Sharpening My Pen With Maple Sap

I know that sounds silly - but it's the truth. This morning as I was looking out my window on this unusually blustery and cold spring morning the birds were flocking to the feeder and the suet in record numbers. The poor little guys must have been freezing. The Gold Finch are molting and getting spring yellow wardrobes and that makes them particularly vulnerable. I feel sorry for them.

I started writing about this in my journal (my three long hand morning pages everyday) when I noticed an odd phenomina. There were frozen icicles of sap dripping from the soft Maple tree that stood a few feet from the bird feeder. The black capped chickadees and the rose breasted nuthatches took turns drinking the frozen brew. The chickadees had to hover like humming birds, the nuthatches just perched upside down and nibbled at leisure.

The three families of woodpeckers (downy, hairy, and I'm not sure what the other is, small, medium and large all look pretty much the same - except to another of their specific species I'm sure.) were joined by a yellow bellied sapsucker all taking turns on the suet or hammering the tender maple branches and I knew instantly who had wounded the Maple tree causing the sap to flow on the days when the sun shines. Even if the wind and the temperature are cold...the warmth of the sun encourages the Maple to do what maples do. The woodpeckers do what woodpeckers do and the result is a special treat for the other birds. Mother Nature is amazing.

So, my writing practice included lessons in letting go and letting nature take its course. Sometimes that is necessary in our own lives too.

Enjoy your Easter break - hope your holiday - if you celebrate is filled with love, health and prosperity, and do take time to look out your windows and be amazed.