Lessons & Reflections from the National Butterfly Center

I am captivated by the critter cams. Since we began spying on the wildlife at night, we've identified and named an interesting and entertaining cast of characters we don't usually get to see in the gardens and on the trails. First, there is the feral hog. Big surprise, this one was! Then there are the owls: large and small. We judge their size and try to guess their species by the glowing eyes floating some distance above the branch, barely visible in the shadows. The owls are often present in the still photos, watching, waiting, witnesses to everything that happens in the night.

The 'moron twins', thus named by Volunteer Dave, are a pair of raccoons; brothers, we presume, because of the way they behave. If you are a brother—or if you have one—you know what I'm talking about. They eat and play, then one pushes the other off the feeding bar in the birding station. They dig in the dirt, climb over a stump, and then lock in a vicious death roll. Why? Who knows! One probably farted in his brother's face...wait, no, that's my boys.

Just like at my house, things get broken in the melee. At the NBC, it's plants and bins and butterfly logs. Fortunately, my 'mom training' means I take these things in stride. It's the clan of coyotes chasing something we never see down the trail that gets me. One breaks ranks. One circles back. One stops. He's the straggler, bringing up the rear. Is he catching his breath? Enjoying the scenery? Distracted by something shiny? Disinterested in the race?

I suppose it gets to me because I am always striving. Pushing to be out front. In pursuit of something I may never catch. The straggler is not preoccupied with that. He's free to follow, or not, for now. His pack will be waiting for him at the end of the run—as mine will be—so why not enjoy it?

Boy, am I a long way from that mindset, but I'm working on it. Yes, working on it.

Guess progress is going to be slow on this one....

Laughter helps. Good thing another episode of The Moron Twins will arrive in my Inbox, tomorrow.

Thank you, Dave!