Wholeheartedly Fussell

Back in the beginning, when dear tif at dottie angel was pondering resolve for the New Shiny Year I too was thinking that making new friends, even of the furry kind, would be a nice thing to do during this year.
*smile often (makes one look younger)
* make a new friend ( a furry or feathered one counts)
... only Fussell beat me to it & made my acquaintance just right there in the week before Christmas.
I really wasn't expecting him, no, not at all. I should have known though, being an angel in the garden sort of person, that the day would come when I would need to face my feathery aaah jitters...what with Charlie lurking behind every bush

& up every tree

and poking his nose in everything

sadly, no wee bird is safe when he's about, especially those that hop on out of their nests too soon.

First came little sparrow. I picked him up in a towel & he sat beside me all the evening while I tappity tapped away right here. Then, quite suddenly he popped up on the edge of the basket & said "thanks so much for having me but I'd better be getting off home now, Mum will be wondering where on earth I've got to"...& promptly flew out the window!

Then came my next feathery encounter, with the arrival of dear Fussell. Up went the alarm a squeaking & a squawking & all manner of birdly fainting..oh CHARLIE! NO!
Where were the little birdie guardian angels!!??  Not watching!

 

 Sleeping even! (borrowed from dear Raia at toile)

So here he was & a what a bustle & a fuss!
His first night was spent in a shoe box, nestled amongst soft towels.
Not knowing quite what to do with him & with Rob gleefully telling me that of course he would wake with the dawn chorus, I did in fact, wake at 5.30!! me!! & crept out in to the living room & with great bleary eyed trepidation took off the lid to find Fussell still alive..so outside we went...
to the break of day

 via we heart it Pollyanna  it felt just like this..& the birdsong...was the most magical sound I have ever heard

I hoped with all my heart, that Fussell would be alright & that maybe his mother would come & find him or a dear ancient soul would take care of him

 James Browne.net

All was well, until later that day, when a great commotion was heard down amidst the rampant raspberries; where we found wee Fussell valiantly evading capture..

 A few weeks earlier Kaitiaki had been very quick to inform me that I needed to get a bird to put in my $5 bird cage, then residing emptily in the Pansy Shed

..so in Fussell went

 his mum came & fed him for 4 days just like this

& we visited him many times a day & cleaned out his cage fastidiously (note his vintage flanelette sheets!

 alas, it was all too much for the wee darling & the day before Christmas eve I heard the sound of bird mourning & he was gone..ohhh Fussell, we tried so hard to help

beyond Fussell

 my daily pursuit of authenticity continues..

(sorry, you'll have to click on this to read it better..it didn't fit any larger)

with the help of kindred spirits like Brene Brown, encouraging, equipping & fortifying women for the journey of wholehearted living.

I really like this bit today.."exercising the compassion that comes from knowing that we are all made of strength & struggle & connected to each other through a loving & resilient human spirit..."
So, I can tick that one off..I've made a new feathery friend (even ever so briefly) & I'm so glad he came by my life. Perhaps I'll try a person next time : )
There are always fresh lessons, new experiences & wonders just round the corner...

 I'd never seen doves "grazing" before..til I drove past this gathering a couple of weeks ago.

MUCH

XOXO