Thursday, May 27, 2010

Joy?

Early one morning last week, on one of my usual walks with the two Dogs, I met a Hummingbird.  Or should I say the Hummingbird met me? He had a message to impart.

I'm not sure I would have noticed him, had he not made his position as clear as he did.  Hummingbirds are prolific in the early Spring...they arrive early in the season, even if the liquid in Hummingbird feeders still freeze at night.

I am accustomed to them speeding around the place. Their buzzing noise, a little louder than the huge, bumbling Bees that are also prolific, gives me a heads up that one of them is near. And with their first arrival, it is magical. 

Upon the first sighting, everyone rushes to fill the feeders; during one of the first trail walks I took when we moved here, I found a feeder hanging from a Tree far from any dwelling. And it was filled with fresh nectar...at the time I wondered if the feeder would draw a Bear or two. But the only creature feeding upon it was the Hummingbird, that I could discern.

But the Hummers have been here for a long while now...at least a couple of months. I'm accustomed to the sound of their wings and rarely look up to watch in wonderment any more. There are so many of them, you see...after awhile, they become commonplace, a part of the twittering, tweetings, buzzings, chirpings and sharp calls that abound in the mornings.

I planted many Seeds this year, right into the Earth, rather than starting them indoors. But, as soon as I planted them, I forgot which and where. I tell myself every year to find a scribbler and write down which Seeds I've planted; every year I skip that step. And every Spring, my memory gets worse...

So I had my head down, intently searching for the first signs of something lifting its head up through the Soil. The World recedes then; I am completely in the moment, completely oblivious to anything other than willing the Seedlings to grow.

I was dimly aware of hearing a Hummingbird close by. And then I heard the swish of Air, just a little closer than normal.

Closer than normal is right.  I was completely startled when the Hummer landed upon my head. I was not sure exactly what to do...I was bent over, my head close to the almost blossoming Tulips. Did the Hummer mistake my head for one of those blossoms? Should I brush it off? Thoughts ran through my mind, speeding as if they had taken wing as quickly as the Hummingbird.

I heard it twitter once or twice. I was worried it might get tangled in my hair, which is shoulder length and was up in an untidy bun. What was I to do then, should the Hummer get caught in hair and clips?

There was nobody around, other than the Dogs, who watched the whole debacle with interest...and a bit of humour, if I'm not mistaken. There was no one to come to my aid.

Within a very short time, although it felt like eons, the Hummer, with a sharp tweet, took off, speeding his erratic way through the Trees. And I was left with...you guessed it...Hummingbird excrement, mixed in with my hair.

For that tiny Hummer, there seemed to be a lot of it. I touched my hair and discovered a small, gooey blob right in the middle of my head. I dashed it off, only to feel liquid running down the side of my face. He had left his calling card, in spades!

The Dogs laughed and laughed, dancing around me, sneezing and huffing. As I walked into the house to take a shower, I wondered what on Earth that Hummingbird thought he was doing.

Had I wandered too close to a nest? Hummers are territorial and most species are fighters...sparring for feeder rights with other kinds as soon as the feeder is put outside. But I've been in that particular area many times, before and after the incident. And have never had problems with any Bird, Hummer or otherwise.

My hair is grey, glinting silver from Sun's rays upon it. Could he have thought my head was some kind of untidy, exotic Flower? Could he have been attracted to the colourful clip that was trying to contain hair that wouldn't be captured? Others have grey hair...do Birds alight on their heads, as well?

I'll never know. But I do know the Hummer's message is inner Joy.

From this site, I read about the Hummer and the other messages he gives.

His first message is to taste and enjoy the sweetness of life...life as it is, not what I wish it to be. I am to make the most of what is.  The Hummer tells me to be more adaptable; he tells me I am not to look back in life and wish for what was.

And then there is that inner joy I am to find and project to others. I am proficient, he tells me, at finding the good in life's situations for other people. Now I must learn to find the good in me and my situations.

He tells me I have a gift for working with flowers...he suggests aromatherapy as an adjunct. He warns me to take care with sweets...I am diabetic, so the little warning was taken.  But why does he not worry about overdoing it with that nectar he is constantly guzzling back? Never mind that his energy output is phenomenal!

I believe strange interactions with the Animal Kingdom should not be overlooked, and so I take Hummingbird's message seriously. He was right to remind me to take what is and not try and change it for my own satisfaction; rather I will try and accept circumstances as they are right now.

Perhaps I am thick-headed...perhaps I was not hearing or accepting what I knew to be true. And having the Hummingbird relieve himself on my head certainly brought the message to the forefront.

He had some words of wisdom to impart, this Hummer.

It is up to me what I do with the wisdom Creator tried to send, so uniquely.

And now? Now I keep my eyes and ears open when Hummingbird flies past...

24 comments:

  1. Ooops, I'll keep my distance.

    I have what has turned into a forest of lavender that all came from a single cutting years ago. (We don't get killing frosts, so it grows all year.)

