Who Knew a Tree Stump Could be So Awesome?

In a former life, I lived with my husband in a beautiful neighborhood where the sounds of lawn service workers riding mowers punctuated the air summer weekends as their trucks lined the streets. Our yard also was devoid of tree stumps, as were the meticulously landscaped yards of our neighbors. In fact, we even paid a tree man to grind stumps out of our yard. Curiously, we subscribed to the idea that only live trees and green grass were acceptable.

Around that time, we watched nature up close on bird feeders, but we took them down when fallen seed attracted skunks; our Beagle went ballistic over the furry black and white, which wasn’t worth the angst.

In my current life, my ex and I are on good terms, and I’m on even better terms with a decaying stump out the kitchen window of my cozy rental. (Well, not literally, or course, but I do have more contact with the stump than with my ex.) On this tree lined street, most folks cut their own grass, or they hire a local man who arrives via bike pulling a cart with his mower and rake.

And each morning, I look forward to putting my kettle on for tea or hot water with lemon while I scoot out the side door with a bag of bird seed. I sprinkle a generous amount on the narrow deck of the stump that remains.

Soon, the show begins, offering me the play of nature when I peek out — Vole racing out of the stump to grab a snack, white squirrels skittering across the stump before Blue Jay screeches in, the loyal Cardinal pair who visit most days…

I’m filled with joy to have a stump a few feet from my kitchen window that provides a daily landing pad for neighborhood critters and a sweet way for me to breathe into my day.