A world beyond

Only one scheduled hospital visit this week before it all kicks off next week. It has been strange being at home with the ability to make choices about where I go instead of it all being organised for me. I think I’d better make the most of it while I can.

I’m certainly glad the weather is milder. The birds did find it difficult during the very cold spell and we feed them every day. We have two feeders near our woodpile and some of the larger birds are quite messy and scatter some of the seed they don’t care for onto the ground. Then we found that was disappearing too. Before long we glimpsed a very shy field mouse which would pop out furtively and quickly from the woodpile. In the end we discovered there were two and no doubt there is now a whole family of them. So we may have to move the bird feeders in case they have some bigger brothers.

When the snow was on the ground it really revealed to us how many creatures actually use or inhabit our garden. Our rear garden descends into a little of our own woodland which backs on to common woodland so we have lots of woodland birds. We also have muntjac deer which live in the woods but regularly come into our garden and make themselves at home. Similarly we have foxes. Last spring it was delightful seeing the young cubs playing on the lawn, usually in the evening but we often see both foxes and deer during the day.

I suppose if we had a beautifully tended rear garden we would resent their visits as deer adore eating all sorts of colourful flowers especially roses, but we long ago decided we preferred to watch the animals so there are no specimen plants or well weeded borders, just lawns, shrubs and trees and very contented wildlife.

We have noted over the years, that when we have been unwell and at home, that is when we seem to receive more visits from the deer and/or foxes. It could be that when we are less busy we take more time looking out of the window, but certainly it makes us feel part of a much bigger world beyond. As I prepare to step out of the very active world where in the past I have had some control over my life, it is good to see a parallel world out there of which we are all part.