Tending the Land | Letting it Be

Sleepy Orange Butterfly on Frost Aster

Last Autumn

when the flowers were drying

and the grasses were dying

and the leaves were falling

as they do,

the tenders of this land

left the stalks of flowers and grasses

for the insects to lay their eggs in

and for the wildlife to spend their days in

to keep warm in the cold.

L-R: Common Buckeye Butterfly, Red-legged Grasshopper, Fiery Skipper

Last winter

when the flowers had dried

and the grasses had died

and the leaves lay fallen

on the ground

as they do,

the tenders of this land

left the heads of the flowers

for the birds to feed from

and indirectly spread seeds from

into the decomposing leaves and soil below.

L-R: Differential Grasshopper, Long-winged Skipper, Bumblebee

Last spring into summer

when the days grew warmer

and the rains watered that soil,

new flowers sprang up

and grasses lifted up

and birds made nests

and animals raised their young

in the habitat before them.

L-R: Pearl Crescent Butterfly, Robber Fly, Blue-winged Wasp

Now in early fall

when the sun is warm but lower,

the last of the blooms welcome the migrating birds

and the numerous pollinators

that feast upon nature's banquet,

just as designed,

so that all may flourish.

Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

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All of these photographs were captured in a two-hour visit to the home Trecia and Eric Neal in Stockbridge, Georgia, USA. On their 13.5 acres, they maintain a natural habitat of meadow, woods, and stream, and grow plants for their business (co-owned by Stephanie Spencer), Wild Roots Native Nursery

To see more photographs, please click here.

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