I Love To Go A Gardening
Growing Our Life in Northern Michigan
Life & Death
I had a lot of fun watching the bluebirds build their nests this morning. I do think that we actually have two pairs of bluebirds in our birdhouses. The ones in the house at the corner of the deck is especially fun to watch because they are so close, although I’m concerned we will scare them off when we go outside. I didn’t get much crocheting done because I kept trying to photo a bluebird with its beak full of stuff for the nest. Usually by the time I saw it, and focused my camera on it, it was already in the nest. However, I did get a few photos:
I was looking through the viewfinder of my camera when I saw a very vividly colored bird land near the birdhouse. I thought at first it was the male bluebird, but then I got a clearer look at it and realized it was an oriole! After it flew away, I cut an orange in half and stuck it on a nail on a post. It wasn’t long before the oriole noticed it and began eating it. It ate from it for quite awhile!
The propane guy arrived today to fill our tank. We were astonished when he backed all the way up our long, steep driveway. All the other guys have driven the propane truck forward up the driveway. It’s not like we don’t have plenty of room for them to turn around up near the house. When we walked down to get the mail later, we found that the truck and knocked over a t-post, and gone off to the side of the driveway in several places, making deep ruts and crushing the rock dams and plants that we had put there to stop erosion. It was very disheartening because we have spent several years and a lot of money and effort shoveling dump truck loads of gravel and soil along the driveway, building rock dams, and planting plants to stop the erosion. The ruts will provide a canal for the rain water to run down, which the flattened dams and crushed plants will no longer stop. Sigh. I wrote the company an email later to tell them that we liked their company and service, but please tell their delivery guy(s) not to try to back up our driveway!!!! I mean, that’s just ridiculous.
It was a beautiful sunny day–warm, but not too warm–so after EJ left for work, I planted wildflower and sunflower seeds.
While I was planting the sunflowers along the fence, I spotted Miss Madeline Meadows, our serial killer cat, on the hill with a victim. I hurried toward her and when she saw me, she released it, and it quickly flew away. It was a pileated woodpecker. I think it was a young-ish one because it looked smaller than the ones we usually see.
Later in the early evening, I looked out the window and saw Madeline trotting past the house with a rabbit in her mouth. I quickly slipped on my shoes and ran out. I was able to rescue the young rabbit. It was injured but didn’t appear to be near death. I felt responsible for it since I had rescued it, but I didn’t know what to do with it. I scooped it up in a bucket and took it down the driveway and put it near a tree in an area where we have seen rabbits before. But it just stood there frozen. I didn’t know if that was where its burrow was or if it would attract predators, so I picked it back up and put it back in the bucket. I carried it up to the house and made a little nest for it in a cat carrier where it would be safe. I didn’t know what to feed it or how to care for its wounds. I finally searched the Internet for a local animal rehabilitator. I called the number and explained that I rescued a little rabbit from a cat and I didn’t know what to do next. The woman told me that the rabbit will be dead within 24 hours. She said that cats have a bacteria that will kill the rabbit if its skin is pierced even the slightest bit. She said that I should just put the rabbit outside where it will be most comfortable and leave it. I felt anguished and tearful as I took the rabbit outside. I left it near a wooden pallet so that that maybe it will be somewhat protected as it dies. Death sucks.
I like that Madeline kills mice, shews, moles, and voles, but I hate when she kills anything else. Of course, she is only acting according to her nature and being the predator that she is. And the truth is that although nature is bursting with wonderful life, it is not as peaceful as we would like to believe. We are also surrounded every day by constant life and death struggles as one critter kills another to survive. I just don’t always have to see it. I would prefer not to see it.
I Love To Go A Gardening 
Our tender hearts overflow with care for nature and I would of done what you did TJ, so keep enjoying your beautiful piece of northern Mi.
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I love the photos of that brightly colored birdy! Also I’m so sorry for the poor rabbit but I also understand that your kitty can’t help her instincts! I love your blog, by the way and would love to nominate you for the Mystery Blogger Award! The post will go up on my site today!
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It’s always nice to hear that someone enjoys my blog. thanks for being here, chloelights! ❤
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