Even the Weeds Bring Hummingbirds

Angie Flynn-McIver

Angie Flynn-McIver

For several years, I sent out a blog to readers a few times a week. These posts gave pointers about how to practice, shared relevant stories, and provided a way for people to connect with my coaching approach. In 2022, I wrote my book, Before You Say Anything, which brought many of these ideas together in one place. The blog posts have continued to resonate with clients and readers, and they're useful as a quick reminder, so I'm including them here!

I’m rethinking what this blog might be. I love writing for you, and I’m curious about what you find interesting and useful. Today’s and Wednesday’s posts are new ones, and Friday’s post will be a rerun.

If you have ideas about what you’d like to see in this space, please drop me an email!

There’s a huge stand of jewelweed right outside my office window. I googled “jewelweed” to make sure that’s what it is, and the headline of the first article I found was this: “How to Grow and Care for Jewelweed.” This made me laugh, because we have never planned to have this particular plant anywhere, yet it is thriving all over our yard. No special care needed.

Earlier today, I was doing some turn-of-the-season yard work and thought, “You know, I should probably pull up all that jewelweed; it’s not really supposed to be here.” But I’m a pretty lazy gardener, so I didn’t. This afternoon, before I sat down to do a few things at my desk, I opened my window to let in some of the late summer birdsong, bees buzzing, and breeze.

A few minutes later, I glanced over to check out the bees in the jewelweed, and there was a ruby-throated hummingbird, dipping its long beak into the bright orange flowers. We haven’t been able to have any of our bird feeders out this summer (because of bears) so I’ve missed my avian friends. And here was one of my favorites, right outside the window!

The hummingbird doesn’t care that I didn’t intend for the jewelweed to be there. Those orange flowers had just what it needed.

Being Your Own Coach