Shadows on the Wall

When I first moved into this house four months ago, the white walls outside on the property were
very disconcerting.  They stuck out like a sore thumb.

Then I realized that I have never lived anywhere where the walls outside, or inside for that matter,
were white.  Being a colorful person, things were soft sage green or blue or ecru or whatever.
Not white.

Since I sit in the morning to meditate facing out toward the front of the property, it was difficult
to ignore.  Then, one morning, I noticed shadows on the wall.  As the sun comes up from the East

and I am sitting facing West, the shadows are always altering as they filter through the majestic Norfolk pine and the flamboyant tree.  Aha, I said to myself......it is not just white!

It has been so interesting turning something that was an aggravation into something to look forward to on a daily basis.  No two days are alike if I look closely. 

This Norfolk pine not only provides shadows, it provides some kind of food to a myriad of hummingbirds.  I've noticed them skimming up and down the branches.  They almost stop at each branch but do not alight. I cannot find anything blooming on the tree so it must be tiny bugs that they
are eating.  Anyone who thinks that hummingbirds only go to red flowers have not seen all these hummingbirds because they go to all kinds of colored flowers and seed pods as well!

These are some of the many branches of the pine that provides housing for all kinds of birds - mostly sparrow and small, unknown and indistinguishable birds.

This morning as I was sitting in my arm chair in the bedroom watching CBS Sunday Morning, my friend, the dove who likes music and TV, came and sat on this branch for quite a while.  He moved around, puffed up and put on quite a show.

This is the glorious view from the window in the bedroom as I sit in that armchair.  The pine, a humongous eucalyptus tree that is across the street and the flamboyant.  Right near the window is a
tree with has circular leaves.  It is leafless right now, but so beautiful when it does have leaves.

In addition to the aforementioned meal items of the hummingbirds, they and other birds have been swooping down to get the fuzzy stuff out of these seed pods, presumably to use in their nests.  They do not take teeny tiny tufts but bunches that are as big as they are.  As they fly, I wonder how they can balance all of that.

ALL this fun and enjoyment, without leaving home!  It is truly amazing.  Nature is a wonder, always.