My morning began like many do: I was out in the back yard, in my jammies and robe feeding the birds. The birds that come to eat are mostly house sparrows and Carolina Wrens, but I also get gorgeous cardinals and doves. And, of course, Squirrel usually shows up. I feed them Pennington Wild Bird Seed. It’s vitamin enriched and relatively inexpensive. I’m sure my neighbors think I’m crazy.

I do this for the most part because I just enjoy it. I like animals and they seem to like me. I resist the urge to ritualize the feeding. I don’t really need the metaphysical overlays. It does feel like a reconnection to the Earth, a casual invocation of the living.

The sparrows are skittish and don’t seem too smart, but they do have some collective intelligence that permits them to all take off at the same instant in a great flutter of wings. They do this constantly.

The cardinals are more determined. They don’t come as often but when they do, they own the space. Recently, a mating pair of cardinals landed to eat. This is a fully mature pair. Their colors are rich, the brilliant red of the male and the tawny tan of the female. The male saw me and fixed his attention on me. He simply stood there motionless between me and the female, resolutely guarding her while she ate.

In the warm weather, the air is full of wonderful bugs and magical hummingbirds. I figure out a way to feed them all. The sharing of food is the most universal sacrament. I can see why Jesus picked it for his signature move. It even crosses among different species.

It’s always surprising to me what even a little bit of nature, like that in my small back yard, can do for my attitude and energy levels.


Syd Weedon
1/30/2025