One of my favorite things about sitting behind the puddle is that we don’t have an overwhelming number of any one visitor.
We have a pair of herons. A pair of cardinals. One bold blue jay. Shelly the turtle. Two beavers. A family of mallards. Pinecone the squirrel. A handful of red-winged blackbirds. Some grackles that seem to have gone missing for now. Plenty of sparrows, who may not get much attention from most people, but are loved here just the same.
The geese are probably the exception, but even they come and go in a rhythm that feels balanced rather than crowded.
Maybe that’s part of why every sighting still feels special.
When there are only a few, you notice when someone doesn’t show up. You celebrate when they return. You begin to recognize personalities, habits, and favorite places. They stop being “wildlife” and become familiar neighbors simply living their own lives alongside ours.
I think the puddle has taught me that sometimes joy isn’t found in having more.
Sometimes it’s found in knowing who’s already there.
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