I loved this. I have 8 dishes of water at our Virginia home. I've seen the tiniest of lizards, the smallest chipmunk, the family of raccoons, the foxes, the cat, the wasps and many others all come by for drinks. And I've learned to put rocks or a stick in them so insects don't drown. Every house needs an exterior water dish❤️
Isn’t it a joy to see (or hear) who comes to drink? Thanks for being so generous with water for your wild neighbors, and yes, every house (or apartment or condo or whatever dwelling) needs a water dish outside for the neighborhood!
It absolutely is. We live in the wild on five acres and the animals are the best part. We're thinking about moving to a small town, which has its own pluses, but I'm not sure I'll ever think leaving this wildlife was the right move.
Moving always involves trade-offs, and it’s sometimes just heartbreaking to make that kind of decision. I have had to move for health reasons and may have to do that again, and it’s just never as simple to decide what’s “right” at the moment as it seems. You just have to go with your gut. And bless you for being such great neighbors to those with whom you share your current place!
Oh I love all these wildlife examples and providing water for them. I do the same. A fairy dish filled with water for toads. A plant saucer like yours on a dead tree stump for birds. Lovely words. Thanks for sharing the images, words and photo.
Oh, yes, I should have mentioned toads, though ours are rare at this point after twenty-plus years of drought. Thank you for nurturing your wild neighbors so lovingly! May they always bring you joy. :)
Susan, what exquisite suggestions for tending to our earth-mates.
We are just a few inches short of "rainforest stature" in this part of Western North Carolina so I'd never much thought about water offerings. You changed my mind. in kinship, Katharine
Thank you, Katharine! No matter what climate we live in, water is essential to life. It's easy to forget that though, living in a verdantly green and lush place as you do. Even with all of that rain though, fresh water isn't always easy to come by. Have fun finding creative ways to provide it. :)
Yes! I co-founded the group advocating for Rights of Nature for the Swannanoa River right after the debacle of the Sackett decision by SCOTUS that wiped out 50% of the wetland protection in 2023. It's really hard.
Thank you for mobilizing a group to speak for the Swannanoa River. It is hard in light of the SCOTUS decision (here too, because so many of our wetlands and streams are seasonal, yet so critical to the landscapes they animate). But acting for what is right is always helpful because it spreads the Ocean of Light and Love over the Ocean of Darkness and Fear, as Quakers say. Love always wins, even if not immediately.
Thank you for reading, Melinda! We forget sometimes how just a small bit of effort can make a huge difference for the myriad of lives with whom we share the planet. And how enriching reciprocity is. :)
Thank you for your enthusiasm, Mary! WE are in community with a myriad of lives, whether we notice them or not. Extending our care by planting habitat (plants native to our region) and offering fresh water enriches our lives too.
We have a fountain that not longer works, so we are filling the base with water. The rocks are a great idea. The first week we moved here from NYC, we came home at night to a coyote in our driveway. We live in Placitas, and they often hand out in our arroyos. We love them, even though our Australian Cattle Dog enjoys harmonizing with them at 2:00 a.m.! I must admit, he is hitting the high notes bigger and better with practice.
Phyllis, I chuckled at the image of Monk harmonizing with the coyotes in the middle of the night, and the improvement in his singing! Thanks for that. And good for you for keeping the fountain base filled with water even though the fountain itself no longer works. If you put in rocks, make sure they're stable and offer a kind of staircase to give any little guys a way out if they fall in. :)
Coyotes are intriguing to watch. They are curious, resourceful and a bit of a trickster! Love how you provide ways for the birds and butterflies to drink. Isn't it incredible how they will find these places, then through the bird telegraph tell others and soon many appear. Dad taught my sister and I when we were small to float a board in stock troughs for the birds. It is heartwarming to see birds land on the board for a drink.