    It attracts hummingbirds. I put out some feeders, but it is the lavender that continues to attract them week after week.

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  2. Hi Marion, Annie here from Kj's. This is a wonderful post. I too take encounters with animals as messages, I have a very special
    relationship with coyotes, hummingbirds, dragonflies and ravens.
    xoxo

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  3. Clever Hummingbird to put all that poop on you to make sure you would think upon Him a little longer X;-)

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  4. Marion: What a great post. Your writing is so eloquent ... and I balked out loud when I read that he actually pooped on your head! AGH! What a beautiful message he had to deliver though. :o) I love what you said about your seeds: "intently searching for the first signs of something lifting its head up through the Soil. The World recedes then; I am completely in the moment, completely oblivious to anything other than willing the Seedlings to grow."

    As always, I very much enjoy your writing, and always relate to what you write about!

    ~Nicole

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  5. what an experience!! and what a great parting of wisdom from litter hummer. when i was a little girl, lizards (they crawl on walls in the house and feed on insects, not sure if you have them where you are) used to poop on me too, not once, many times, strange, among everyone in the family, it was always me, everyone found it funny. i wonder what message was it trying to tell?

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  6. Anonymous10:03 p.m.

    Hello Marion,

    There must be a message there from Hummingbird. In India they say it is good luck and a blessing when a bird poops on you.She certainly inspired awareness itself. :D

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  7. To have your eyes wide open to the world around you, to live in the present, to find joy in small things and wisdom in nature, these are all miraculous gifts. You've been redeemed to enjoy them, Marion. I lifted my eyes from the dark past and found a beautiful present before me, thanks to my Creator's grace.
    Unfortunately, I've never a hummingbird poop on my head. Lucky you.
    Your photos are enchanting. Oh, those tulips! They're doubles, triples, gorgeous! And the lilac, I thought for a moment you had been here to my place a month or two ago, photographing my lilac. And I love your raised garden bed. Pine tree trunks, are they?
    I'm sorry the memories my blog aroused in you this morning were not so good. I felt the same way when I thought of my own. But then God gave me the gift of humor to look at them from a different perspective. And you are so right, that we broke the circle with our children, and we were able to spare them that. We probably scarred them for life in other ways, but at least it wasn't THAT way, eh? And you have that glorious world to revel in and find your peace, so obvious from your writing.
    Have a beautiful day, my friend.
    Chris

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  8. I liked the line" "take what is and not try and change it for my own satisfaction"

    How lucky to have a hummingbird that close! (Whether the poop is lucky is another matter ;)

    Lovely post as always. It is such a joy to come here and read.

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  9. Jan,

    You might possibly remember the lavender hedge I had when I lived on the Island. Hummingbirds were in love with that hedge as well...and butterflies, too. I could have had a hundred feeders out, but they were far more fond of the lavender. I wish I could grow it so easily here!

    Annie,

    I'm so glad you visited! Thank you! I love the Dragonfly...I could watch them flit here and there for hours. Sometimes, when I'm in a fanciful mood, and they hover in front of me, I'll say hello, because they so obviously EXPECT something from me! I listen to Coyote regularly, as he hunts in the bush and then sings when the hunt is successful.

    Nollyposh,

    Heh! How right you are! It was far too odd an encounter for me to dismiss it.

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  10. Nicole,

    Thank you so much! It means a lot coming from you. And my Seedlings, with this unaccustomed Rain, are bouncing along! I am in awe of how quickly plants grow here, just in awe. Each day makes a huge difference. All of a sudden, our gardens catch up with those so much further South.

    Alison,

    You can read about Lizard at http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/lizard.htm

    One of Lizard's messages is listen to your dreams. I think it's wonderful that you just finished your course on dreaming, don't you? heh...that old Lizard isn't finished with you yet!

    Miruh,

    I remembered from somewhere that it was considered good luck. Thanks for clearing that up for me...I considered googling...Bird poops on one's head...but haven't yet, haha.

    Yes, the feeling of inner joy for myself is becoming far more apparent since the incident, for sure!

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  11. Enchanted Oak,

    You have an awesome post up right now, and obviously it has stirred up many memories from others as well as me.

    I remember seeing your Lilacs and other photos of your garden, while mine was still a Winter wasteland. So I enjoyed Spring twice, with the anticipation of my own garden bouncing along and looking like yours in just a little while. Living up here teaches me patience, I think...because when Spring arrives, she REALLY arrives! And then all the waiting is worth it.

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  12. oh marion! i would have panicked!

    it was such a pleasure to read this, as it is each of your posts and essays. i love how you write, how you comment with animals and with their spirits, with the spirit we all share.

    here, as i read this tonight, i feel like you are writing this for me: to tell me to stop looking back, to stop wishing things were different. so if you don't mind, my dearest friend, may i join you on the path you're on?

    i'll walk straight ahead and find you there. i can't help lamenting still--love has a way of causing that--but i trust what you say.

    i am glad and blessed that we are friends, marion. i hope you know that.


    kj

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  13. No need to remind you to enjoy every moment of spring - your writings here make it all so vivid!

