I have lived in the same home for almost 22 years. It’s a little cottage tucked in the woods. One of my favorite things about our home is feeling connected to the critters that live all around us.

There is a doe that visits our yard and brings her fawns each year. I have named her Willow.

When it snows, Willow always shows up right outside the back of our house. I’m not sure just why she does that, but on those snowy days when the world seems so far away, I like looking for her and finding her there in my snowy world.

Then there’s the cute little squirrel who has been busy in the trees around our home all spring. His name is Chuck, and he has a particular broken branch outside my bedroom window that he likes to sit on while he nibbles on a particularly yummy pine cone.

This spring we had a robin family nest at our home. Every spring I look forward to seeing the robins. I know they have nested in our trees because I find the broken, blue egg shells on the ground.

This year was special because their nest was right outside our living room — on the rain gutter, where it bends back to the side of the house. We got to spend several weeks watching the family. First it was the mom, Clara, sitting on the nest; then Clara and Tom (the dad) busily flying back and forth with worms and treats to keep their little babies’ bellies full. We would make sure to water the lawn in the morning so the earthworms would come to the surface, and we provided a platform bird feeder stocked with meal worms and fruit to make their job a little easier.

Clara would watch warily from a nearby tree while I crept out the sliding glass door to take a few pictures, and scold when I got too close.

It was a sad but proud day when the babies grew up and flew out to join their parents in the trees. I don’t know what made them decide to build their nest right there by our home, but I was glad they did. It was a special treat to watch our robin family raise their young so close at hand.

That got me to thinking about how family and community is really what you make it.

If our indoor pets are family, then these outdoor critters are members of our extended family, and part of the neighborhood too. I know it’s not wise to feed every wild critter, but some of the critters displaced by our continuing development could benefit from a little help. I feel like having them in close proximity to me is a blessing, and I know they have tough lives, so if I can help them then I feel like I’m doing a good deed.

I would like to help all of us help the outdoor members of our families and neighborhoods by providing resources for their care.

I will be introducing wild bird supplies at Country Pet Shoppe as well as care information so we can all get to know, and lend a helping hand to, our backyard neighbors.

I look forward to hearing more about the friends that live in your yard — and would love to see pictures!

Stephanie Stebbing is owner of the Country Pet Shoppe in Kingston.