The tiny musings found below will perhaps provide you an opportunity to pause and reflect on our world and our place in it. You can subscribe to receive posts in your inbox (approximately once a week)! Note: all writing and art is © Christopher Buddle.
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Crow friends
watchful, curious
soar, hop, caw for a peanut
backyard feathered friends
Some (partial) quick pen and ink sketches of crows We have a family of crows in our neighborhood -five of them, which I suppose is a true “murder” of crows. They talk to us, make their way around to different houses, keeping an eye on their world. They are getting to know me, and I am getting to know them. They occasionally get a peanut from me, and they are quick to find me if I’m out walking, knowing this peanut fact. They are smart.
Yesterday evening I left a few peanuts in the backyard, and they showed up a few minutes later. They were caw-caw-cawing, delighted at the treat. After a careful assessment of me, as I stood on the back deck, they converged on the peanuts. Hopping, investigating, assessing. Some of them would take a peanut in one foot, hold it against a hard surface (paving stone or backyard chair) and peck peck into the shell to extract the nut. I noticed one crow taking a peanut to a big dish of water in the yard and soaking it for a few minutes. This, I assume, is to soften the shell so it’s easier to get through it. Smart.
If there is only one crow around, I notice they it will enjoy a peanut in silence, because any noises will attract the siblings, and the competition will commence. Smart indeed.
It’s a well known fact that Corvids (crows, ravens, jays, and their relatives) are among the most intelligent of all the birds. A lot has been written about this, but the book “In the company of Crows and Ravens” is highly recommended (it has lovely art in addition to the natural history writing being very good). Watching the neighborhood crows really confirmed this for me. I simply adore making friends with this family and I am learning a lot from them.
Once again, the avian world delights.
© Christopher M Buddle 2024
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The Good Boy
paws
pause
goodbye to a perfect friend
always a good boy
Recently a friend had to say goodbye to his dog. He was a special pooch (all of them all, really), and a family member for my friend and his spouse.
Loosing a pet hurts so much. Dogs love us unconditionally. They wag their tails and jump and smile when we come into the house, even if we are gone just a few minutes. Every day is a new day with a dog; a great day. A day to be filled with long walks, good smells, food (yay!), and adventure.
We could learn a lot from dogs.
And, to my friend. We are all so sorry that you had to say goodbye to your good boy.
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Grubby
beneath the turf
coiled packet of protein
beetling about
Last week I was working on our front walkway and part of the process included lifting and removing some grass. Lo and behold, I discovered the meaty beetle larvae, known as grubs. These insects are common in lawns (and other habitats) but not seen as larvae unless you dig about a bit. These grubs are distinctive, and common, and full of protein. Surely many of the birds you see pecking about your lawn are looking for these tasty treats. I’ve heard they can be yummy to eat, and while I have not tried them, I suspect if you are lost in the woods without food, they are a relatively easy source of protein. I hope to not have to test that theory!
Insects are, of course, everywhere and so many species have interesting life cycles. These grubs will feed on the tender roots of grasses, and emerge later in the summer as adult beetles, and some species will then fly about and munch on the leaves or flowers that might be found in other parts of your garden or yard. “May beetles” or “June beetles” have these grubby larvae, and will often land on your front porch if you leave your light on in the evening. They are distinctive, chunky scarab beetles.
Some species within the group are invasive/introduced and can cause quite a lot of damage. So, while their larval existence is quiet, solitary and out-of-sight, they can be pests as adults (and, while some of the larvae are true pests of turf grass too, although the ones in my lawn are not really damaging my weed-filled lawn!).
© Christopher M Buddle 2024
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mossing about
a verdant pillow
lay your weary head down
nature always listens
I did a sketch and added some colour based on what I think was a species from the genus Polytrichum. But, I am not confident in this. Regardless, FUN! I’ve quickly become obsessed with moss. This came quite naturally after reading Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “Gathering Moss” – truly outstanding natural history writing. If you haven’t read it, I encourage you to do so! It will draw you into the world of bryophytes, and you will discover astounding beauty. It will cause you to pause when you see a carpet of green on the side of a tree-trunk, or hugging a half-visible rock in your local woods. or covering the ground in the deep, dark forests.
Mosses (and their relatives) are well worth your time. They are secretive, special, green, and water-loving. They don’t have flowers or seeds or roots, but still do so much and have important ecological roles in ecosystems, but also create wonderful, soft mats upon which to rest your weary head.
Over the long weekend that just passed I walked my dog through many forest patches in town, carefully collecting small samples of moss and trying to identify them (this book is a good one to get you started!), and learn about them. My dog finds it weird, of course.
My moss hunting buddy, Quincy, taking a pause in a stream. Many years ago I realized that the Butterfly Bush had the scientific name Buddleja davidii – which piqued my curiosity. I started to learn about the Good Reverend Adam Buddle (1662-1715) and his botanical interests, which lead the naming of the genus Buddleja. I went down more than a few rabbit holes understanding what he did, and interestingly, his interests were very much moss-related. This article talks about him being a ‘Moss-cropper extraordinaire‘. My family has roots in the United Kingdom, and at some point I would like to see if there is a blood-line connection to Adam Buddle. That would be fun, but regardless, I find looking at mosses helps me see nature a little differently and lets me dream and imagine the world of Reverend Buddle as he collected and worked to catalogue bryophytes in his backyard so many centuries ago.
The moss obsession in full swing. Nature.
History.
Natural History.
Mossing about is well worth your time.
