An ever widening, expansive view in the wonderland I live and work in | Andrea de Michaelis – Creating my own reality, one thought at a time

A busy day! Clearing the in box of administrative work, computer and phones updated, I just measured and cut 3 pieces of wood and drilled holes and fastened them to my office window frame to create a shelf for the squirrels and birds to sit and eat seeds and watch me work. I love having extra wood at home to make stuff with! I redirected the bulb on the security lamp that shines into the west woods, so when I work at night I can watch the critter parade. I took down the storm shutter to open the view. I usually leave it up since it helps block the oak and pine deadfall on windy, stormy days, but the barred windows do a good job of that.

Moving up from Miami in 1983, I naturally assumed every new home would have burglar bars… I learned ours isn’t a high crime area but the bars do a good job of keeping the branches from breaking a windowpane during a storm. Right now there are 2 squirrels foraging on the ground outside the window, and a lone armadillo emerging from the west woods. I pulled up about a mile of ferns on the pathway to the firepit, so they are likely getting whatever grubs and worms I exposed. The circle of life is always evident in my yard. Right outside my office window, at eye level is a giant philodendron and right now there is a pair of cardinals in it, speaking to eat other. They are 3 feet away from the bird bath where the doves are cooing and imbibing, I can hear their wings fluttering. It’s a wonderland living here, working here. Someone asked the other day where’d I go for vacation. I guess I stopped thinking of my job and my life as something I’d need a vacation from. If I live in Paradise, where would I want to go?