TheBanyanTree: Lessons and Circles in Life

[Pam North]

There's a lesson in all of this, I'm just not sure what it is!!

We've been trying to grow grass in our backyard.  We killed the weeds -
TWICE!  The weeds growing were so long and 'viney' that we didn't think the
weed killer had had the chance to find the roots, so we sprayed it twice.
And once the weeds were dead and raked up, we had a backyard of dirt.  Okay,
so the yard was a bit 'gone to seed', or had been ignored for way too long.
Whatever the case, we decided to work on it this spring, and we've been
focused!

Meanwhile, our 'backyard' is sort of in the shape of an 'L', and the long
part running along the side of the house HAS been ignored while we attempted
grass-growing in pieces.  First, because it seemed an overwhelming task, and
second, because we didn't want the *entire* yard to be dirt, and mud if it
rained!!

And so the long side of the house got ignored.  Not only were weeds growing
high there, but they were growing up and around a broken riding mower, a
broken push-mower, and a ferret cage that Jim brought when he moved in, and
which we haven't decided what to do with yet.  Okay, *he* hasn't decided,
and 'out of sight' truly is out of mind!!! - *I* would just have hauled it
to the dump!

I don't think I'd ever own a ferret.  Or a hamster or gerbil or mouse,
etc!!  I am so NOT a 'critter' person!  I play really 'hard' and fearless
amongst my friends - come on!!, a retired Gunny can't be all a-flutter at
the thought of 'creatures' running round, but the truth is:  I'd rather
not!!

I'll follow you into the forest, but you're going first to scare up all the
critters and send them scurrying.  Before they scare up ME and send ME
scurrying!!  Which starts to get me towards the point of this whole story!

Yesterday I got up determined to do something with that disregarded side
yard - the part that was starting to remind me of 'white trash'... not to be
rude, or judge anybody with cars on blocks in the yard, it's just that the
look is not for me, and I was starting to stress at the thought!

So I broke out the weed-wacker!!  I *love* that thing!

The kitchen windown faces that side, and Jim just happened to be standing
there when I saw something small and furry scamper out of the weeds, and run
and bury itself in the weeds I hadn't wacked yet, which caused me to scream,
'ohhhh, what ARE you?!?!?'  I was startled, which is what I MOST hate about
little furry things!!!!, and I didn't know if it was something to fear (a
rabid RAT!!!!, nad no, we don't have a lot of those in this neighborhood!!),
or what!!!

So Jim heard me scream, and like a true white knight, came out to
investigate.  And watch for scurrying critters while I continued to weed
wack.  Ah-HA!  There it went again, but this time not further into the
weeds, but in the other direction out the gate and into the front yard!  It
was a little baby bunny!!  (So okay, maybe we DO see rabbits in this
neighborhood!)  Jim followed it out, and crept right up to where it sat, and
then he picked it up!

Just a little tiny brown baby bunny!  Certainly nothing to fear, and he was
braver than me though, to pick it up!  He sat quite docilely (is that a
word?) in his hands while I gentley patted his nose and head and spoke the
same 'baby talk' I speak to all little critters that somebody ELSE is
holding!!!! - 'oh cute little baby bunny you're so sweet where's your mommy?
she's probably worried about you you shoudln't be running around scaring me
like that you cute little baby bunny',

Then we collected huge handfuls of the same now-wacked weeds, lined a big
box that had been sitting empty in the garage (oh don't even get me started
with THAT mess!), and set it outside to keep the bunny safe until we could
take it to the woods and set it free (and hopefully safe).

Jim went back into the house, and I resumed my weed-wacking.  And then,
through the kitchen window, I heard Jim yell, 'OH NO!!!'.  I stopped and
asked him 'no what?', and then I followed his pointed finger to the
neighbor's yard.

There's a five or six-foot chain-length fence separating their yard from
ours, and they own two killer boxers!  I really don't like those dogs!  They
bark a LOT, and always when we drive up in our yard, or worse!, go into the
backyard!  They CHARGE the fence like if it wasn't there we'd all be
dinner!  KILLER dogs, I tell you!!

And they both were, "playing" with a baby bunny!  They didn't appear all
growly and ferocious - their tags were wagging and they seemed to just be
having a grand old time.  While the little yellow bunny in their jaws or
under their paws, squealed for its very life!!  So *I* charged the fence
trying to get the dogs' attention and invite them to dine on ME!  But no,
those friggin dogs wanted no part of me that time.  I had to walk away.  I
couldn't stand to hear the squeals, and I coudln't stand to think of them
killing the little baby bunny.  I know it's probably all that 'circle of
life' crap, but I didn't want to watch it, and I didn't think it was really
necessary in this case!!    The stupid dogs weren't scavenging in the wild
for dinner for cryingoutloud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I called them ugly names.

And eventually got all the broken machinery moved to weed-wack around, and
then mowed up the whole mess and bagged it.  Now at least the yard was
'swept' and everything was neat and tidy.

And that's when Jim showed me the little 'bunny nest' that some mom had
burrowed into the ground where she had dead machinery and high weeds for
cover.  He showed me all the fur that had caught his attention, and how it
was all lined.  And how close it was to good green grass that they could
feed on.

Great!!  Had I NOT felt the compulsive need to weed-wack and make a lot of
noise and disrupt their home, they may have stayed put until they were a
little bigger and quicker and SMART ENOUGH to know NOT to hop next door
where the friggin killer boxers lived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Now I'll never be
able to weed-wack high grass again for fear of assisting in the deaths of
cute little baby bunnies!!

Born and raised right under my own kitchen window!!

Pam