Jenny, I agree: coyotes are definitely the original tricksters! And thanks for the reminder of the trick of floating a board in a stock tank for the birds. I had forgotten that one. We also put ramps over the slippery curved edge at the top of the tank so the toads and frogs and other little guys had a way to climb out. :)
I love gloaming--it's almost onomatopoetic! And thank you for the compliment. I try to make my writing multi-sensory, not just visual, and I do love evoking the feel of a moment. :)
Thanks, Karen! Bigger butterflies (swallowtails and monarchs, for instance) will sometimes perch right on the rocks and sip water from the edges, but the little ones (blues and coppers and painted ladies) prefer wet sand and they drink around the sand grains. It's pretty fun to see a while flock of butterflies "puddling" on wet sand or even mud. :)
When Lynda and I lived in Mesilla Park, I set out a bird bath which, along with our garden, drew birds from the area around us. Both White-winged and Inca Doves were constant users of the water and the garden drew Lesser Goldfinches and Black-chinned and Rufous Hummingbirds, among others.
One thing I miss from our life there is that lively backyard! It also had a resident Ornate Box Turtle,, several toads and numerous insects, including many butterflies.
Dave, My passion for the idea and practice of terraphilia comes from my belief that we are healthiest when we are re-connected with nature. It's my mission to reconnect as many humans as I can! And your lively Mesilla Park backyard is a great example of the benefits of inviting nature back into our nearby spaces. We get to experience the richness of the web of life that animates this planet and supports our lives too. May that richness continue to inspire you wherever you are.
I finally got the hint about a ground source of water after about the 6th time the raccoons knocked my standing one over. Humans can be slow to grasp things.
Raccoons can indeed be those wise fools, just like coyotes and ravens! And for them, a ground source of water is best because they're heavy. Also, they're able to out-fight any feral cats, so they aren't nervous about drinking from the ground. The littler ones prefer water raised high enough that they're safe from feral cats. (Here, we have coyotes to keep the feral cat population controlled, so I don't worry about them.)
The nonchalance of coyotes. Yes! I have put water out for the birds here but run into trouble with a lot of mosquitoes. I’ve used the mosquito repellent things you put in the water, but they tend to make a mess. We have a lot of mosquitos whether I put water out or not, so maybe I should just give in. Then there’s the feral cat problem…I appreciate this reminder and the info on butterflies, really cool!
It may be that a sand drinker for butterflies is best for you, Emily, because it's less likely to be a breeding ground for mosquitoes. And feral cats aren't a threat to butterflies (or as much of a threat--I have seen them chase butterflies just for the fun of it, but I've never seen one catch a butterfly). So you could start with that, placed in a sunny spot, and see who comes.
I am always amazed at how our brains can recieve information that causes us to wake. Last week, I woke in the early darkness, hearing a conversation between two Great Horned Owls. I think they wanted me know they were chatting.
I have one bird bath that is about 75 ft from my front windows and I can sit in my LR with my binoculars and watch birds splashing and sipping. Last week, I looked up while reading and saw a black-tailed doe cautiously taking a few drinks from the bird bath. Of course, she was gone by the time I found my phone to take a photo. Magical moments.
I always love hearing owls chat in the night! It's a special treat to be part of their nocturnal lives, even if only briefly and at a distance. Here, I sometimes hear western screech owls right outside my windows with the boing-boing-boing calls, and in winter, the great horneds are very vocal.
What a gift to see the black-tailed deer doe drinking from your bird-bath! They're so delicate compared to the big mule deer we have here. Enjoy your magical moments!
I loved this. I have 8 dishes of water at our Virginia home. I've seen the tiniest of lizards, the smallest chipmunk, the family of raccoons, the foxes, the cat, the wasps and many others all come by for drinks. And I've learned to put rocks or a stick in them so insects don't drown. Every house needs an exterior water dish❤️
Isn’t it a joy to see (or hear) who comes to drink? Thanks for being so generous with water for your wild neighbors, and yes, every house (or apartment or condo or whatever dwelling) needs a water dish outside for the neighborhood!