© Christopher M Buddle 2024
art, bryophyte, bryophytes, collecting, drawing, history, moss, natural history, nature, pen, Plants -
painted
basking on a sunny day
watchful, ready
slip back to a life aquatic
Painted turtles are lovely, distinctive reptiles, living in ponds and wetlands, but also resting on emergent habitat (often logs) to warm up. I like how you can sometimes see so many of these turtles lined up together on a single log – but they are ever watchful, and will quickly slip back under water if they sense a threat.
Turtles are emblematic of all that is great about nature: interesting natural history, connected myths, folktales, and symbolic to many cultures. And they are rare enough to be special when sighted, but common enough to be known and appreciated. Give a nod to these fine animals next time you catch a glimpse!
Note: I have not been publishing as regularly! Life is busy, I’ve been away a lot, etc. But instead of try to self-inflict deadlines, I am going to release myself from the promise of publishing *every* Monday morning, and instead try to publish approximately once per week, on whatever day a post comes together. And this week, it’s a Friday. Fun!
© Christopher M Buddle 2024
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Scotland adventures
a craggy seat
above old town cobblestones
bagpipes echo
Arthur’s Seat, with the crag beneath. (Yes, there is a strong vertical line! This is done on a mini Moleskine watercolour album, with the fold of course!) I have not written a post in a while, due to a vacation to Edinburgh. We had an amazing time in a truly outstanding city. From climbing Arthur’s seat, to castle visits, walking through old town and new town, and visits to museums, art galleries. I had not been to Scotland before, and I was beyond impressed. We did manage a trip out of the city one day, which included a visit to Stirling Castle. One of my favourite views on the whole trip was a glimpse through a small garden out towards the Wallace Monument, which was a kilometer or two away. I tried to depict in with this watercolour:
As usual, I took a mini watercolour album on the trip and tried to capture various landscapes and sights. There was no shortage of opportunities for pulling out a water brush and quickly painting some scenery, buildings, or other interesting things. Edinburgh Castle is so dominant in the city that it showed up more than once in the album:
We also really loved the walk along the Leith river, and happened upon Dean Village – an adorable with the river flowing right through it. It was like stepping back in time.
Dean Village And while we mostly had good weather, we also were subject to wild rain storms that appeared out of nowhere, including on our walk up Arthur’s seat. The sky grew dark and ferocious, and we huddled next to the ruin of St Anthony’s Chapel for ten minutes, and then the sky cleared again and we enjoyed a sunny day as we hiked up the crag.
Thank you, Edinburgh! We are privileged to have met you.
© Christopher M Buddle 2024
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the eagle flies
under watchful eyes
royalty of the sky
survey their domain
Bald eagles are impressive birds of prey. Distinct, large, magnificent. They are also resilient, recovering in population sizes compared to decades ago. In my area they are seen semi-regularly, and this spring they have been nesting just west of our town, thrilling bird-enthusiasts.
Iconic, perfect feathered friends.
Fly, eagle, fly.
© Christopher M Buddle 2024
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Le Plateau
sidewalk terraces
bustle on st laurent
a montreal gem
Montreal has so many incredible buroughs, but one of the most iconic is Le Plateau. On Wikipedia it is “...known as a young, student-friendly neighborhood with streets full of charming townhouses.” It is charming. It’s very busy, and it’s full of great places to eat and drink. There are wonderful vintage shops, incredible restaurants, and in the warmer months, innumerable terraces pop up on the sidewalks and streets, and people sit, relax, and sip their favourite beverages. The walkups are also very characteristic of the Plateau (and other buroughs in Montreal) – the architecture is distince, colourful, and lovely.
It’s the most densely populated area in Canada, apparently, which was a surpise to me. While it feels busy, it does not feel overwhelming. For visitors to Montreal, a wander through the Plateau is a must-do. For those in the area, it’s a great place to grab a poutine, and see friends. For those who live in the Plateau, I know it’s a heck of a great place to call your home.
© Christopher M Buddle 2024
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Spring migrants
tiny traveller
chirping hellos from treetops
birder’s delight
Spring migrants are truly a birder’s delight. I’m totally addicted to the “Merlin” app – which has a feature in which it can listen to birds and provide you a best guess for identification based on vocalizations. Warblers and many other small migrant songbirds can be difficult to identify, but they do sing a lot! So I find the Merlin app incredibly helpful. I can sit on my front deck early in the morning, coffee and app in hand, and take in the bird life surrounding me.
One species I love to see and hear is the Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, illustrated above. These tiny birds flit about the hedges and thickets around my yard. They are stopping over at my place these days, on their way further north. The males have a striking red tuft that emerges when they are excited.
© Christopher M Buddle 2024
art, bird, birding, drawing, ink, kinglet, migration, natural history, nature, ornithology, pen, poetry, spring, Watercolor, Watercolour -
Unfurling
from the forest’s floor
nature’s geometry
uncurl, unfurl
A quick watercolour, done on non-watercolour paper. Sigh – perfection it is not! Ferns are wonderful plants, and seeing them grow this time of year is lovely. The forest floor is greening up, and on several of my favourite walks, ferns are common. They grow quickly these days, aided by warmer days and spring rains. Soon there will be a thick, verdant blanket in the forest. Fiddlehead are of interest to some for eating – the tightly coiled growing tip of the fern, just before it unfurls and uncurls. In addition to being a culinary delight, the geometry of growing ferns is splendid.
© Christopher M Buddle 2024
art, drawing, fern, ferns, fiddlehead, forest, fractal, geometry, nature, poetry, spring, Watercolor, Watercolour
Nature's Reverie 