The Catbird + The Rat Snake + The Frog Song.

Earlier this month, Landon called us to the yard: he’d found a four-foot-long rat snake draped across one of the branches that overhangs our drive. We couldn’t believe it; would you ever think to find a large snake in the suburban canopy? Rat snakes are not venomous to us, but long enough to be scary, and apparently known, according to our neighbor, to feast not only on rodents but bird eggs, which might have explained its aerial perch. Reader, I did not care for its clandestine callings. I made a wide arc into the lawn grass each morning to avoid its possible encounter, and I pointlessly worried over the nests it might have found.

The next day, a catbird — common as grass in these parts — launched into what must have been a two day long chant. The catbird has a distinctive song, if you’ve ever heard it: melodic but jumbled, liquid and trilling and seeming to go on for a long time. They also mimic other birds, animals, and even machinery, so it can sound like a helluva lot happening — almost like a breathless child telling you about her day, and in exclamation points and random departures into sound. I’d never heard the catbird so riled up or protracted in its palaver, though; it vocalized for hours one night, while Landon and I sat at the grill, and it woke me up two mornings in a row, too. Of course, it might have been several catbirds, or perhaps I’d simply never paid the catbird call any attention before, but it seemed to me one clear voice, and with a lot to say. Of course I cannot stare at the fabula without inventing the syuzhet, and so I imagined some horror story in which the rat snake had eaten the cat bird’s eggs, and we were witnessing a marathon lamentation.

Meanwhile, my daughter complained of “a weird machine sound” outside her window for nights on end. I thought she meant a leaf blower, or an auxiliary power unit, or any of the other normal but motorized suburban sounds to which we’ve become accustomed, but when I finally sat with her one evening, I realized she was hearing frog song, probably from the neighbor’s pool, and then I, too, couldn’t unhear it at night.

Between the catbird and the frog calls, and the rat snake threatening my morning peace, I came to feel like a visitor in these parts. A wayfarer interrupting, or attempting to coexist with, the natural. It’s medicinal to feel that way every now and then, I think: small, peripheral. This is one of the central bestowals of living in or near Northwest D.C., come to think of it. The Midatlantic’s native wilderness pokes through or dominates certain stretches of the urban landscape, reminding you that it came first. If you’ve ever driven down Military Road or through any part of Rock Creek Park, you know what I mean: there are parts that feel untouched by humans despite centuries of dense proximal habitation.

As always, I look for the constellated meaning. I think I have been asked to wake up to my world. To let the noise in. To hear the wild song, and not wish it away, or dismiss it as background noise. It’s simple really: let the wild heart beat how it wants.

Post-Scripts.

+More on letting the wild heart beat how it wants. (“Let my children be the wild blackberry thickets!”)

+Imprints of a new (suburban) lifestyle.

+The saltings of motherhood.

+Advice for mothers re-entering the workforce. (From Magpie readers!)

+What are your top tips for new grandparents?

Shopping Break.

+Our favorite summer candle ships free this weekend only! Use code MDW25.

+Two things have been hanging out in my J. Crew cart and I just got them while discounted: this dress for my daughter and this eyelet one-piece. Don’t sleep on J. Crew swim! I usually go up a size in their swim — just fits me better for some reason, though I usually take my true size in their other pieces.

+Love LaMareGold’s latest drop! I own this Sammy dress in a past season print and she’s SO easy to wear in peak summer. The new print is so darling! Also available in a cute shirtdress format.

+OMG my beloved Rothy’s clogs are 30% off! These are probably one of my favorite belongings. No, really, I love them that much.

+I mentioned the ZIIP nano-current products earlier this week, and they followed up with a code: 10% off with code SHOOP. I’ve now watched a lot of videos of people using the ZIIP Halo device and am officially intrigued, especially by the way it lifts and firms skin. (Another recurring thought that’s arrived as I barrel towards 41: do I have jowls? Will the ZIIP help?). I’m not sure if you follow Cheryl of If It’s Tuesday (she is just the loveliest person), but she has a highlight in her profile of how well it worked for her, and I really trust the products she vets. I might be jumping on this one.

+Obsessed with these tomato red jeans.

+OK, this Tanya Taylor dress is beyond.

+So many of you loved this striped hoodie I shared a week or so ago; another fun striped sweatshirt option here!

+My cousin is having twins this week and I already picked out these pointelle footies. The sweetest colors (we don’t yet know the genders) and the magnetic closures will be much-appreciated when dressing TWO in the middle of the night. And, of course, we love pointelle….

+I shared this yesterday, but this smocked-waist Banana skirt is SO GOOD in the petal pink.

+Just came across this “relief bra” from the brand Eby. Has anyone tried? Compelling description: “Our answer to ditching the discomfort of traditional underwires without sacrificing support, lift, or shape. It’s the seamless wonder you’ve been searching for and quite frankly, the only bra you will ever need.” This is maybe what I’ve been looking for, because I often have to decide between the underwire of my Natori Feathers (the most comfortable underwire EVER but still it’s there…!) and the shapelessness of my Negative bralettes (so comfortable but not what you want beneath a thin white tee).

+Back to swimwear for a sec: this is not even really my usual style but I love this sporty suit from Summersalt! The brown and black combo is very chic and I like the fit. I already own their flagship “sidestroke” style and it’s a bestseller for a reason. It is so flattering and practical if you’re swimming with kids / chasing kids / etc.

+The brand Hatch just reached out to me and offered to send me one of their Restores, which so many people have raved about. The idea is that you can leave your phone somewhere else and instead use this for sleep sounds, a bedside light, a clock, and — most appealingly to me — a “sunrise alarm” that gently wake you up in the morning. I’d be thrilled to never hear the piercing, triggering alarm sounds of the iPhone. It was such a timely introduction because Landon and I have been talking about leaving our phones in the office or downstairs or at least across the room as a deterrent for doom scrolling in the middle of the night. I’ve gotten pretty disciplined about reaching for my Kindle instead of my phone but every now and then…and I really wish I’d not check my phone first thing in the morning!

+Something else I love on my night stand: Soft Services’ ultra-luxe hand cream. My sister and her wife raved about this over Christmas and I had to copy. The lotion is ultra-hydrating and luxe, and I love the sculptural dispenser! It’s currently 10% off (the only sale they offer until Black Friday) when added to cart.

+Mini has been begging for hoops all year long and I’ve been worried about her snagging it on a sweatshirt or having it yanked out during sports. I think I’ll still require her to switch earrings when doing something athletic, but this week, we found out she no longer needs to wear her eye patch (!!!) and I decided as a way of celebrating all of her effort and forbearance in her daily occlusion therapy, I would get her some new earrings. I got her these and added on these fun summer studs from Pip Pop Post, and then picked up these little flower hoops at Oh Clem, too.

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