The Woods Without Me

I was tired after working on my little Mary's Garden, so I went in to eat lunch. While we were eating, I kept looking out toward the woods and saw some flowers. After finishing, I decided to take my camera and head out there to investigate. After sitting on my bench and getting my camera ready, I saw what I had been viewing from indoors. They were Sweet Williams. So many flowers in my woods. Who else saw the Sweet Williams? Butterflies. I don't know the names for sure, but I think that they are Yellow Swallowtails. There were many of them flying around...gliding on the breeze. Flitting here and there. I got this picture before my camera went dead. There were other butterflies too. Little brown and orange ones and white moths. My Honeysuckle vines were inviting to Hummingbirds. I couldn't get a closeup of them.
I wondered how the woods would fare without my care. I have defended, amended, and tended the woods for about 8 yrs. First I had to talk Joe into letting me clean it up. He felt it unsafe, because of barbed wire fencing and other hazardous things. I finally just went ahead and started hauling things out of there. I started adding things as soon as the job was done. Many trees, bushes, wildflowers, etc. Then I had this huge undertaking to take care of, and I did it well until this year. Now I have just let it go and I'm finding out that it is much more the way I originally intended it to be....before I got crazy with clearing and planting. I wanted it to be natural and natural is what it is today.
As I sat there watching and listening...I found that there are weeds...of course...but in among the weeds are pretty wild flowers, butterflies, many more varieties of birds, and from the rustling I heard...some little creatures running around unseen. All these creatures didn't seem to mind me sitting there for a while...they are used to me by now. With all the variety and birdsong...I'm sure I heard them thanking me for just letting it be.

Balisha