u/mudpupster

I have a container garden in my front yard that surrounds a few bird baths. In one of those pots, I had placed the perfect stick. It was about 24” tall. Straight and sturdy as all get-out, but also very thin. It had an even thinner branch popping out at the perfect angle a few inches down from the top of the stick. My yard is full of lesser goldfinches right now, and they’d cling to the stick and perch on its lateral while squabbling over the bird bath.

The stick fell over during the night last night, which I didn’t notice until the landscaping crew was out there this morning doing their work. I was on a Zoom meeting, directly in front of my living room window, when one of the landscapers grabbed my fallen stick, snapped it in half, and threw it in the waste bin. I was so taken aback that my colleagues on Zoom saw my face and asked me what had just happened. For a split-second I debated whether to tell them about the stick tragedy I’d just witnessed, but I thought better of it, waved it off, and tried (but failed) to remain 'present' for the rest of the meeting.

I didn't tell them because I didn't want to risk becoming known as the person who had a breakdown during a Zoom meeting over a stick. I had to tell someone, though, because I am truly mourning that wonderful, perfect stick.

Thanks for listening, and for understanding.

Stick with me here: I feel like this piece would have made a useful analog decision tree in pre-computing times.

Not sure who/what this seed pod is, but that's okay! I love it anyway and have had it for years.

It's an itsy-bitsy pine cone!

This seed pod, she is rotund (from my collection)

A funny little seed pod from my collection

👋 Do you like seed pods? I like seed pods. Here's a place to post pictures of cool seed pods from around the world.