Come to a neighborhood near you —

OUT DRINKING COFFEE today in the midst of another early, bird-filled morning, I began to grasp fully the notion that my little garden west of the house has more and more, as the surrounding area gets drier and drier, become a true oasis, not just for me, but for area wildlife.

Two days ago, I came upon a still-spotted fawn delicately making its way down the roadway, sampling grass heads and briars and whatever tender growth might be found. It was out in the middle of the day, obviously seeking food. There was still a little bit of water nearby in neighboring ponds, but it’s dwindling with every day of no rain.

Thank you to Debbie Jolly who offered her garden and this bottle tree to be photographed by Sarah.

This morning, dozing my way to wakefulness in the middle of coffee, I was counting the friendly neighbors buzzing by —  goldfinches, cardinals, hummingbirds and more, I suddenly snapped awake at the sight of a large covey of quail meandering through an area adjacent to the garden that had been watered inadvertently by a random hose break and actually had to be mowed. They were eating the seed heads of the freshly cut grass. Before I could get the binoculars for a closer look, something startled them and they were gone.

I don’t begrudge them food or water, and in fact, keep a small basin filled near the back door for anyone, winged, two-legged or four, who needs a drink. But every new arrival tells me how bad it’s getting out there. Without the blessing of a stout (so far) well, I’d be in the same boat. I’m studying daily on how to conserve more. Just as some folks are hanging on to their breeding stock in hopes of enough rain for a little more returning pasture, I’m hanging onto my garden oasis. It fed me yesterday and today, and will do so again tomorrow. With everything and everyone else, we’re hanging on, hoping hard and waiting for the times to get better — Say, do you hear a song in that?

Music wise, we’ve been suffering through a drouth as well, with CD sales off and too much time between gigs. But still we hear from folks near and far  — as near as Walmart and as far as Italy and Australia — saying they’ve just seen the movie and looooove the music. And we’re keeping busy, Linda finishing an album, Van ready to start one and the Band working up a new album as we speak. My little legendary self is about to hit another quite amazing milestone (the band has kidded me repeatedly about being described in the program last weekend in KC as “the legendary folk singer”). Sometime today, this little bitty blog is going to receive its 100,000th hit. I know I promised cake. I’m working on it.