Did San Ramon crows murder a friend, or did they just not like him?

DEAR JOAN: A crow died in the backyard of a friend, and fellow crows stayed away for over a year. I removed a dead crow from my backyard awhile back, and the crows were not deterred at all.

Could this have been a “murder” by crows? Was the dearly departed disliked?

M. Turner, San Ramon

DEAR M: Now that’s an intriguing question.

A group of crows is colloquially called a “murder,” but we shouldn’t take it literally. There is some belief that the name originated because crows would sit in judgement of each other and on occasion mete out the ultimate punishment, but nothing in science, biology or bird study gives credence to the tale.

Others believe the handle was unfairly applied to crows because they were often seen around battlefields and other places of mass death, leading to speculation that they actually were harbingers of death.

The real reason is that Victorians had too much imagination and liked giving poetic titles to groups of animals.

So it’s doubtful your dead crow was murdered by its companions, nor that it had such an abominable personality that its crow friends didn’t care that it had passed.

For the “dead crow” crowd control to work, the dearly departed — or fake crow — needs to hang around for a bit, giving the living crows something to think about.

DEAR JOAN:  My backyard is a microcosm.

One of the unmatched benefits of retirement is the unparalleled opportunity to re-examine one’s priorities. Now retired, I have one new priority: It is sitting on the deck at the rear of my house.

Between the too hot and too cold mornings, sheltered from the rising sun by the house, I look west into the yard my late wife designed, installed and maintained, where I am immersed in a microcosm of Mother Nature’s flora and fauna.

I see the squirrels that use the top rails of the fences as a freeway; the alpha hummer driving away other less macho suitors from “his” feeder; the towhees; bees busy flitting from the glads to the lavender to the tomatoes; the verbena plant; the half dozen rose bushes; the apple trees – one over 30 years old and the “new” one, only a single decade old; sweet peas in bloom; an amaryllis with a single bud peeking out; and shamrocks re-emerging after my previous failure to water regularly.

So I sit with my coffee and newspaper, first going through the front page, then on to page 2, where your column is a must-read. Thank you for being part of my morning joy.

Bob, Martinez

DEAR BOB: I’m honored to be a part of that lovely tableau.

Even those of us who aren’t retired would benefit from taking time each day, even for a few minutes, to observe the nature around us and appreciate each animal, flower and leaf that we see.

I’ve found that the time I spend in my garden is only matched by the time I spend with my dog. When I combine the two, it’s even better.

Thanks for the reminder to appreciate all that we see.