It absolutely is. We live in the wild on five acres and the animals are the best part. We're thinking about moving to a small town, which has its own pluses, but I'm not sure I'll ever think leaving this wildlife was the right move.
Moving always involves trade-offs, and it’s sometimes just heartbreaking to make that kind of decision. I have had to move for health reasons and may have to do that again, and it’s just never as simple to decide what’s “right” at the moment as it seems. You just have to go with your gut. And bless you for being such great neighbors to those with whom you share your current place!
Good advice, Susan, and good to remember. Thank you❤️
Oh I love all these wildlife examples and providing water for them. I do the same. A fairy dish filled with water for toads. A plant saucer like yours on a dead tree stump for birds. Lovely words. Thanks for sharing the images, words and photo.
Oh, yes, I should have mentioned toads, though ours are rare at this point after twenty-plus years of drought. Thank you for nurturing your wild neighbors so lovingly! May they always bring you joy. :)
Susan, what exquisite suggestions for tending to our earth-mates.
We are just a few inches short of "rainforest stature" in this part of Western North Carolina so I'd never much thought about water offerings. You changed my mind. in kinship, Katharine
Thank you, Katharine! No matter what climate we live in, water is essential to life. It's easy to forget that though, living in a verdantly green and lush place as you do. Even with all of that rain though, fresh water isn't always easy to come by. Have fun finding creative ways to provide it. :)
Yes! I co-founded the group advocating for Rights of Nature for the Swannanoa River right after the debacle of the Sackett decision by SCOTUS that wiped out 50% of the wetland protection in 2023. It's really hard.
Thank you for mobilizing a group to speak for the Swannanoa River. It is hard in light of the SCOTUS decision (here too, because so many of our wetlands and streams are seasonal, yet so critical to the landscapes they animate). But acting for what is right is always helpful because it spreads the Ocean of Light and Love over the Ocean of Darkness and Fear, as Quakers say. Love always wins, even if not immediately.
Lovely reminders! Amazing observations. Thank you!
Thank you, Cathy. It's so gratifying to put out a basin for wildlife and then see which of our kin appear!
Beautiful! I love this reminder to offer water to our kin.
Thank you for reading, Melinda! We forget sometimes how just a small bit of effort can make a huge difference for the myriad of lives with whom we share the planet. And how enriching reciprocity is. :)
A beautiful reminder of how we can make life easier for our wild friends. Thank you, Susan!
Thank you for your enthusiasm, Mary! WE are in community with a myriad of lives, whether we notice them or not. Extending our care by planting habitat (plants native to our region) and offering fresh water enriches our lives too.
We have a fountain that not longer works, so we are filling the base with water. The rocks are a great idea. The first week we moved here from NYC, we came home at night to a coyote in our driveway. We live in Placitas, and they often hand out in our arroyos. We love them, even though our Australian Cattle Dog enjoys harmonizing with them at 2:00 a.m.! I must admit, he is hitting the high notes bigger and better with practice.
Phyllis, I chuckled at the image of Monk harmonizing with the coyotes in the middle of the night, and the improvement in his singing! Thanks for that. And good for you for keeping the fountain base filled with water even though the fountain itself no longer works. If you put in rocks, make sure they're stable and offer a kind of staircase to give any little guys a way out if they fall in. :)
That is Placitas, New Mexico, just south of your home, Susan!
Placitas is just a lovely spot, isn't it? I'm glad you found a home there, though I am sure it was quite a transition from NYC when you first moved!
Coyotes are intriguing to watch. They are curious, resourceful and a bit of a trickster! Love how you provide ways for the birds and butterflies to drink. Isn't it incredible how they will find these places, then through the bird telegraph tell others and soon many appear. Dad taught my sister and I when we were small to float a board in stock troughs for the birds. It is heartwarming to see birds land on the board for a drink.
