Just little Country Pleasures.

Good morning everyone on this typical February day!  At least it’s not too cold today, just a little snow falling and sun shining in between.  Yesterday that redpoll I have been trying to photograph was on the feeder, with many other birds.  So I quickly grabbed my jacket and camera and was out the door!  When I got out there, nothing.  All the birds had flown.  Completely.  No where in sight.  Sigh.  But today he was back!  So I grabbed my jacket and camera and was out the door!  Nothing.  Every bird was gone once again. Why?  That raven.  Sigh.  One of these days.  I hope.  But that is part of the challenge.  That makes things exciting.  As long as I finally do get a pic.  Just one good pic is all that’s needed.  But time is running out.  Redpolls usually start heading north in about a month, sometimes earlier.  Sigh.

Here I sit…

Drinking some hot chocolate.  I know.  Usually it’s tea.  But I felt like a change.  And looking at all that snow out there makes me think of hot chocolate.  I remember as a kid playing out in the snow for hours until I was wet and cold.  Very cold.  I would come in to thaw out and Mom would bring out the hot chocolate.  Even in my teens after spending a lot of time outside shoveling snow, and we had a lot of snow to shovel where we lived in the country, I would come in and have some hot chocolate.  Snow does that I guess.  Now I mostly think about COFFEE when it’s cold and I have been out shoveling snow.  Of course, I am not supposed to be shoveling snow anymore.  My doctor mentioned that. Actually several doctors have mentioned that.  Sigh.

Those country pleasures…

For winter I would say that hot chocolate is a country pleasure.  Though COFFEE is still tops on my list.  Probably why I drink so much of it.  Though I have cut back.  My doctor suggested that too.  So I do drink fewer cups of COFFEE each day now.  It was actually quite simple.  I just bought bigger cups.  Watching all these birds around here is definitely a country pleasure.  It’s especially nice when they do something different.  Like this downy woodpecker sitting on my broom handle.  Another country pleasure is having a deer lick my hand.  These deer are wild, but they can become very friendly with a bit of patience.

Spring is coming…

Though it does seem so far away yet.  Could actually be another 2 months.  Terrible thought.  But the first part of spring brings many country pleasures.  Like the arrival of the first juncos.  When that happens it means that winter is past.

  It is a joy to hear their little ‘chipping’ sounds.  They usually arrive when there is still snow on the ground, but the days are warm.  A little later brings one of my favorite birds, the white-throated sparrow.  My featured image is one of these birds.  One of our larger sparrows and they have a beautiful song that really says spring.  We have quite a few different species of sparrows around here.  Some stay for the summer, some are just passing through on their way north.  So many varieties, colors and songs.  They are a true country pleasure.

As the days get warmer…

Other birds arrive.  But I will write more about them later.  All are beautiful country pleasures.  The longer and warmer days mean busier days for animals.  Like the squirrels.  The females like to take a break now and then and just relax.

  Just to see it is another country pleasure.  Sometimes they will just lay down beside me.  Guess they figure it’s a good safe place to relax for a while.

I could go on…

About all the country pleasures.  And I’m not even in the country.  But country pleasures can be found most anywhere.  One just has to look for them.  In your backyard.  In a park.  Even on a deck, like mine.  This time of year I start thinking of spring a lot.  Seems like winter has been here so long this year.  And it has.  So thoughts of spring are nice.  And that’s another country pleasure.  Looking  forward to each new season.  Muffin is also looking forward to spring.  Mainly because it means the chipmunks will be back.  And she can have her window open again.  And her chair by the screen door.  I’m sure she is dreaming about those days!

Well, time to say good bye once again.  I hope you will all enjoy a very pleasant weekend and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

© 2019 Steve McLeod