Of Gardens, Wasps and Bald Eagles

Yesterday started as one of those fairly mundane Saturdays that unexpectedly turned into a day I will always remember.  It's funny how an ordinary day can be transformed in an instant.  When unplanned things happen and suddenly your day has transformed into something altogether different that you anticipated.

That is exactly what happened yesterday.

It's July in Texas and we have a garden.  That normally means getting to those garden chores on Saturday mornings before the heat index reaches "swim in your sweat" level.  So, after coffee and breakfast we headed to the garden to clean up, weed and pick produce before the worst heat of the day settled upon us.

I began by picking peas and tomatoes and cleaning up the mess the squirrels had made.  Plants were drying up from the heat and drought and I was examining the cucumber vine, trying to decide whether it was a goner or not, when out of nowhere a red wasp dropped down on my arm like a blowtorch. 

The pain was instantaneous and sharp.  I jumped up and down like an Indian doing a war dance and headed over to get help from my husband who must have thought I was crazy as I danced around waving my good arm at him.  He couldn't hear my yelling over the tractor and his iPod, so the crazy dancing was definitely necessary to get his attention. 

Bruce jumped on the golf cart with me and raced me to the house where he put a soothing paste of baking soda on the sting.  It did help the burn, but it was still very painful.  But, not liking anyone to think I'm not tough, back off to the garden we went. 

I had the nagging feeling that maybe I wasn't supposed to be in the garden that day.  As I continued cleanup - at the farthest point from the cucumbers as possible - something bit my leg.  Examining the area I couldn't see anything, but it was itching and uncomfortable.  Within a minute it began to swell and the itching grew intense.  "God", I said, "are you trying to tell me to get out of the garden?  Is there a snake around here and are you trying to keep me from getting bit?  Or, am I just looking for an excuse to get out of this hot work?"

After a few minutes of feeling like I was supposed to leave the garden I walked over and told Bruce I was taking the kayak out for a short while.  I'm not sure how pleased he was to learn that while he continued working, I would be leisurely paddling around the lake, but he tried not to make me feel too guilty (only because I had been wounded by the aforementioned devil wasp).

After changing clothes, filling an insulated jug with ice water, and loading and unloading the kayak into the water, I was paddling north for a short adventure on the lake.  Since my goal was a short, leisurely trip I decided to follow the shoreline of our next door neighbor's ranch and watch for wildlife.  His lakefront is not accessible in most boats due to the tree stumps and shallow water, but it would be no problem to navigate in my kayak.

Immediately, I saw two giant blue herons, a common, but still always remarkable sight.  I love the grace of these birds, but they are easily spooked when we are in our power boat.  Now, as the kayak quietly slipped through the calm water, they remained perched on the tree stumps in shallow water, alertly scanning for their favorite meal to swim by.  I was no bother to them at all.

Three sweet mallard ducks were nestled in the weedy grass at the shore, preening themselves and enjoying the quiet of the inlet.  They didn't seem to notice me and my bright green kayak as I slid by. 

The familiar cormorants were swimming and diving into the water for fish.  A few were scouting for a meal from tree stumps scattered throughout the inlet.  There were a few of another interesting bird that I didn't recognize but will certainly investigate.  Perhaps a bittern?

There were cattle grazing along the shoreline who typically don't enjoy humans coming toward them, but contently watched as I quietly passed them in the water.

As I rounded a corner where I had planned to start heading back toward home, I studied the last part of that shoreline, admiring the new stand of young pines growing in front of an older stand of majestic tall pines. As I gazed from the young pines to the taller ones, I caught a glimpse of white and did a quick double take. There she was with her white crown of glory atop her head, an American Bald Eagle!

She literally took my breath away! Though I wasn't moving fast, I pulled my paddle out of the water and just sat in my kayak watching and admiring this gorgeous and powerful creature.  My mind just kept screaming "WOW!" as I held my breath in an effort to be invisible.  She stayed for a good while, turning her head in all directions with such precision and alertness.  Finally, I watched as she flew out of the trees and across the water, such grace, and power, and courage showcased within an 8 foot wingspan.

I sat still, unable to move because my heart was so full of wonder and amazement.  After a couple of minutes, I saw her returning toward me in flight.  She landed in the exact spot from which she had launched moments ago, as if she were tethered so precise was her landing. 

Immediately I heard it, the cries of baby eaglets!  What amazement!  What joy!  What beauty!  I couldn't believe there were baby eagles right next door to my house.  How blessed am I to witness this glorious bird in person?

After watching until I felt I was invading on mother's privacy, I rushed back in the kayak to tell Bruce what I had witnessed.  My suggestion was that he take the kayak and see for himself, but he wanted us both to go in the canoe.  So, we did.  This time, not only did we see one majestic Bald Eagle, we saw both parents!  The two of them stood in the trees, beautiful white crowns on display above their powerful brown shoulders.  The sun reflected off their yellow beaks and their fierce eyes didn't miss a single detail in the landscape. 

Through a comedy of errors we did not get a photograph of the eagles.  But, we will quietly and respectfully venture there again to watch and admire them.  Hopefully, pictures will be in the future.

For now, I have vivid, powerful images etched into my brain of the day when God nudged me out of the garden and into the wild.  Painful wasp sting?  Baaahh!  It would have been worth several to get me on the lake to behold the majesty God created.

Try going where He nudges you.  You may just find that you are filled with amazement and joy!

Be love and be blessed,