sentinel for the large flock of Robins presently camped out at Flower Hill Farm.
The Bluebirds observe me gesturing towards the Robin with a disapproving voice then speaking gently towards their little bodies perched high in the Rock Maple . . . inviting them down. I believe they understand and so with my standing guard very near their favored food, they fly down and enjoy the hips of an invasive multiflora rose that I inherited. I am aware I am wrong in allowing the shrub to remain in my gardens, but am I just in keeping it as long as I am controlling its spread on the land? (Yes, I know the birds fly beyond my land!) One of those dilemmas! The birds I love enjoy the hips and give the seeds a boost in fertilizer, when they expel the seeds in their excrement. I should be chasing the multiflora! In fact I do with exception to two plants! If I cut them down and keep them out, what would feed the Bluebirds and Robins in the winter... what could take the multifloras place? They craft the perfect sized hip for the Bluebirds to harvest.
I want to do what is right. I must question my love for the little white fragrant roses, and equally ask is the love I have for the birds and wanting to feed them this particular food justified, when carefully thinking of the larger picture. Each of these pretty berries carry seeds of . . . well not hate certainly, but each plant will grow crowding out and killing native plants. There can be no love between them. On this day of Love . . . celebrating love the world over . . . in many different cultures . . . I so wish we could all dream up a way to bring more love and compatibility into the world as a whole. One way might be to think of our actions in what we support . . . what we buy . . . for example chocolate is delicious, but I cannot enjoy it when knowing child labor is used by many manufacturers . . . so I buy from companies that are both organic and fair trade and do not exploit young children. Florist roses too may delight us, but I will not be happy knowing that through the growing of a rose, others are persecuted, heart broken and exposed to toxic chemicals while harvesting said rose. Now we can find fair trade and near organic roses too. The more we question the more we learn and can bring about a more compassionate world. We do not have much power . . . too many politicians are bought by corporate interests and in my country even the Supreme Court (some judges) has voiced out against democracy. However we do have an amazing force in how we spend our money! Now that is to me potentially a great power of love. I hope your day and years are filled with love and contentment. All the bird pictures here are from the last two days during the backyard bird count which continues on!