One of the best parts of having a booth at our local market has been watching people come back week after week to visit The Daily Wild tent. In my space, I have a small vending machine where I give out mystery animal cards and there’s one little girl who has been a regular. Nearly every week, she comes by, gets a token, turns the crank, and discovers which animal is waiting for her.

This week, she walked up and instead of going straight to the vending machine, she handed me a little tin foil packet with a purple question mark drawn on the outside. Turns out, she had started creating and selling mystery animal cards and she made one for ME!

Inside was a hand-drawn card featuring a Northern Bobwhite.

It was such a simple, sweet moment. And it was one of those times that makes me stop and remember what the The Daily Wild is becoming. I created these cards because I wanted us to notice animals and get curious about them. But it has evolved into something more. These cards have become a connection point for meaningful conversations and inspiration.

And here was this little girl doing exactly that … turning the whole idea around and sharing an animal with me. So, of course, I had to learn more about the Northern Bobwhite and wow, it’s a good one!

Sometimes the wildest wisdom comes from the smallest places. Or, in this case, wrapped in tin foil with a purple question mark on top.

– El

I’m not going to lie but before yesterday I hadn’t heard of the Northern Bobwhite. Turns out, they are small, ground-dwelling birds who are part of the quail family and named for their distinctive call which sounds remarkably like someone whistling bob-WHITE!

I started reading about them last night and one of the coolest things I discovered about these birds is how they sleep. Bobwhites spend much of their lives together in small groups called coveys. And when it's time to settle down for the night, they do something pretty amazing. The birds gather tightly together on the ground in a circle, shoulder to shoulder, with their tails pointed toward the center and their heads facing outward.

Imagine a tiny wheel of birds. From this position, the covey can collectively watch in every direction. If danger approaches, someone is likely to see it. And because they're gathered closely together, they also conserve warmth through cold nights.

There is something I really love about that image. No single bird is responsible for watching the entire world. Each one watches the direction in front of them. Together, they have 360 degrees covered.

I think many of us spend a lot of time trying to maintain our own personal 360-degree view. We watch what's happening at work. What's happening at home. What our families need. What might go wrong. What needs to happen next. What we've forgotten. What everyone else is doing.

We try to anticipate problems before they arrive and keep an eye on every possible direction at once. And it's exhausting. The Bobwhite offers another way.

Find your covey. Surround yourself with people you trust. Let someone else notice what you can't see. Let them carry part of the awareness, the responsibility, the worrying, the planning.

And do the same for them.

Community doesn't mean someone else takes over your life. It simply means you don't have to stand in the middle of the field trying to watch north, south, east and west all by yourself. Maybe your job is simply to watch the piece of the world that's in front of you. And trust that someone you love has your back.

This week, think about your own covey.

Who are the people who help you see what you can't? Who makes it possible for you to stop scanning every direction and simply focus on what's in front of you? And maybe just as importantly: Whose back are you watching?

Did you know you can order The Daily Wild animal inspiration card decks from the website. Whether you’re grabbing a set for yourself or looking for a meaningful gift, they're designed to encourage curiosity, confidence, and a little more connection to the world around us.

As we build this community, I would love more than anything to hear from you. What’s landing? What did you notice this week? What do you want more of? Just reply to this email and let me know.

I am really loving it when you share your daily card pulls with me - I’ve been seeing more of these come through Instagram. Tag @yourdailywild! It never gets old and always makes me smile to see the animals that are calling to you!