Wandering Through The Land Of Nod.

A love story with a difference, in which an unexpected couple meet, build a home and start a family.

At long last, she felt the first weak, warmth of February sun soothing her back as she looked around the winter garden. Snowdrops nodded to her and tiny purple crocus stood straight and strongly out of the damp earth.  One valiant daffodil in full bloom heralded March and pink fluffy willow buds were opening, promising light, colour and long days to come.    

She enjoyed the lightness and energy which the day gave. but something stronger was tugging at her heart.  It was the same every year, she couldn’t help it.  The longer days and the hints of warmth brought back the same old yearning.  Every fibre in her small body, every bone and muscle cried out for a baby.  Even now, she was obsessed with where she might find what she needed to provide a warm, safe bed in which to place a young one.

There was one snag. She could be as ready and willing as anything, but without a partner she’d just be left with the longing which threatened to consume her.

She took another turn around the garden, before something caught her eye.  There, on the grass just in front of the hawthorn hedge was a sparrow.  He looked striking. February had brought out his best colours, and he was dressed to impress in grey, chestnut brown, black and white. 

The sparrow was busy, pecking at the ground.  There must be something tasty there.  Gradually, he began to look up between pecks and, she could hardly believe this, he cocked his head to look straight at her.

Very slowly, she approached the sparrow.  Her heart was racing and a shiver of excitement ran through her.  He stayed where he was, pecking at the ground and looking at her.  At last, there she was, face to face with him.  Their beaks were almost touching and wonder of wonders, he picked up a seed from the ground and offered it to her.  She didn’t hesitate but accepted his gift eagerly.  He turned and fluffed out his feathers, pointing his chest towards her, then gave a little hop and a dance before flying into the air, fluttering his wings and hovering in mid-flight before settling in the prickly hedge.  There, he began to sing to her, with short chirping notes. 

Her heart soared; she spread her wings and flew to join him.  She blended well into the hedge and watched while he flew back and forth, collecting twigs and feathers to build their nest.  Once he had chosen the place where she would lay her eggs and began building, she could help him and at last gather what she needed to keep the eggs and chicks warm and safe. 

As the days grew longer and warmer, her dreams came true.  Through late spring and early summer, she carried on laying eggs, keeping them warm and feeding her young.  Her mate stayed true to her, even when his bright colours faded.  He guarded their home and fed her while she sat still and warm in the nest, incubating new life. 

Life in the garden was busy but calm.  They enjoyed living close to humans.  There was plenty of shelter, lots of seeds, insects and caterpillars in the well-kept garden and they weren’t above scavenging for kitchen scraps! 

February 14^th, Saint Valentine’s Day, is traditionally the day when birds start to mate!  This is an ancient belief.  Geoffrey Chaucer, in his fourteenth century poem “Parliament of Fowls”, wrote:

“For this was on Saint Valentine’s Day,

When every fowl comes there his mate to take.”

I have taken a bit of a liberty in my story about sparrows, because they wait until spring and carry on mating through to early summer.  I chose sparrows, because they like to live near humans and I love to see them in small flocks around our house.  They are not fussy about what they eat and they’re really brave.  They use their voices to see off anyone who passes near their nest! 

I am grateful to www.birdful.org for information about the courtship habits of sparrows.  Who’d have known it started with food!

Love comes in many forms.  What does Saint Valentine’s Day mean to you? 

Wander well,

Mandy.

Things I love:

• Birdsong.
• Winter flowers.
• Raindrops on leaves.