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Anne Butera's avatar

Another beautiful post, Kim.

When the crows start creating a ruckus I run to the window to see what's going on. Today they were chasing away a hawk. The other day an eagle.

My tiny thing is spending time studying seed catalogs. One of my favorite things about winter!

Kim Koehler's avatar

Thanks Anne! Where does one acquire a seed catalog? And do they have all the pretty pictures of the seed packets? I delight in looking at seed packets when I go to the nursery. Or when I travel, I spot new ones. LOVE.

Anne Butera's avatar

Oh, gosh, seed catalogs (and garden catalogs) are such a joy. I wrote a blog post a few years ago with links to some of my favorites: https://www.mygiantstrawberry.com/blog/winter-joy-how-to-choose-and-order-seeds-for-a-successful-garden

Some catalogs have photographs. Botanical Interests has beautiful colored pencil illustrations. Not every company has a catalog. Baker Creek (which isn't on that list but is one I love) has two versions -- a huge one you can pay for and a smaller one that's free.

Kim Koehler's avatar

Thank you! This is so exciting. I've always wanted to host a seed packet challenge on Instagram. Just for all the eye candy!

gardening_kristi's avatar

Lots of crows here in the neighborhood. When I hear a ruckus, it's always a large bird of prey they want to leave the area causing the caw caw caw! 😊 This was a nice read, thank you. My tiny thing is having a night of domestic chores. Listening the the washing machine churn. Having unpacked all the groceries I got for my parents tonight, I'm having a glass of wine and reading Substack.

Kim Koehler's avatar

Sometimes, just taking the time to do all those little things is delightful. Truth, I love having a weekend free to just clean, organize, and look through my books. 😊

ReneeUpNorth's avatar

This is so beautiful, thank you. 😊 I love the statement that we have plenty of resources, enough for everyone to thrive. It is so true.

My tiny thing is we had a brief snow storm. The snow was the type that clung to all the tree branches making everything look like it had been frosted.

Kim Koehler's avatar

Thanks so much Renee. What would the world look like if a nature enthusiast/artist became president? I laugh. But seriously? Could you imagine? Free seeds and butterfly kits to every household. Art is part of of the school curriculum, not an elective. I could go on and on. 😊

I love looking out after it has snowed to see that winter wonderland. I miss that part.

ReneeUpNorth's avatar

I do imagine things like that quite a lot and what it would be like if our better nature prevailed. John Lennon was light years ahead of his time when he imagined a better world.

Kim Koehler's avatar

Indeed he was.

Jill's avatar

Crows are one of my favorite animals. I highly recommend searching for all the articles detailing their "gift-giving" to humans 💖

Two more teachers from Insight Timer I recommend are Bailey Barbour (nurse practitioner turned reiki practitioner who healed her skin cancer) & Jason McGrice who has such a calming voice

Kim Koehler's avatar

Thanks for all the tips! I'm researching crows and learning so much. They are fascinating.

I appreciate the new teacher recommendations. I get overwhelmed scrolling in there. I will check them out!

Nadia's avatar

I love your posts ✨

My tiny thing is this 🌝

Kim Koehler's avatar

😊 Awe, thank you. That is the nicest thing I've read today.

Carlin's avatar

Love the crows. When I hear them at home they are usually warning that a hawk or owl is nearby. I always go and look. Actively looking for tiny things. I volunteered last night at the natural history museum for teen takeover. After closing, the museum is open to teens with a craft, games, a movie from 6 to 9. I will fully support a place that gives teens something safe and fun. Very enjoyable.

Kim Koehler's avatar

That sounds like a wonderful thing to offer. I would love that for my own teen. 🙂

Holly's avatar

such serendipity here: i was just talking about crows (and corvids in general) at my ceramics studio because i was pondering out loud about tool use & intelligence. then when i was driving through the neighborhood to pick up my kiddo from after school care there were many crows - one which crossed the street in front of me, very casual walk hop hop hop, then a second at the entrance to the parking lot, just sauntering like she had all the time in the world because she knew i wouldn’t hit her. they were so funny, i love their big attitudes, their confidence and bravado! i love corvids, especially crows. so that’s my tiny thing!

also in case you want another recommendation, i also have recordings on insight timer! you can find me there under my name: holly rushing 😁

Kim Koehler's avatar

I will look you up! Looking forward to it. I need new ones to listen to.

