The great blue heron is back again today. Statuesque, he's frozen with one leg crooked, eyes locked on some prey in the pond, ready to grab his breakfast. He'll stand there as long as it takes his hunting efforts to claim his prize. Normally it would probably be a frog, but with all the rain I suspect it's actually a fish today.
Watching him is like a meditation. Brown water flowing east. Golden brown and deep green pond bank vegetation. Shamrock green meadow background. Blue grey sky. Ripples of rain drops on the water. Melodies of the song birds flitting here and there. Whispers of wind blowing through the trees. Dark twilight blue plummage, white beard of feathers and that ridiculously fabulous top knot... the heron is poetry come to life.
If I let the dogs out, it will disrupt the scene. The heron pause from his mission, cock his head, gather himself together and launch. Spreading his magnificent wings he'll soar into the grey skies. Either he'll head on down the line of our seven spring pools or off to another of his haunts. As he glides away, I'll sigh. I'll sigh in wonder that such a huge bird can be spectacularly graceful. And I'll sigh at the gift of having seen this scene.
Living a rural country life is a special gift. There's a connectedness to the land that I suspect is rare these days. All I have to do is look out a window to feel the interwoven threads of life on this planet. What impacts Mother Earth impacts me directly. In my daily life. Not only in the contents of my larder - the results of gardening labors - but in my quality of life.
I try to be a good steward. Of the land and for my animals. I garden organically. I plant crops for wildlife, butterflies, birds, and bees. I avoid chemicals; reuse, repurpose, recycle. You know the drill. Is it enough? I'm old enough to have witnessed amazing changes in weather patterns and growing awareness of species that have already been lost. Our global climate is changing and therefore, my life is changing.
I'm reminded of one of my favorite quotations from Chief Seattle in 1855:
Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.
We humans have managed to inflict many changes to the web of life which impact our climate and environment. Changes that, in turn, continue to cause alarming changes to our basic survival needs of food, water, air, and shelter. Changes, some of which are permanent and there's no going back. All in the name of "progress."
There's no "do over," however, It's never too late to walk more softly on this planet we call home. Going green has become a catch phrase and marketing ploy, however it can mean taking even small steps to protect life and to make sure we are not among the extinct species of the future.
I wonder about future generations. Will they be blessed with having the opportunity to witness the poetry of life? Will there still be red tailed hawks that make lazy circles in the blue sky over their fields? Will there still be honey bees buzzing in their orchards making sure fruit will be on their tables? Will the great blue herons fish in their ponds?
As for me, I'm with Mother Nature. I cannot spare her nourishment of my very soul.
Composed for Blog Action Day #BAD09
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