Wild Eggs in the Garden by Mandi Leigh

There is a bird in the tomato planter! Silently, the bird’s belly feathers hug the soil to avoid being seen. Upon respectful and discrete inspection from afar, a slender plume on top of the bird’s head glints off of the sun. It is a female quail sitting on a nest!

The hose bib timer goes off, and a slow drizzle of irrigation water drips onto the roots of the tomato plant adjacent to the nest. Startled by the slight drip, the quail flies off revealing her perfect cup nest made of yellow straw. The straw had been placed there weeks ago to serve as water retaining mulch for the tomato plant. Twelve perfectly situated cream-colored, spotted eggs become visible in the nest.

Finding a nest full of wild eggs in the garden strikes the heart with delight and wonder. Why did the mother hen choose this tomato plant to bring forth her offspring? Was she attracted to the straw, soil moisture, or shade? A wishful heart believes the pleasant sound of grandma singing in the garden drew the quail near.

The wild eggs and same-sized ripening cherry tomatoes together in view shed light on their similarity. A wild egg is much like a freshly planted tomato seed in the garden; both evoke hope for a bright and thriving future. A diligent and optimistic mother quail tirelessly sits on the nest full of wild eggs as she expects something delightful is coming very soon. She toils to quickly find a meal, and then the bird is back to work protecting, warming, and turning her precious eggs. Eager anticipation fills the hen with hope that a new generation of wild quail will soon emerge. The first flight will surely prove the worth of the mother bird’s efforts.

As a tomato seed is thumbed into the Earth, the gardener also believes in a spectacular future.  The belief in what good fruits may come are so striking that the gardener occupies countless hours studying sunlight availability, soil conditions, nutrient balance, and much more. Beyond the tireless dedication to weeding, watering, and fertilizing, the gardener remains in the state of hope. The gardener holds dear thoughts of a lively plant punching through the Earth equipped with fresh and juicy produce to enjoy. The season’s first, fresh bite will prove the value in the gardener’s hard work.

But alas, the gardener must forego the fresh fruits that are to come from this tomato plant in order to minimize disturbance to the nesting mother quail. Instead, the gardener will remain in a state of hope, observing from a distance the sweet progression of the wild eggs in the tomato planter.