When we first moved to our house in Comox, the yard was fenced on three sides, with a narrow entrance on the west side of the home. One day, a mother deer brought her two fawns to our backyard and left them curled up in the dirt where we had been working to remove some concrete. She went away for hours and then came back to collect them for the evening. It was wonderful to observe them so closely. Those sweet white spots!

 

In later years, we eventually ended up constructing a fence and gate on that side of the house so that we could grow veggies in the yard. More than once in the springtime, I've noticed a mother deer come with her new fawns to the side of the house. Was this the same mother deer? Did she remember this place? Did she tell her friends? I felt a little guilty about building a fence, but also happy to have my fruits and veggies un-munched. 

 

Deer are commonplace (some may even say pests) here in town, but I appreciated this beautiful urban-wildlife moment.

 

While me might dream about wild wildlife experiences, there is so much to enjoy in suburban and urban environments when we take time to observe, notice and intentionally cultivate a sense of wonder. A lovely book that guided me to more deeply appreciate the wildlife that lives in and travels through my yard was, Zooburbia: Meditations on the wild animals among us by Californian writer and editor Tai Moses. This memoir is filled with stories of urban wildlife and mindful insights. I think it's well worth reading.

 

What wildlife can you observe in your yard, local park or community garden? Are there animals you see frequently that you can see with fresh wonder? Are there animals, perhaps very tiny ones, that you haven't noticed yet in this change of season?

 

Can you connect more deeply with these experiences by using…. outdoor meditation, writing, photography, nature journaling or other creative means?

 

 

We built these garden boxes in the early days of the pandemic. Building a garden with my husband and girls was silver lining of being in lockdown. Tending to it in the years that followed has brought joy…and apparently frogs! 

 

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The Mindful Monday Archive