Here, Not There

Here is New Berlin, WI.  A city of 40,000.  The place, the neighborhood, the house where I grew up.  And we're spending 7 weeks in it. 

The difference between home in Toronto and here in New Berlin is...well, everything.  Just completely, totally different.  Country, population, landscape, density - it's all opposite.

But the biggest difference we've noticed is the wildlife.  Yes.  Wildlife.  These city kids are astounded.

For example, every single night, these are in the backyards.

Two Of Many

It's gotten to the point where the kids who used to say, "Mom! Look! Deeeeeer!!!" now just say, "Deer again."  How quickly city boys are jaded. 

But what astounds me is the long list of wildlife they've seen in 2 weeks that they've never seen in the city in their entire lives.  Such as: a muskrat, hawk, cardinal, frog, woodpecker, rabbit, owl, daddy long leg spider, a doe and her fawn, a million lightning bugs, a bird fly into a window and take an hour to recover in the grass, and...

What!?!?

...a grasshopper. 

All of these in nature, near the house, mostly in the backyard.  I should add a reported coyote sighting by the neighbor, but we won't go there.  Won't talk about last summer's grass snake, either.  I think you get the city vs country point ;)

I guess it's just me taking growing up here for granted, and then realizing how truly amazing it is when I see it through my children's eyes. 

To be honest, we've seen more animals than this.  But we cheated.  At the zoo.

Ten points for the person who can spot the rhino, hawk and peacock in this picture.  I know.  Me either.

Hooray for city kids having a "country" summer.  Maybe by the time we go back, they'll be excited to see squirrels, pigeons and raccoons-who-aren't-afraid-of-people again.