For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Good morning everyone! Happy Saturday! It’s another beautiful, sunny, spring morning. It is completely calm, what a time to be down at the river. No, I’m not there, going early in the morning is definitely not on my schedule. That would be a good time to meet the bear, and I really don’t want to do that. Still, it would be interesting to see what kind of action is going on down there on an early morning. I’m sure there would be much more going on than there is when I go after lunch.
I was at the river yesterday afternoon, it was so beautiful. I sat on the bench overlooking the water, there was only a light breeze that put little ripples on the river. Then it would calm right down, then the breeze would blow again. There were several mallard ducks out for a swim, 2 were sitting preening their feathers in a sheltered bay. The female was sitting on a rock and the male was standing on an underwater rock right beside her. It was such a tranquil moment watching them relaxing like that, the water so calm.
There was also a lone male common merganser over closer to the bench, but he flew past when he saw me. There was also several common goldeneye ducks across the river, too far for a good picture. I just sat enjoying all that was going on. A pair of crows are nesting in a tall red pine behind where I sit, not too far, but a little up on the hill. The female is sitting on eggs right now and the male made several trips bringing food to her.
Canada geese were honking away around the far bend in the river, in a shallow reedy area where they like to have their nests. There are actually several that nest in that bay. Then I went a little farther than usual, up a steep slope in the path to an area I really enjoy. It’s sunny up there, with a small clearing and a mat of pine needles several inches thick, making it so soft to sit or lie down and enjoy the scenery. Our first summer coffee post will be in that spot next week. Muffin is looking forward to seeing all her cat friends again and we both are looking forward to seeing all of you at our summer coffee posts, most will be in parks again this year, but I will try to add some other spots as well.
Back to the river now. After taking pics up there I came back down, which is like walking on ice. It is so dry here now and because of all the pine needles, they tend to slide while walking downhill. It was easy to see where people have slid and fallen on that steep slope. But I took it easy and stayed on my feet. I’m hoping next time to go even further to another favorite spot where I used to spend a lot of time a couple years ago. Back at the bench to relax a little longer, I really didn’t want to leave it was so nice. Then I heard a noise in that bay where the mallard ducks were before so I headed back that way, since it’s on the way home anyway.
I wasn’t quite careful enough I guess and scared a family of Canada geese that had been relaxing on shore, so they swam out a bit. Their goslings were still so small and it was obvious they didn’t want to go out in the deep water, too dangerous for their babies. So I just took a few pics and left so they could come back. They don’t like being in deep water as fish can come up and grab those little babies for a meal. Also snapping turtles are another threat, as are eagles, so staying close to shore is the best thing. But that was such a nice country pleasure.
Really, there were many country pleasures down there yesterday, the ducks, the scenery with all the new bright green leaves coming out, shining so nicely in the sun, the light breeze, the clear water, listening as the crow brought food to his mate. Then all the birds singing all along the river and the path. There were several song sparrows singing in different places along the shore of the river, they like being near water if possible. And so many different warblers are back now singing their bright songs high in the trees. They are among our most brightly colored birds, but they are small and usually stay high in the trees where I can’t get pictures of them. But it’s such a pleasure to hear them back again.
Solitude. That was a perfect example yesterday at the river. This is long today, my apologies, and I didn’t even talk about everything. Well, I hope you all have a most wonderful day and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
Β©2021 Steve McLeod.
Glad you met birds not bears
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Yes, me too! I certainly kept a watchful eye the whole time, and ears too. Have a most wonderful day Sheree!ππΊπββ
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You too Steve
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Thank you!
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What a wonderful account of your trip to the river!! Well done! I enjoyed reading it immensely.π
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I love the moderate weather of spring being warm in the day and chilly at night …
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That is the great part about spring.. open the windows and let the fresh air in. Makes it great for sleeping.ππ
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Yes …
Definitely but I try to keep the room temperature as moderate as I can for better sleep quality .
