I was pottering around outside today in our little urban garden and while watering the ferns I spotted that little badger up there (aka a bee, it’s not really a badger) crawling out the stem of my Dahlia ‘Black Jack’. When I got closer it literally held a leg up as if to say “hold it! back off son.” So I did – never cross a grouchy bee fresh out of hibernation. Especially when you were the one who probably woke it up.
Anyway, it got me thinking. Down on the allotment this morning, sleepy bumblebees were everywhere, spiders were dashing, frogs were a ribbeting. Even a butterfly flap-flapped its way slowly around. Everyone was awake. How I’ve missed the wildlife around me. I’ve really missed it!
In our garden we’ve had birds all winter as usual which has been fun. Blackbirds doing their thing, wood pigeons waddling, blue tits firing around like micro-jetfires, the robin pretending to be my best mate to get some lunch. But when a parakeet appeared in our neighbour’s tree staring right at me and squawked to tell me to naff off as it proceeded to then eat the emerging buds off MY plum tree, well, it all made me laugh at the joy of nature just doing its silly funny things.
Our garden isn’t just for me, it’s for the thousands of other lives that make it their home too. And while I know you shouldn’t project human personalities onto animals and insects, well, we’re animals after all and I do wonder if they all have a sense of humour too.
Very cool. We are still super cold here in south Cental Colorado, but bees will appear in 4 or 5 more weeks.
Not long now Chuck! It’s amazing that first day when the world goes “yep, it’s spring”. Today was it here in London. We have a very cold weekend projected but I can’t believe it will be that bad now, not after the warmth of today and the signs of the insects waking up.