It’s Sunday, October 17th. The sun is warmly shining, and after two, (or was it three?), days of rain, the ground is nice and damp. Perfect conditions for metal detecting. Because as a Detectorist, or a fan of the show, you know that these conditions make for deeper penetration… This in turn can lead to more finds, and older ones at that! But I’m not detecting. Not today. You see, one of the things I enjoy about this hobby, is being out among nature. Unfortunately, but understandably, when you’re swinging the coil, the beauty of nature takes second place to the hunt. So as I write this, I have just came indoors after giving up my detecting time and enjoyed the best show in town, Mother Nature. And what a show it was!
I’m blessed to live rurally, surrounded by trees and a plethora of wildlife with whom we share our property with. And although its great to walk among the maples and oaks, we decided to spend a few hours on the verandah and take it all in.
Our bird feeders were active with sparrows and chickadees who were taking turns in grabbing the seeds from the wooden enclosures. They would then fly off into the bushes to hurriedly eat their morsel and quickly return for more. A mourning dove and a single chickadee had opted for an easier lunchtime by consuming the seeds that had fallen to the ground. The chickadee didn’t seem phased at all when a single seed dropped from the feeder, hitting him on the head!
The great thing about chickadees, is they are brave little birds. Once they get to know you, they seem not to care if you are nearby. In fact, they are apt to impatiently fly about you as you fill their feeders with their beloved seed mixture. Much like chickadees, the humming birds, who have now departed for sunnier climes, do not hesitate to tap on the window to let you know when they are out off their syrupy meal. Then there’s the chipmunks and squirrels, who muscle their way onto the feeders for their share of the feast. Not for too long however, for every now and then a blue jay or cardinal will chase them off.
Out dog Tundra is lazily lying at our feet, not seeming to appreciate all that’s going on around him. The same can be said for our two cats, who have no interest in the wildlife. Except for a passing glance they too are happy to just lounge in the warmth.
Hopefully you are enjoying the scenes from our garden, but by now I’m sure your asking “Why?”! “What’s the point of it this post, it’s neither about history or detecting!” And you would be right. The point I’m making is, not everything is or should be about detecting. As Metal Detecting is such an amazing and exciting hobby, sometimes we forget there are other wonderful things in life. Taking time off to find or reintroduce ourselves to these other things only serves to heighten the thrill of detecting when we return…even if only after a weekend.
