Grumpy Old Ganz

Birds and Bloom

Spring is here and people are planning for their flower and vegetable gardens while others look forward to watching the summer birds that have returned. I am not a bird or flower person, but I do understand that others are very passionate about them.

Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the birds and the flowers, but not to the extent that some do. I like to photograph both, but the extent of my enthusiasm ends there.

I know a few people who have nursed their flowers inside during the winter months so they can plant them outside in the spring and watch them thrive. Some also have bird feeders set out for those cold, winter months, and others leave them out year-round. These “birds and bloom” people love to show and share every detail of their growing, feeding, watching, etc.

My enthusiasm stops there. I have no interest in pruning, growth, or the best brands of birdseed to use. To tell you the truth, I don’t care to hear about that “vibrant cardinal” you talk about all the time.

The reason for this is those that I know go into extreme depth and detail. Even a conversation can be abruptly stopped because of a bird landing at the feeder!

I don’t mind a bit of conversation here and there related to the birds and blooms, but it does not have to turn into an in-depth lesson every time the subject is brought up.

Most often the conversation is about a robin, finch, sparrow, wren, or some other fairly common bird. I can see those in my own backyard.

If you want to get my attention, talk about the scarlet tanager or the indigo blue bunting which are a little less common, or how about birds of prey? Although I don’t expect to see or hear about a falcon in someone’s bird feeder!

The same goes for flowers. Show me a special wildflower, not one grown in a greenhouse.

I have even lost interest in the deer that still come into my yard. It has become “old news” for the dogs, too. They simply lift their heads in acknowledgment and go back to sleep.

Here’s some “seed” for thought...

“In order to see birds, it is necessary to become a part of the silence.” —Robert Lynd

I like the “silence” part...