I love watching the crows' behavior in my neighborhood as well. They are such bosses. As is my pug dog. She tried to charge them all the time as a young dog, and I was not sure if she wanted to get them or play with them. All I know is those crows would win. They don't mess around. 😊

Stacey Ramirez's avatar

This week I accompanied my daughter on a trip to New Mexico. She is working on a multimedia project on the decline of North American birds. It was a hard week. We were sick with colds, it was freezing in the Santa Fe area (which is at 7,000 feet altitude) and my daughter had a huge job to do and huge anxiety to go with it. We were able to go bird-watching with a top New Mexico birder; that was a big thing, but we were also cold, sick, and tired. The tiny thing: I had the opportunity to stop in a cavernous used bookstore, and way in the back, I came upon a whole shelf of James Herriott books. It was a hand-to-heart moment--I read his whole "All Things Great and Small" series as a teenager, and it began a forever-love of nature- and animal-writing. Seeing his books on that bookshelf put the challenging week into perspective and reminded me how much I love nature...and here we were, right in the middle of it!

Kim Koehler's avatar

Oh wow, this bookstore sounds delightful. I love traveling in new places and stumbling on little treasures like that - especially share it with your daughter. I'm not familiar with these books. But now I want to look them up. Your daughter's project sounds amazing. Ugh, colds - they always hit at the worst times. And they are terrible this season. Hope you are feeling better!

Andrea After All's avatar

I loved this and it gave me a new view into crows! Also I have Insight Timer and those are some great suggestions! Thank you!

Kim Koehler's avatar

Thanks! I know, once I started looking up things about crows, I realized how smart they are. I think I need to do one on pigeons. 😊 They get such a bad wrap.

Tove Cecilie Fasting's avatar

What a lovely post. I learned a lot about crows that I had no idea about! Tiny thing: not so tiny, but after a long and harsh winter, yesterday we had sun and hardly any wind. Made me so happy! But today, storm and rain is back.

Kim Koehler's avatar

It’s funny how good the sun feels when it has been gone.

I had so many crows in my neighborhood. Once I started watching them, I became so curious. Such wise birds.

Tove Cecilie Fasting's avatar

Animal life is so fascinating. I never really took interest in it, but when I read your note I get like WOW!

Kat Labate Wright's avatar

My tiny thing right now is that woodpeckers have finally started visiting my suet feeder I put out over our patio. I almost lost my mind when a Northern Flicker showed up 😭😂

Kim Koehler's avatar

I love the woodpeckers!

Amy Reed's avatar

Love this! I have some resident crows that come back every spring and just love them. They have so much personality and I agree we could really use that community focus and care now more than ever. My tiny thing is sipping rose black tea and knitting a new sweater.

Kim Koehler's avatar

Rose black tea sounds delightful! As well as taking the time to sit and knit. Though I'm terrible at it. Embroidery is more my skill level. And it is not great. : )

MamaCarole's avatar

Today I’m enjoying a summer like day, blue skies and soothing sunshine.

Kim Koehler's avatar

It has been really warm here too. Like June!

Sarah Stoddard's avatar

Thank you for this beautiful and incredibly moving post

Kim Koehler's avatar

Thanks for reading 🤗

Penn's avatar

I love the crows too 🙂 my tiny thing is the buzzard who sleeps in an oak tree near me, and every morning in the first light, takes off, calling, to stretch the

Penn's avatar

Whoops! their wings in a short flight before returning to the oak, and then taking off for their day. Those first calls make me smile 🙂 Penn x

Jennifer Nichols Art's avatar

You’re so right. I love caring for our neighborhood crows too.