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  14. Pauline,

    I've been told it's lucky and I really didn't think too much of the poop, until it ran down my face. I'm thinking this Hummer saved it up until he flew onto my head, since I've seen their poop and it is really a very small amount. Rest assured that now I am very conscious of those small birds...

    And you wrote a lovely, lovely poem this morning. I read to my Hospice clients often, and for one reason and another, they mostly prefer short poetry. So I was wondering if I could use it to read to them? I've left a comment on your blog with reference to doing so. You would be given credit, of course.

    kj,

    I WANTED to panic, but there wasn't time, heh, he flew off before I could have that privilege!!

    You may absolutely join me in the path Hummingbird suggested! I have often wondered what Raccoon has to tell you...have you checked it out? You've been in close contact with them lately, and the one where Raccoon had babies in your mom's chimney is an odd occurrence. I would look it up! Just google Raccoon as totem.

    Lament all you want, dear kj...when Katrina died I was advised that loss could lead us to the section on Lamentations in the Bible. I read all of it, but I was in a very cloudy state and I barely remember it. xo

    Pauline,

    Google has been acting funny again these days and not publishing comments well. Thanks for posting twice...it annoys me no end to write a comment and find it has not shown up on the writer's blog...

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  15. Hi Marion,your's flower photos are beautiful,many compliments

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  16. hello marion! it's me, emily!

    i wrote it! did you like it really really? because i wanted to impress you with my flower power :)

    kj wants to know when to phone you. she told me.

    your friend,
    emily r.

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  17. Electra,

    Welcome and thank you for visiting! Your photos on your blog are very inspiring and historical, as well!!

    Emily,

    I really, really liked your post on balance!! That took a lot of thinking, I'll bet, and I hope you were able to eat a lot of jelly beans to inspire you. It was ingenious, really, to use that flower!

    I am always trying to find a good balance, and I think I will draw a flower myself, and see if any petals are growing far too big. Today I kind of feel as if there are some.

    Tell kj the best time to phone me is between 3 and 4pm,my time, except for Saturdays and Mondays. I'm at the senior centre then. So I think that would make it 7 or 8pm your time?

    I'm looking forward to it!!!!! xoxo to you, Emily r.!!

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  18. Hi Marion thank you for your visit

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  19. Our hummers arrived early in May. We have one that always flies around the flags on our front porch. We are afraid to put a feeder up for two reasons. The first is that we don't want the hummingbirds to become dependent on us as a food source since we aren't at the cabin full time. The second is that we don't want the sweet liquid to attract hornets and wasps. In the summer they can be a problem and we feel it is best to avoid any attractions. But I do love to watch the hummer investigate those brightly coloured flags. - Margy

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  20. I loved the photos.

    Maybe I should feed hummers. I feed squirrels now, and they can eat their way through a 40 pound bag of black oil sunnies in about three weeks or less. At $20 a pound, that adds up fast. I do love them though.

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  21. What a wonderful post - I enjoyed this and the message is a great one, to be read over and over as life get's frantic and crazy.

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  22. Perhaps he was marking his territory as attracted by your hair clip.
    As my dogs, and myself, sometimes do we must claim what is our wandering grounds.
    Of course hummingbird's territory is greatly expanded by your wanderings and roamings. His territory is indeed greater now; if only he can locate it!

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  23. Margy,

    We have one of those feeders which don't let ants or wasps, etc. in. I was sceptical when I got it, but there have been no problems and it's been in use for two years. But I understand when you aren't there full time to not want a feeder.

    I also planted a patch of flowers in my garden that attracts Hummer's and Butterflies. It's coming along nicely!

    Snowbrush,

    I love my bird feeder. Scout Island on Williams Lake is a nature conservatory; we have birds from all over that summer here. There are actually pelicans who nest here...and that's an odd sight for me to see!

    Squirrels...not so much. They kill the birds and are terribly greedy! If it wasn't for that, they are hilarious to watch.

    Mim,

    Yes, I'm glad I wrote about the incident. I'm sure the memory would have gotten lost with my misty sense of recall!!

    Goatman,

    Haha...how do you tell if a Hummer's a male? Colouring, I suppose. Because you won't see many women or I wonder, female Hummers marking their territory! But I do understand it's a male kind of thing.

    It's alright if he can't locate my head...trust me!

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  24. Anonymous1:44 p.m.

    Hi Marion,

    I've heard it's good luck if a bird poops on you!

    And if there's anything I've learned, it's that the things that happen to me in this life that seem to be the worst thing that could have happened actually turn out to be the best.

    It just usually takes some time for me to reflect back on it in order to figure that out. If only I could be accepting of the moment all of the time! It does seem to get easier as I get older, though...

    Thanks for sharing this story. I really enjoyed it.

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