There is so much I have been meaning to write to you about…
Like the day I went to collect pictures of shore birds for you. They were wading out across the marsh at low tide. But then I got stuck in the mud and laughed so hard they all flew away.
And then there was the fairy house I saw on a walk in the woods a few weeks ago. More like a fairy lean-to, but I thought it would be fun for us to imagine a life in the woods, living just like that.
Speaking of a life in the woods, I am reading a book that inspires me just about as much as Thoreau’s Walden did last year. The Power of Myth, with Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers, is full of amazing commentary about life, god, and the narratives that are woven into our souls. I can’t wait to share more with you, soon!
Meanwhile, there has been a daily occurrence of ant picnics on my kitchen counter. I thought ant traps were a good idea until a PBS documentary about John Muir reminded me of the divinity of all creatures, great and small. I’ve been apologizing ever since!
(You can watch the entire documentary, John Muir in the New World, on the PBS website, here.)
Lest you think it’s just about small creatures, I was delighted last week to spy two sweet fawns in my back yard. I have lived in this house for 13 years and never seen such a magical sight!
Ted Andrews, in Animal-Speak, was quick to remind me that:
When deer shows up in your life it is time to be gentle with yourself and others. A new innocence and freshness is about to be awakened or born. There is going to be a gentle, enticing lure of new adventures. Ask yourself important questions. Are you trying to force things? Are others? Are you being too critical and uncaring of yourself? When deer shows up there is an opportunity to express gentle love that will open new doors to adventure for you.
Ted, as always, is spot on appropriate. Self-care has been a resurfacing concept this summer. A summer which seems, more than anything, to be asking that I realign a great number of things in the name of health and peace. How nice to have a reminder wander into view, right?
I hope the summer has been kind to you, and offered up chances to laugh, wonder, be inspired, remember important things, and see magic!
• • •
©2012 Jen Payne
I have never had fawns in my yard. You’re so lucky. Had a family of skunks as neighbors and they were incredibly sweet and gentle. I also had a baby opossum stuck in my squirrel feeder, one evening.
Great pictures.
An opossum stuck in the squirrel feeder? How on earth did you get it out?
: )
I kept the flashlight on him, so that he’d be still long enough for me to lodge a rock under the hinge to keep the lid open. We watched him get out, stop, then turn around and stick his head back in the feeder for more nuts.
Too funny!
Muddy shoes. Sorry, but funny. Ants in the kitchen? Me too! What’s going on??? And deer in the backyard? Exhilarating. Peace… ;-).
It’s the little adventures, right? ; )
The fawns are sweet, but the feet are funny! A nice balance there —
(Sorry, John Muir, but the ants are icky, especially on the kitchen counter.)
And The Power of Myth is a life-changer.
OMG, The Power of Myth is just incredible. I am taking a slow walk through the pages, since each seems to demand full attention and ample time. WOW!
My feet have looked like that on more than one occasion (and its always because of a grand adventure!) :-)
Certainly grand adventure! Too funny!
We have deer in our backyard, and down in the canyon. I have a zoom lens that I can capture some great photos. We also have a feeder and water tub set up for them, since the last two years have been drought years. I have written in my blog about Daisy deer, an orphaned fawn that we raised last year. I am always gently reminded of the message from the birds and animals. Observing wildlife is so amazing, isn’t it?
Oh! I SEE you take time to watch wildlife – wonderful blog and photos! Congrats on the recently published photo!! What a charmer!