"domestic matters"

I live in a paddock that was bare when we first arrived thirty five years ago. It was covered in phalaris and there was a horse but the paddock had not been heavily grazed for some years. There were a few rose briars in amongst the rocks. No trees at all.

We planted Eucalyptus cinerea and Fred and Derick planted masses of others in between preparing to build the house. Then the drought of the early eighties took most of them. But Fred persevered and trees grew. The original survivors grew tall and large. Others crowded into bushy patches that grew larger. We took seed from Joe and Bonnie's Black Sallys, propagated them in tubes and planted on the slope to the north of the house. (not shading the house!)

Fred is still planting trees.

I befriended "Tip" the original skink who had made his way from the rocks and briars on the south to the rock wall that Fred built. We came to know his family, deciding that he was a father and the other one was the mother. (proven when I actually saw the birthing of six live youngsters).
They lived near our back door, by the steps up to the shed in the rock wall and she produced six youngsters every year. Many of the years they all survived the winter hibernation until eventually they also began to produce young. (Did other skinks migrate in?)

We were having a population explosion. We still stopped the cats from catching them if possible and grieved when watching a Kookaburra eating one. But the cats did keep the mice away.

Then we became catless. And the magpies came and carolled us. Magnificent birds each with their own personality and preferences for particular foods! "Shadda" was the first who came to the back door looking in and casting her shadow on the glass. A brownish coloured magpie whom we thought was the mother. Was she an elder who died or a young male who was cast out? We don't know. But the next year "Auntie" came with three or four young ones but the attrition rate was high and eventually there was just two. "Aloyisius" and "Caruso". Caruso was a female and is still here despite attempts to get her independent. Aloyisius was the tamest, he sat on our laps to get food, but he was cast out to fend for himself.

We no longer name the young magpies. But they use the house verandah as a playground and sing and call out for more food; a call we increasingly ignore as fat worms get taken out of the garden.

So the years went on. Now this last season brought an early heatwave which brought an echidna to the house to get some shelter from the fierce Springtime heat. We have bushland here now! The wombats are on the creek and we have seen them in the garden when the grass was very bare during the drought. Now it is just the deposits in the gateway that excite us!

Occasionally we see kangaroos over here from the paddock across the road. Yesterday one was lying under the Black Sally's.

This year (2010) the skinks have seemed worried and frightened. Perhaps we were absent too long over September as they came out of hibernation. I don't know. Last week perhaps I saw the answer. A brown snake at the bottom of the stone wall. Is this the reason for the small number of baby skinks this year and the absence of last year's group? Fred did see the snake in springtime. Summer was fortunately for us a time when we didn't see it. But then while trying to keep safe, we also don't look deliberately. We know snakes are around. And the mice are here now too. The magpies get fed muesli these days. (no, no meat) and although crested pigeons, and crimson rosellas and blue wrens help to clean up, the mice do as well. Mice (and oats) bring snakes. I learnt that when we had chooks.

When I put clothes on the line under the verandah I have to be careful of the golden orb spider that is growing rather large by the post. A wonderful web is crafted every morning and glows gold in the sunlight.

So the bushland that Fred planted is flourishing. I'm not sure if I am pleased! I liked it better when we knew the animals around us as individuals. I rejoiced at births and grieved losses.

Perhaps it is time to learn a deeper way.