MY CITY OASIS

POST # 32


When I woke up this morning, I had a totally different idea of what I wanted to write about, and then when I was standing at the kitchen sink and gazing outside at the beautiful sunshine beginning to bath the front yard, I decided I would write a few words about this wonderful place that I am currently housesitting at.
What caught my eye as I looked out was the proliferation of magpies hanging around a specific tree in the yard, a magpie convention of sorts. Now I know that plenty of Albertans don't like this bird, but I have to say that it is quite a beautiful creation, and it is amusing to watch as it goes about its business.
My friends have tied a red bandana on one branch of this tree, and the magpies always seem to be both interested and perplexed at this "creature" hanging out there. Each bird in turn will try to peck at the bandana, and when they get no reaction, or maybe it's because it doesn't taste like anything resembling magpie food, they move on to doing something else. And the something else in this yard, more often than not, is chasing a squirrel. Of course the squirrels don't particularly like this, because it usually takes place when the squirrels are busy collecting the seeds that have fallen down into the grass from the bird feeder. So every now and again, the squirrel chases the magpie. It's all very amusing and I have a front row seat at the kitchen window, as I wait for the water to boil for my morning cup of coffee.
Magpies and squirrels are in abundance here, and who can blame them as it's a little bit of country right smack dab in the city. But in addition to them, there are also jack rabbits which bound around every day and I can't think of many days since I arrived that I haven't seen at least one. The other day I was walking around the back yard next to the flower bed, and all of a sudden a jack rabbit comes flying out from under a bush and high tails it to some other part of the property. I don't know who was more surprised, the rabbit or me. And then just last night, I was at the kitchen sink doing some dishes and there was another rabbit running around the front yard at breakneck speed, going round and round and round. It would stop for a moment and then take off on another tear around the yard. Nothing was chasing it, and there seemed to be no purpose to its frenzied movements, but it certainly had me laughing as I watched. The speed with which it moved and its ability to change direction almost instantly was something to behold.
The largest creatures which make this place their home are deer. I had just returned from my grocery shopping the other day, and as I made my way silently across the grass heading towards the door to the house, out of the trees along the driveway there appeared a rather large deer. As soon as it was out into the open it spotted me standing there. Instantly it froze, and at the same time it looked right at me. It was so still, that it could have been a statue. As it watched me, I tried to remain as quiet as possible. It stared for a while, then took a few tentative steps forward before stopping again, and gazing over in my direction. I wonder what was going through its mind? A human with four legs? Ever so slowly it continued its journey and in a few moments it had blended into the surrounding foliage and had disappeared from view. I felt like I was living the scene from the movie "Stand by Me" where the main character is on the railway tracks when a deer appears right next to him out of the woods. They both stand there looking at each other, appreciating each others existence. For just a few seconds, the deer and I are all that seem to matter in the world as we stare into each others eyes. It's a magical moment, and then it's gone.
But it's not all large creatures that keep me amused. Just yesterday I found myself totally engrossed in watching a multitude of bees going about their work in the flower bed, moving from one flower to the next. It was as if time stood still and there was only me and the bees and the surrounding flowers.
I guess all this nature watching has been partly as a result of the fact that I have no pets to care for here. So my "pets" are all the creatures that I can discover outside, and I have not been disappointed.
I am on five acres and I am surrounded by all manner of trees and bushes, and depending on just where one is standing outside, it's easy to imagine that you are out in the country. It really is like an oasis in the desert, the desert in this case is the concrete city that surrounds this place. My friends who live here are very lucky and my guess is, is that they know it. And I am very lucky to have friends who allow me to stay here and care for their oasis, while they are on vacation.
The day begins with a view out to the front yard and the sunrise, and I like to make sure that it ends, sitting out on the back porch for a while, watching the sunset. It is a precious location and I am trying to absorb it into my being as much as possible before I move on to my next housesit.
Now that my writing work is done for the day I can go outside and just be. It's a beautiful sunny day, so I don't want to waste it being inside.

That's all for now folks.

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer