Greensboro Birds

Josh and I spent the day looking at potential new homes. We know we want plenty of space between us and our neighbors, more space than just walls, ceiling, and floor. We also know we want a little acreage—as much as our meager budget will allow. But it’s a trade-off in budget home-buying: great house and less acreage, or more acreage and less house?

The other day my mind was made up by the mowing down of half of the central battlefield meadow in Battleground Park. Maybe the park folks had good reasons for doing it, but the meadow was really getting rolling: blooming thistle, several kinds of milkweed, daisies, lilies, and more stuff with names I’ve yet to learn. Monarchs were just beginning to appear in great numbers. And many birds were nesting in the thick meadow growth. To name just a few: Common Yellowthroats, American Redstarts, Eastern Towhees, and that darned elusive Indigo Bunting. Haven’t heard my nemesis bunting since the mowing, I’m irked to report. And butterflies and honey bees aren’t interested in the dead, dry mulch left behind.

But honestly, it’s mainly for selfish reasons that the mowing upset me so much. The mowing reminded me that as a renter I have absolutely no say in what happens to the natural (and unnatural) environments around me. Which leads me to this:

Over six acres, half of which is covered by this fantastic meadow surrounded by tall old hardwoods, that could be ours—and not in the mitts of a lot-scraping developer. There was even a nemesis Indigo Bunting singing from high in an oak tree, only letting me see him as he jetted over to another high treetop. Our own meadow, our own trees, out in the country where it’s quiet and, dare I say, relaxing and calm. We wouldn’t mow it, either.

Will we buy it? Can we buy it? We’ll see. It would be great to directly protect a small corner of the ecosystem, but of course it’s at the tippy-top of our budget. Stay tuned.