Love and light from Lebanon to the world …
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Thanks so much Dusty,π I’m finally back, for how long I’m not sure. I was outside for a bit and when I came in my internet was down again, finally back on so I hope it stays.π€π³
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Feeling well today?
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I don’t have a well, but I’m certainly feeling something.π³πππΉ
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But you’re not feeling like a well?? That’s pretty deep!π€π€π€π―π²π³
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Actually around here wells can be quite shallow, especially if you dig it right next to a lake.ππππ€£π€£And my thoughts are usually quite shallow, easier to find them.π³π€
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Hey, that’s my trick!π€¨ You can’t do that!!
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As they say in the old country, “a trick is like a leaky canoe, your feet get wet.”
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I agree!! Wet feet can be tricky!ππππ
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Or easy.πππππHad to get my regular evening chore done. hehehe I remembered.
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Hey hey hey!!!! Good Job!! You are getti g better at that!!ππ
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Yep, got it down real good now!π Too bad I won’t be doing it anymore.ππΉπ
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Uh oh… why not??
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I was only using one hanging feeder now anyway, but since most of the birds have now gone for the summer nesting season I can get by with just my main feeder.
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Oh sure… suck me in thinking something is preventing you from doing it and it’s just a typical change in birds habits!! That was not cool!!π€¨π€¨πππ
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What, I told you what was going on. Didn’t I, didn’t I??
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You made it sound like you wouldn’t be feeding the birds anymore! You!!π
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Really? I don’t remember that. My rememberer must be on vacation again.πππΉ
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Ok! ππ€£ππΉ
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Yep, mostly anyway.ππ
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Well you were certainly more active than I was today!!
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I was active? Sure didn’t seem like it. I didn’t even get any of my plants potted today, I was hoping to do half of them. Just too hard bending over today. I did get some cleaning done and laundry, got some pictures. Went for a walk, made it all the way to the end of the deck and back.
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See?? I told ya!π I slept late this morning.. woke up with a headache not feeling like doin nothin!
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See? You slept too long and it gave you a headache, that’s why I don’t sleep long. Hmm, I woke up with a headache this morning too, still got it, or it’s back anyway.
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I think mine is from a long week of work and stressπ€ plus my shoulder was aching π« when I went to bed last night π
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Those stress headaches are bad, that’s not good. Sit outside and relax a bit while watching the squirrels.ππΈ
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Oh sureππ I thought you liked me??ππ
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That’s why I suggested the best anti stress medicine there is: nature. And squirrels are part of nature. Just bring your baseball glove with you to catch all the acorns.πππ°π°π°π°π°π°π°π°π°π°π°π°
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I’ll need a football helmet β
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And shin pads, don’t forget those. Do they use shin pads in football, or is that baseball?
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Ah um well… football no, and baseball only the catcher..
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Really? No shin pads in football? No wonder they get hurt so much.π¬π¬
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No shin pads… they have pads on their thighs, hips, tail bones and shoulders.. but I think that soccer players wear them.
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But what if someone kicks them in the shins? No shin pads at all? Such a strange game.
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Tripping is not allowed! You can break someones leg that way..ππ
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That’s what the coach told me in high school. But he told me to stop the guy and I stopped him. His nose stopped bleeding after a while, the guy on the other team, not the coach.ππΉ
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LOL πππ€£πΉππ I don’t think that is allowed either π
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Next time I just moved out of the way and he fell over by himself. Coach said that’s not the way to do. He still stopped didn’t he? I got kicked off the team.ππ
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Kinda missing the point don’t ya think?π€ you’re supposed to block him not knock him downπ³πππ
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The coach said “stop” him, so I did. Besides, that guy was twice my size, blocking him would be like a VW blocking a semi truck! I could have been hurt. I never could understand that part, line up guys on both sides, they run into each other and fall down. May as well just do away with all those guys and save the trouble. Smaller teams too, look at the money savings.πππΉπΉ
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There goez that super thinking π€ππ
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Thank you, just seems to make sense.ππ
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Now… you need to make it make Dollars, and you’re all set!πππ
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It will make dollars as soon as you get rid of all those useless players that just stand there and fall down. I mean, paying these guys big bucks just to fall down! Think of the savings! That’s the same as making huge dollars!ππΉ
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I think you’re right! They are way over paid!!!πππππππππππ
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Yep, I would fall down for half that much.ππ
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Yeah… me too!πΊπ
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So, do you think I should get vaccinated?π€
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I got my first shot, have to wait until August for my second shot, wish I could get it sooner.π
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Is that a yes?
