I have come to terms with the future.
From this day onward I will walk
easy on the earth. Plant trees. Kill
no living things. Live in harmony with
all creatures. I will restore the earth
where I am. Use no more of its resources
than I need. And listen, listen to what
it is tell me.
M.J. Slim Hooey
We have been honored in our time spent at MuRefuge to witness life beginning and life ending, for example, an old buck stopping in his tracks and dying in the field South of our property. We watched over the following days the Turkey vultures clean the carcass, leaving a stunningly beautiful rack atop the skeleton.
Below are just a few pictures of the sentient BEings we have seen here at MuRefuge over the years. Of course there is a plethora of other beings not featured here in the pictures. Here's a smattering (but by no means an all inclusive list) of those we have seen over the years: weasel, possum, skunk, raccoon, bobcat & mountain lion (rear), mice, a variety of different kinds of rats, gopher & mole & vole, gopher snake, many insects and birds, both year round residents as well as migratory and seasonal birds.
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| While I was moving the last of the organic compost from MuRefuge's driveway, this California Red-sided Gartersnake did NOT want to give up its home." When earlier on another day of moving the compost, a shed snake skin was laying atop of the pile as the tarp was removed. |
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June 04, 2014 |
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| June 02, 2014: Mom returned to feed her offspring. |
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| February 24, 2013 |
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| May 21, 2012 We were filled with gratitude to see the litter of 8, yes, 8! And the one in the right of this picture caught a meal. |
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| June 21, 2012 Humans had an an opportunity to see interspecies sharing in the field just to the South of MuRefuge. |
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| February 05, 2012 |
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| January 17, 2012 A pair of foxes seen repeatedly in the early mornings.
Below is the awesome transformation of the Monarch caterpillar to butterfly we here at MuRefuge were ever so fortunate to witness over six weeks =/-
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As we celebrate diversity and the wild sentient BEings of all sizes and forms, may we
This wonderful email arrived: "Absolutely beautiful, Cathie – all of them. We really like Petaluma and this area, but I have often bemoaned the fact that in our little corner here, it seems quite sterile of wildlife. I often think of the wildlife we had in our garden in the suburbs of New York. The only mammals we have in our garden here are rattus norvegicus, and mice, though which species I would have to look up. Almost no birds, except that the mocking birds do seem finally to have discovered our elderberries. We don't even seem to have as many towhees as we did. Certainly no caterpillars and no butterflies. Hardly any insects of any sort, occasionally a ladybird. I feel the air should be alive with birds, and it's just not. There obviously is the odd skunk around, and Weegie discovered it. Raccoon road kills, and not many of those. We used to have frogs, but have not seen any in the garden for several years. We did see a praying mantis a few days ago, the first since 2012 or earlier. We do have hummingbirds, and we do get a few house finches availing themselves of our saltbush. Oh, well, we will keep trying. A world of just humans is very dull.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks,
Kate"
From my niece in Kansas City, MO: "Wow Cathie those are some amazing pictures! What an amazing place that you have created and nurtured! Hope all is well with you and Dwight. We are back to school here and getting back in the normal routine.
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Callie"