Jenny, I agree: coyotes are definitely the original tricksters! And thanks for the reminder of the trick of floating a board in a stock tank for the birds. I had forgotten that one. We also put ramps over the slippery curved edge at the top of the tank so the toads and frogs and other little guys had a way to climb out. :)
Gloaming. Such an underused verb.
Great photo of the coyote.
Waking to the sound of lapping water -- you capture this liminal state of sleep to awareness with the memories from your interior landscape so lovely.
I love gloaming--it's almost onomatopoetic! And thank you for the compliment. I try to make my writing multi-sensory, not just visual, and I do love evoking the feel of a moment. :)
I had no idea butterflies would visit a water basin! I love your gifts of water.
Thanks, Karen! Bigger butterflies (swallowtails and monarchs, for instance) will sometimes perch right on the rocks and sip water from the edges, but the little ones (blues and coppers and painted ladies) prefer wet sand and they drink around the sand grains. It's pretty fun to see a while flock of butterflies "puddling" on wet sand or even mud. :)
When Lynda and I lived in Mesilla Park, I set out a bird bath which, along with our garden, drew birds from the area around us. Both White-winged and Inca Doves were constant users of the water and the garden drew Lesser Goldfinches and Black-chinned and Rufous Hummingbirds, among others.
One thing I miss from our life there is that lively backyard! It also had a resident Ornate Box Turtle,, several toads and numerous insects, including many butterflies.
Dave, My passion for the idea and practice of terraphilia comes from my belief that we are healthiest when we are re-connected with nature. It's my mission to reconnect as many humans as I can! And your lively Mesilla Park backyard is a great example of the benefits of inviting nature back into our nearby spaces. We get to experience the richness of the web of life that animates this planet and supports our lives too. May that richness continue to inspire you wherever you are.
I finally got the hint about a ground source of water after about the 6th time the raccoons knocked my standing one over. Humans can be slow to grasp things.
Raccoons can indeed be those wise fools, just like coyotes and ravens! And for them, a ground source of water is best because they're heavy. Also, they're able to out-fight any feral cats, so they aren't nervous about drinking from the ground. The littler ones prefer water raised high enough that they're safe from feral cats. (Here, we have coyotes to keep the feral cat population controlled, so I don't worry about them.)
The nonchalance of coyotes. Yes! I have put water out for the birds here but run into trouble with a lot of mosquitoes. I’ve used the mosquito repellent things you put in the water, but they tend to make a mess. We have a lot of mosquitos whether I put water out or not, so maybe I should just give in. Then there’s the feral cat problem…I appreciate this reminder and the info on butterflies, really cool!
It may be that a sand drinker for butterflies is best for you, Emily, because it's less likely to be a breeding ground for mosquitoes. And feral cats aren't a threat to butterflies (or as much of a threat--I have seen them chase butterflies just for the fun of it, but I've never seen one catch a butterfly). So you could start with that, placed in a sunny spot, and see who comes.
And we certainly have butterflies here! I saw several monarchs in the garden today.
I am always amazed at how our brains can recieve information that causes us to wake. Last week, I woke in the early darkness, hearing a conversation between two Great Horned Owls. I think they wanted me know they were chatting.
I have one bird bath that is about 75 ft from my front windows and I can sit in my LR with my binoculars and watch birds splashing and sipping. Last week, I looked up while reading and saw a black-tailed doe cautiously taking a few drinks from the bird bath. Of course, she was gone by the time I found my phone to take a photo. Magical moments.
I always love hearing owls chat in the night! It's a special treat to be part of their nocturnal lives, even if only briefly and at a distance. Here, I sometimes hear western screech owls right outside my windows with the boing-boing-boing calls, and in winter, the great horneds are very vocal.
What a gift to see the black-tailed deer doe drinking from your bird-bath! They're so delicate compared to the big mule deer we have here. Enjoy your magical moments!