Back yard wonderland

I lay on the hammock, gently swinging as a soft breeze floated over me. I attempted to get lost in the world of Barbara Kingsolver but I was getting distracted. The birds were out in abundance, enjoying this rare warm spring day in April, singing merrily and be playful as they flew in an out of the holly tree that stood just beyond my feet. I couldn't see through the branches but I could hear them fluttering around in there.

Then I heard another noise, a rustling from behind me. It was the large overgrown tree that seem to have grown under the ground and up up and away. It was full of undergrowth, there was no sign of the tree trunk. It reminded me of a bush rather than a tree.

The rustling was distinct, as if something was playing in there but what was it? I spent a few minutes just staring at the tree, waiting for something to come running out from underneath. I knew it wasn't the birds because I distinctly heard steps. Whatever it was, was on the ground, moving the undergrowth. I thought maybe it was the rabbit that lived under there and immediately I thought of Alice falling down the rabbit hole.

I wandered what kind of world lay just beyond the few branches that reached out to me.  Were they beckoning me to come join them? If I pushed aside a few limbs would I find a completely different scene? I wanted to. I could get lost in another world for a few hours. As I studied the tree, I realized how much more life was in there. The birds flying in and out continuously, the flies and bees fluttering about just outside. They all had a purpose, I suppose. The birds off to do errands, getting food perhaps and the bees standing guard, making sure that no intruder stepped into that  world, an intruder such as me.

I decided to leave the tree alone for today. I didn't want to disturb the goings on that was occuring. The tree was a hive of activity that didn't need me disrupting it but it didn't stop me from watching the tree with a smile on my face.