Witchy Wildlife Garden-An Animal and Nature Loving Family

9 Jan

This was one of my favorite family shoots this year. Not only because I am such an animal lover, but these people and their animals were strait up LOVELY. Like I bought Sam a present afterwards(witchy garden book), and she bought me one as well(witchy calendar). I dream of being friends with them (dinner at the Box Bar sometime guys?) HASHTAG #FRIENDCRUSH. I love their witchy little house and witchy little garden. After we made photos, we chatted about how much we love this planet and all of it’s creatures.

These guys dream of having their own little animal sanctuary someday. I know they can manifest this, they have both the passion and the work ethic. And the LOVE, gotta have that love! Because that is hard work. I will let Sam take it away in her own words.

“I’ve always been an animal lover, riding horses as a kid and growing up in the countryside. Ryan, too! He would hunt for mushrooms with his dogs trainer for the task in (very) small-town Ohio forests. Last summer I was able to volunteer almost full-time to help rehabilitate and nurse orphaned and injured raptors, fledglings, and nestlings.

I share all of this just to put our view of animal ownership in context; and that is our pets are our family, and we treat each creature as an individual. (Aka: we are crazy chicken parents and we are proud of it!)

Our little now flock consists of five naughty and perfect bantam chickens: Ophelia, Freyja, Jo, Agatha, and sweet little Willow (rest in peace). I could write novels on each one—exploring their personalities, their relationships with one another, their role within the flock, their funny quirks etc.

There is so much that we, collectively as humans, have overlooked or downright ignored when it comes to the complexity, intelligence, and uniqueness of non-human animals. When I’m upset with the overwhelming imbalances and cruelty that this brings (so, daily!), I visit my silly little flock—who have only known love and kindness— to find balance in our little corner of the world.

We are doing what we can to make good and beautiful that which is in our own backyard, so to speak.

For right now, we are enjoying our chickens and the joy, entertainment, and—frankly—ambiance they add to our witchy, wildlife-friendly, petite cottage garden.

Some day (many years from now) we hope to have a witchy, wildlife-friendly, LARGE cottage garden. Complete, of course, with more chickens, geese, ducks, and any and all manner of silly creatures who find their forever home at what we hope to call Little Willow Sanctuary.”