Someone said to me today, ‘You’ve obviously always loved birds’ and I had to admit that, no, I have never loved, hated, liked or disliked birds. In fact, I have never even noticed birds (except the occasional bright blue wren), in much the same way that I have never noticed plants, trees, flowers or anything outdoors-ish and I absolutely loathe the idea of gardening. So I guess that’s what you call ambivalence.
Husband has always been the nature-boy and he has, over the last half century, created a beautiful garden of palms, camellias, orange trees, silver birches, maples, flame trees, wattles, cacti, wormwood and the list goes on … (as you can see I’ve been making notes and gradually learning to appreciate the different ‘breeds’.)
As a child and teenager I was very nature-boyish too, especially when we lived in Canada and then in Papua New Guinnea but, once I grew up and became a nurse, and then a university lecturer, I got over all of that (not just the nature thing but the wanting-to-be-a-boy thing).
So I don’t exactly know what triggered this birdiness. I don’t think it was the guinnea fowl; I think it might simply have been Isa (our first hen) who, by the way, is laying multiple eggs now! Initially, I was nervous to pick her up because her wings scared me but now she sits on my lap, lets me stroke her and so do the other chooks, rooster and nearly all of the menagerie!
It has been a bit like entering C.S. Lewis‘s Narnia (my favourite book series of all time, especially when I was a child); the birds have bewitched me in a very, very good way – beautiful!
Husband has been loving the birds and Son is getting there, but for me this is absolute magic!
Oh yes, re gardening – well, now that the gang have vacated the greenhouse, my plan is to plant tomatoes in there. Surely these are easy to grow? I love tomatoes.
jmgoyder 
Is your deeper meaning intentional? It really is quite amazing and too important to be accidental.
I’m not quite sure what you mean about what I mean but, yes, I guess there is always a subtext running through.
I was the same way, never even noticed them, but now I love them all! LOL
Well, that does surprise me – that you never noticed them – because you certainly have an eye for them now!
Love your pics of the chooks – that fluffy looking one (which my SIL would know) is my favourite. Never seen anything like that black and white one. How lucky you are to have fresh eggs on the menu. My SIL is bringing some more down from their chooks on Christmas Day. I’m enjoying the little blue ones she bought down a couple of weeks ago. They are sooooooo delicious with lovely yokes.
That black and white one is another aracauna – all of them, except the two hens, look completely different from each other. I’m still waiting for them to lay the blue eggs you’re talking about!
I just replied to this but instead of that happening your comment repeated itself. The black and white is an aracauna – they all look different from eachh other but they are the ones that are supposed to be laying the blue eggs you speak of!
And now your comment has disappeared – WP must be having a bad day. I want that comment back!