Saturday, July 6, 2013

Nature-Induced Trance-Like State

We slept nine hours straight last night. I believe that is exactly what we needed to do.
Now we have an entire day before us and we have no plans at all. The sun keeps changing its mind about whether or not to show its face.

I can see about ten different types of birds in the backyard and a squirrel is sitting on the outside table, eating a mushroom with his clever little squirrel-hands. There's a frog croaking somewhere on the porch about five feet from where I'm sitting. Last night Mr. Moon had to rescue two bats. One was UNDER the dish drainer in the kitchen sink, drenched but still alive. One was on the floor of the library, covered in dust. But still alive.
He is such a kind man. He gently captures them in a towel and takes them outside and does something (I can't bear to watch) to get them to come to life and then he releases them. "Bye-bye!" he calls as they make their Bat Way into the Bat Sky.
I have taken to calling him Bat Daddy.
You know that thing where they say that bats eat more than their weight of mosquitoes every night? I hear that's a lie. They do eat mosquitoes but not that many. I'm sorry. I just can't get behind the bat as a cuddly darling little creature. Sure, logically, I know they're harmless and really, really cool but my brain finds them as disturbing as snakes. Snakes have no legs and yet manage to move across the ground and up walls and trees and sometimes into my hens' nests.
Bats are mammals but they fly and they have little mammal ears and little toenails on their wings.
STOP IT, BATS! STOP BEING SO WEIRD!
But mostly, stop being born in one of my chimneys and flying into my house.

Oh Lord. Too much nature.

Well, I need to figure out what I'm doing today. I should probably go pick some more blackberries or clean a toilet or something although I'm feeling serenely un-inclined to do anything productive. I could just sit here all day long and watch the birds and the squirrels and the light filtering in and out of the clouds, in and out of the trees. I doubt the universe cares one bit and the breeze is sweet and the crickets' humming is hypnotic.








11 comments:

  1. I could wrap myself up in your life in two seconds flat, the way you describe it.
    You have a real talent girl, for living, and writing.

    Now I gotta make me some yankee dumplings.

    xo dd

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  2. TOO MUCH NATURE!!!

    I wonder if Mr. Moon built a bat house if they would discontinue coming in YOUR house?? I hear they are really easy to make, and harley LOVES making bird houses with his grandpa... Perhaps Owen would like it too. Then is the fun part, watching them come!

    I'm with you on the weird bat thing. They really need to stop being so weird.
    xo

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  3. Ok, always having lived in the city and taking every precaution a neurotic person could take against creepy crawlies, lizards, etc., I cannot fathom what I would do if there was a bat in my house. I wish I weren't so afraid of nature but I swear I am even afraid of lady bugs! Once I thought of desensitization therapy and then I thought I would die in the process. I love looking at nature-ish beings through a window and even then sometimes I wig myself out. Maybe if I could glue a strong Mr. Moon type to my body to protect me... Having said all this, I truly admire people like you and your mister who can live so
    harmoniously with all of nature. Maybe in my next life. I hope you give into the universe not caring what you do today and you continue to just sit and Watch. Sweet Jo

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  4. My dad brought a little brown bat home once. It had a broken wing and it was so small and sweet. He did that, my dad and I'm gonna post about it today.

    I <3 your husband. You can give him a hug and kiss from me.

    XXX Beth

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  5. Deirdre- They're good in baked berry desserts too, which I am sure you know. I love it when you stop by. Thank you.

    Ms. Fleur- Owen and Mr. Moon are working on a different project today. They are going to bring Sarah's old jungle gym set from across the street to live here. Yes, Paul knows about this.

    Sweet Jo- Honey, it really does take all kinds. And if everyone felt like me, New York City would still be a wilderness and look what the world would have missed!

    Beth Coyote- I will tell Mr. Moon that you love him. He will smile. Then I'll hug and kiss him for you.

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  6. Aha! I have been wanting for years to ask youto give Mr. Moon a huge hug and a kiss for me, but was not sure how you would take it. Now that Beth has broken the ice I will beg you to do the same for me. I love that man......more than you love Keith Richards and Cozumel combined.

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  7. I've had a big snake (and a small one) and lizards and frogs and rodents and starlings and sparrows and far too many bugs in the house, but not, so far, a bat. But I see them swooping through the night air in patterns that are a beautiful counterpoint to those of the owls who look so huge and white in the darkness, and I silently cheer all of them on. What, you're not going to clean a toilet or pick berries? Well, someone has to sit in the garden and know how to witness.

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  8. I love bats, but at the same time, they ARE creepy. I think humans have a natural aversion to them because they can often be rabid and dangerous. Kind of like snakes and spiders -- they tend to creep us out from an evolutionary standpoint. It's in our bones to want to keep away from them. You know?

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  9. Bats are indeed cool and such an integral part of our ecosystem. I'm glad Mr. Moon rescued the bats. So many are getting some kind of weird bat disease so we need those that can stay alive and be healthy.

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  10. Lo- Mission accomplished. And please never think for a moment that I don't love and appreciate this man. Because I do.

    A- I've had all of those too. It's just the damn bats. I mean really- why did we create walls if not to keep the bats out?
    And I witnessed today. Put you hand on the radio. I did.

    Steve Reed- I DO know. And bats are awesome. Outside.

    Syd- I know that and I'm so glad that we can save these silly ones that think they can live in my house. I hope the ones we release live long and prosper.

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  11. we were talking about this sort of thing around the fire the other night- now that we have our own place i dig why people spend so much time working on their yards to make it a 'space'. i love working on the various and sundry garden and lawn projects. it brings me to my zen place.

    xxalainaxx

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.