I realize that half of humanity will not empathize with this post; but “parenthood” is NOT the same as motherhood.

Motherhood..is such an intense state of being. From the minute one becomes a mother, one realizes that one is so totally responsible for another (or several, as the case may be) living being, and its survival depends entirely on the care one gives.

The tie of the flesh is something incredible. My daughter says, “My body is telling me that the baby will wake in a few minutes and ask to be fed….” and so it is. Within minutes, the little almond eyes are open, and the mouth forms a hungry O and emits wails which mean “Feed me! Now!”

Sometimes fiction is better than reality…here’s fiction by home-naturalist about what she thought was a couple but which were, actually, a mother sparrow and its little one!

And here’s a really beautiful (as always) sequence from on the same subject .

Now that you’ve seen those fabulous photographs, here’s a mother-and-child (this time, it’s the COMMON GRACKLE .

“Feed me! Now!” says that open beak, and the urgent fluttering….