For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Good morning everyone! It is a sunny, smokey, summer morning once again. But showers and possible thunderstorms are moving in later today as a cold front moves through the area, which is going to drop our temperatures a little. There are 109 forest fires burning here right now, with many over the 100,000 acre size. The largest has now grown to 474,840 acres as of last evening, so it gained about 10,000 acres yesterday. It’s burning at the south end of one of our provincial parks. The second largest fire, at 397,000 acres is burning at the north end of this same park. There are a couple of smaller fires burning in that park as well. It is certainly going to change the scenery of that beautiful park for many years.
There is a family of chickadees chirping in the trees and a family of white-throated sparrows. One of the adult sparrows came over and inspected the peanuts and found one that was partly open so he picked it up and happily flew off with it. He started doing that in the spring, and now he’s back again. Everyone loves peanuts around here. The chipmunks are busy as usual this morning, hauling peanuts away as fast as they can. So far the only gulls to come for breakfast were Sir Charles and Ricky. I just say that and Sir George shows up, so I bring out his food which he happily gulps down in record time. Slim just showed up as well, but when he saw me he turned and left right away. Strange little squirrel.
Meanwhile there are 5 little chipmunks running around chasing each other. After the initial chase began I think they have forgotten who is chasing who. They just seem to be taking turns chasing each other. Even Choco, who is the smallest, is involved in this chasing game. Perhaps they are just practicing? While that is going on Coffee shows up and takes his peanuts and leaves. Actually he had time to do that twice before the chasing party quit and they all started coming, one at a time oldest to youngest, to get their peanuts. Chester is gaining weight, a lot, he’ll soon be as big as Slim. But Skamper is still the top chipmunk. It is so nice on the deck this morning, calm and beautiful. Just a light breeze. Looks like it’s time for more peanuts for the chipmunks and more coffee for me. Anyone for coffee and a chipmunk sitting on your lap? Have a most wonderful day everyone and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2021 Steve McLeod.
Let’s hope the lower temperatures help control the fires 🔥
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Lower temps do help, but they are not supposed to last too long. However there is a lot of showers in the forecast over the next few days. Hopefully they will hit the fire area too. Nearly half of that one park has burned now.😲🙀🔥
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Such a shame
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So true.
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let’s see, these thunderstorms will put down these fires ☺️Petunias are so beautiful to see from your eyes 😍❤️ That big chipmunks, I knew who is your nutritional advisor and providor 😅🤣 it’s Steve😅😅 dont worry, to lose weight, simply, contact him🐱 Have a lovely day Uncle Steve❤️ and wear double masks.
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The smoke cleared away nicely today, no need for masks. Yep, I think Chester needs to go on a diet, or maybe it’s good for him to be big,🤔 he can sit on the squirrel while the other chipmunks get the peanuts!😂😹 I don’t want thunderstorms,😬 they just start more fires, a good steady rain is much better. Muffin just went to hide so there must be a storm around.😳😲🙀
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was there a storm 😳🤔 how was your last night? loud or just calm 😉 Have a lovely Thursday ahead 🤗
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Just a couple of light showers, no storms, so it was a calm night.😀😺🌙🌞☔☔
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that was really nice, it was a thunderstorms night here, lightening, have to sleep, but rains are showing up again😉 it’s going to be noisy night.
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Don’t you just love those thundering nights?🤔😁 Just calms you right to sleep!😃😴🌙
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I wake up for a simple door crack noise 😂😂
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Wow! I can sleep through anything, as long as it’s not noisy.🤣🤣🤣🤣
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Are you sure ? I will ask the neighbour to ring that door bell to check out on you 🤪
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Ha, ha! I don’t have a doorbell!😂😂
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You sure have a door right 🤔😳
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Yep, I think I do.🤔
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I have a gate, and a wooden door and 5 windows with mosquito net 😮 and guess what? 🙄🤔 I close all of them, and the mosquitoes figure out a way to come inside 🙄 they don’t knock the door, or ring the bell but dance in my ear “I am insideeeee” then I swing my electric bat “Go to hell ” 😈
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Wow, you have talented mosquitoes over there. Ours don’t dance, they just sit looking into my ear and start to yodel! All that echoing is really annoying.😲😲🤯🤯😂😂🤣🤣
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😳 that’s my way of expressing 🤪😂 and our mosquitoes do the same, last night they wasted my sleep for 4 hours 🙄😮 their annoying bites 😅 they tortured me 😳😾
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Oh my, that’s terrible! Tell them to leave you alone or you’ll do something drastic!😠😡😤
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they, oops they did it again🤯🤯🤯
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You have to show them whose the boss! Get a big pan and start swinging!😂😂
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Having an electric bat now😈 swing swing fry fry 😅😂
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Those petunias are so lovely. The chipmunks are quite interesting. They are enjoying the summer so much better.
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Thank you! Yes, those chipmunks need to gather there food during our short summer to last them through the long winters when they stay in their little dens.😀😺
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Oh!
Hardworkers then!
And self-reliant! Should be quoted as examples.
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Yes indeed! It’s hard to outwork a chipmunk. But they do like times to play as well. But mostly it’s work from dawn to dusk for these little chipmunks.
They do make good examples.😀😺
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Love the petunias ! A provincial park under fire ? How sad ! The storms are for southern MB…maybe Wpg….hope the weather brings rain to us…sleep well…☕️☕️🔥🔥😴
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Rain I don’t mind, but thunderstorms I don’t want. It’s raining right now actually, just started to rain heavier. Muffin doesn’t like it though. There’s a second provincial park that has 8 fires, but they are not as big.😳🙀🔥🔥
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another beautiful start to your day. I hope those thunderstorms help fight the fires.
And perhaps Slim wasn’t in the mood to have a conversation with you today 🙂
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All we had was a couple of light showers.
Yes, I don’t think Slim wants to talk much, but he never has liked to sit and have conversations like Jasper did.
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I guess some rain is better than none. And I guess no sign of Jasper for a while now…
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Yes, the higher humidity and wetter ground surface does slow down the fires even though it doesn’t stop them. It gives firefighters more opportunity to hit the fires hard.
No, Jasper hasn’t been around for a long time now, guess he won’t be back. But maybe one day he will come by to check on things. I hope so.
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fingers crossed for Jasper’s return, but I won’t hold my breath…
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Good thinking!
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