On Sunny Lane: Isn't Nature Wonderful?
Our little acre on Sunny Lane is a microcosm of nature in Western Pennsylvania.
Just about every kind of animal that lives in our area has passed through our little plot of land from time to time. And some squirrels, chipmunks and moles have taken up residence.
We won't talk about mice. I think Flopsie and Skittles have, more or less, eliminated them from our house and barn.
It's fun to watch the squirrels and chipmunks chase each other around the yard, or scurry up the trees and jump from limb to limb with abandon. Trouble is, I saw a squirrel dig a hole in the middle of the yard, deposit a walnut, cover it up and run off. Not only did he tear up the yard, but, when he gets hungry this winter, will he remember where he hid it? I doubt it.
How graceful the deer are as they wander through the yard, grazing on the grass. That is, until they nibble on the peach trees or rhododendrons. Then they're not so nice. We have to put fences around all of them.
We get raccoons and o'possoms on the property, too, but they are nocturnal creatures, and Sweetheart and I only see one occasionally in our headlights as we are coming home from an outing. They are cute, kinda, sorta, but they damage the crops in the garden and the fruit on the trees.
I enjoy seeing the beautiful flowers in my flower beds and I can't stop planting them. It seems I plant more every year. Trouble is, it's a lot of work to plant, weed, fertilize and water them.
It's the same way with the vegetable garden. We put in a lot of work to get those fresh vegetables and we are at the mercy of the weather to determine what kind of crop we will get.
Everything in nature seems to be a two-edged sword. It has its beauty and its drawbacks. I think it's like that in life, too. If we can learn to live in peaceful coexistence, life will be much more pleasant.
I just wish those turkeys would think about that when they're eating my blackberries, or they might become Thanksgiving dinner.
Dorothy is the author of two books—“Miles and Miracles” and “Getting It All Together “. You can purchase a book or make a comment by emailing her at dorothybutzknight@gmail.com.