Thinking about being a volunteer

Hmm, a volunteer what? That's where the issue begins. When I was a kid I was a candy stripper. I went around the hospital and delivered mail and flowers to patients. Some times inter office mail from one area of the hospital to the other. It was enjoyable, but I don't think that's what I'm interested in now. A friend of mine reads to children in school. That's pretty cool, but that job thing makes that complicated for me. Dogs - I love dogs.  There are a lot of places that need volunteers with animals. That's a possibility.  Before I dive in, I will have to do diligent research on the organizations.  The truth is I don't have a lot of time to give, but maybe I can do something to give back.  One weekend day a month? Yes, I could do that.  I realized part of my personality is that I need to have something to care about.  Over this past year I adopted the squirrels in my yard. Well, okay maybe they really just love the black walnut tree in the back yard, but they are my "pets".  I toss about a pound of shell on peanuts out for them every morning. It's gotten to the point where they are waiting for me in the morning, at least on most days.  It's kinda cute really. They sit on the front porch and wait for the treats to come. When it's really cold, I cheat and throw them from the window instead of actually going outside.   There are also Blue Jays and Cardinals that like the peanuts. I have had quite a gathering of small animals in the yard:6 Squirrels, 5 Blue Jays, 3 Cardinals and a chipmunk. Something about having them there, knowing I'm helping them survive makes me feel good about life. I've actually shopped around and found the most economical place to buy the peanuts.  I've also hung a few bird feeders. They are "squirrel proof" so to speak. That's where  feeding the squirrels came from. It hardly seemed fair to dangle seeds that the squirrels aren't allowed to have with out offering them something of their own. Maybe volunteering has already started in my yard...might be time to expand on that.