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I can only say yes for me. But I think it’s a good idea.
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Thank you… I appreciate your your sharing your idea.π
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As they say in the old country, “we can all do with a shot in the arm now and then.” Or is that a whack on the head?π€π
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Is there a message in that statement?π€π€
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Any wisdom found in the old country sayings is purely accidental. Except sometimes.ππΉ
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Now that I can agree with!!ππππ€£π€£π€£
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As they say in the old country, “agreeing with the old country is like using newspaper to plug a leak in your boat.” Time to say good night again. Good night again! Talk tomorrow!ππππ΄π€―
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Againπ΄
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Warbler colorful birds are magnificent and beautiful . They come in variety of colors as I see in Google images …
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Yes, we have quite a few different species of warblers here, they are very beautiful, but getting to see them isn’t always easy which is too bad.
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When you make something very important , you put it on a pedestal. When you look at it as a normal beauty and forget about it , it comes unexpectedly sometimes …
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That was a beautiful evening Uncle, Enjoyed it as I pictured it, wish I could be there or in a place with such a beautiful nature to relax my evening π Sigh … I wish.. It wasn’t long, it was nice .. Beautiful picturesβ¨π Stay safe, Have a wonderful Saturday β¨π₯³π€π€
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So glad you enjoyed it Simon,π it is such a beautiful place to relax.π€ΈββοΈ Thank you so much, have a great Sunday Simon!ππΊπββ
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Very Good Morning Steve ππ₯³Have a peaceful evening…π
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I am, I am! Good morning in the evening Simon!πππΈ
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You still awake π€πEnjoying the warm long days πππ€Have fun..
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It doesn’t even get dark for another 2 hours!ππΈπ
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Yes, people moved frhere to Montreal said that to me, day light lasts till 10 pm… π Enjoy the warm day light…π wear those sunglasses too π
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Here the daylight lasts until nearly 11 pm and begins at 3:30 am, that’s for June and July, then the days start to get shorter again.ππΊ
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That’s a lot of bright time π hope that doesn’t disturb your sleep cycle…ππ
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No, not at all, I get up with the sun and go down with the sun, very simple really!ππΉ
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π€π well, that really disturbs your cycle π ππ
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Doesn’t disturb me, maybe for some people, but not me. I sleep more in the winter to make up for it.π€ππππΉ
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ha ha ha… you sound perfect like the π€π π the human from the..π€πππ Ontarioππ
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I have always been like this, winter is for sleeping,π΄π΄ summer is for staying awake.ππππ After all, it’s only a couple months, who needs to sleep?π€ππ΄π΄
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ofcourse, only a couple of months, I’ll do the same if i were youππ
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See how easy that is!π
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ha ha πΊπ it is
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I wish that I was along for the walk.but I enjoyed your walk and your talk ! Beautiful pics ! Keep safe and rest when you can ! πΊπΆββοΈππ¦π΄
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Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much! Have a great evening!ππΊπββ
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SaturdayΓ’ΒΒs Solitude #3.
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Thanks for dropping in Cathy!
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sounds like a perfect way to spend part of your day…
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Yes, it was just so beautiful there.
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Beautiful and peaceful Steve! Nothing like sitting near a lake.π
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Yes, that’s for sure, an amazing stress reliever and just a great place to relax!ππΊπββπ
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Yes it sure us enjoyπ
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ππΊπ
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πβ€οΈ
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