watching life happen!

A few weeks ago (and after procrastinating far too long I might add) I decided to finally clean up and put away the remaining Christmas stuff.  Some lights and garland still on the porch and a couple of wreaths.

Imagine my surprise when, in the front porch wreath, I found a little nest tucked nice and snug into the back of it.   Expertly hidden by the fake pine boughs, it wasn't visible except from inside the house.  Hidden from squirrels and black birds - which of the 2 ravaged last year's nest  perched in the window light above the door I don't know - the little nest looked quite safe.   And lo and behold - a couple of eggs!  This little bird was already well on the way.  

Found the nest!  Totally by accident when I went flying out the front door into the garden.  Though there's only 2 eggs, at least 5 baby birds are now in there.  Haven't managed to get a photo of mom yet.  

Despite there being eggs in the nest, a few people told us to knock it down; we didn't want birds squawking around the front door; we didn't want the hassle of not being able to use the front door; didn't want bird poop all over the place, etc.  We voted not to and am I ever glad we did!  Instead, B blocked off the front porch (aren't bungie cords great things?!) and we watch life unfold from the other side of the glass.

Nicer than "stay the hell off my porch" right ;-) 

These little guys appeared about a week and a half ago - we've counted 5 little beaks, though they're like a mess of puppy dogs inside that nest, so difficult to figure out how many there actually are!  They've been surprisingly quiet, even when momma brings food.  They're bouncing around when she does show up and as soon as they're fed, completely conk out.  

Anyways, just thought I'd share a little bit of magic that's happening on our doorstep.  I've been busy shooing the cats away (I'm not a cat person on the best of days and with baby birds around, even less so) and watching for black birds; it looks like the nest building location was an excellent choice.

Nobody but us seems to know they exist :-)   

Some pictures over the last week:  when we first noticed them and as they've started to poke their heads up for food or to see what's going on in the world.  Still won't be using the front door for a while!  

yes, I eat animal protein. and no, I don't care what you think.

I care how I feel.

Let's get things straight right off the bat - I'm deliberately choosing to wade into this gong-show of a conversation (if one can actually call it a conversation).  Is it going to be pretty?  Probably not.  I'll get over it.

Let me start with this - I do not support factory farming.  If my only choice was to buy meat from a grocery store, I'm quite certain I simply would not eat meat.  But I don't have to buy meat from a grocery store; I get it straight from a local farmer who raises her animals with love, kindness and compassion.  Her care for them does not stop at her farm; she also takes care to select an abattoir that slaughters (yes I said it and I'm ok with saying it) her animals humanely.  

But that's a bit of a digression.  What I really wanted to express here is that I am tired of reading all the rhetoric, accusations and insults hurled at people about their food choices.  That's right - THEIR choices, not yours.  And rather than tearing people down for their choices, perhaps you'd like to write your own article or blog post to provide information about your choice and experiences that people can learn from. 

Whether the article is about being vegetarian (and the dozen different types of vegetarianism), vegan, paleo or otherwise, everybody has an opinion.  The strongest I've seen lately are in response to an article written by a woman who decided to abandon a vegan diet and another who tried paleo and found it not for her.  The criticisms ranged from "you're just lazy" to "you're a murderer".  The "advice" these people provide (keeping in mind most of these people are not educated in nutrition, medicine, natural medicine, or anything similar) is stuff like - stick it out, you might feel like crap for months before your body adjusts!  One of these women actually said she got threats - I mean, come on!

How about support instead?  How about supporting people for making a decision that is right for them and stop criticizing them for something that has nothing to do with you!  I have absolute respect for genuine dialogue about this subject, but these days genuine can be a bit hard to find.

I'm not a doctor, nutritionist (yet), naturopath or have any sort of medical or nutrition training.  I am however aware enough to know that I'm going to feel like shit if I have toast for breakfast every morning thanks to a wheat and gluten intolerance.  So guess what?  I don't do that.  Does it mean I avoid a plate of spaghetti carbonara at my favorite Italian restaurant?   NO!  I eat it and I love it - but only occasionally.  I also know that animal protein is a good choice for me, based on how I feel.  Some days, all I want is fruit and veg from sun up to sun down, so that's what I eat.  The key is listening to what your body is telling you and keeping in mind those messages can come in SO many ways - weight issues, your hair falling out, frequent headaches, digestive issues, fatigue, skin problems - the list goes on and on.

It took me a long time to learn (with the help of a naturopath) how to notice my reactions to certain foods and how to adjust my eating habits based on what I learn.   Your body is a constant feedback mechanism, but it's only meaningful if you're listening.   And I won't lie - that process wasn't a cake walk, it took work and practice.  The biggest gift you can give yourself is to pay attention to how you feel based on what you eat and adjust based on that.  If in doubt, seek out the help of a naturopath or nutritionist or another medical professional well versed in how food impacts our well-being.  They can help.

Most of all - ignore the judgments and do what's right for you.  And those of you judging - knock it off, cuz we don't care - you're not doing anything other than making someone's struggle worse.

There, rant done.  Let the genuine dialogue begin :-)