Practice Makes Perfect

Yesterday morning, when I arose, the temperature was only 4C. I ask you, is this not strange? It's been so hot...an unprecedented heat wave...and then overnight, a drastic change occurs.

It's been difficult to acclimatize to the cooler temperatures. Because of Fibro, a quick change in weather makes me feel ill and the pain is so much worse. But the medication I take helped tremendously this time, although still the devil Fibro made his presence felt.

It's better this morning, however, my body having caught up with the weather change. Yesterday the temperature only went up to 18C, but it sounds as if today will be a little warmer.

This cooling trend helps the 800 or so Fires presently burning in the province. This morning, the deck was covered with sparkling diamonds of a very heavy Dew. Here, in the dry interior, visits from the Goddess Ersa (Greek Goddess of Dew) are so very welcome.

Wildlife activity has increased. During the past two days, I've counted sixteen Deer who have passed through the property. Owl has taken ownership of a Fir Tree, not far from the deck, and I am privileged to watch  his silent, deadly flight towards some hapless creature...a part of Mother Nature's cycle.

Birds of all kinds have descended on the bird feeder, many of them fledglings. The young birds huddle on the feeder deck, looking very curious and astonished at the sudden vast expanse of their World, which perhaps only yesterday consisted of a cozy nest.


I speak with them; their heads turn this way and that as they try to decipher my words. And so, I send images to them...and they become very still. I send quick snaps of feeders, our birdbath, Fir branches and then the Owl...


Instantly, as One, they fly away. How very interesting! Sending images to our Dogs works very well, but I had never tried it with Birds. Perhaps I will learn Birdspeak...a varied language it must be, for sure.


I witnessed an extremely heartwarming greeting exchanged between Lucky and one of the Deer. The Dogs knew their friend was near...just before I'd called them they had used their greeting bark towards something moving about in the bush.


As I went for my evening walk, I noticed a Doe and a Stag browsing along close to the fence. The female Deer had a familiar energy about her...a curious, wondering kind. 


I was unaware of Lucky slipping out of the house, where he was eating his dinner. His curiosity, just like this Doe's, could not be contained.


Instantly, silently (a first for him...his usual howl at an animal who had wandered near strangely absent) he ran towards the pair. He stood with his nose pressed through the wire fence...and the Doe came towards the fence, where they touched noses.


It brought tears to my eyes.  How grateful I am, to be the recipient of small miracles such as these!


The Stag stayed behind. He was a beautiful creature, his antlers still showing the fuzzy covering. I was wary of him, but my attention centred on Lucky and the young, female Deer.


She allowed Lucky to get his fill of sniffing her, and then she wandered slowly back to her cautious, poised Stag. Lucky watched her go and then he, too, came back to the house, acceptance of her departure written all over his dejected face.


I watched as Doe and her Stag meandered off, over the rise, her mission completed.


And the next day, I was so privileged to watch a Mama Deer and her two babies, spots barely visible, also make the pilgrimage to the fence.  There was only me, this time, to greet them, although I did not go close. It was enough to meet the eyes of Mama, and admire her babies from afar.

My feelings for living in the Cariboo are very complex. There is no denying life here can be difficult; yet for one who loves animal speak, there can be no better place, here in the wild bush.


It makes life magical, momentous. Touching a wild one's life gives me so much joy, along with the intense desire to 'know' more, understand more than I do.


Mutating weather might be difficult to handle for me, for a day or two, but living here brings me contact with a different form of being.

Practice makes perfect, they say.