Country Pleasures. #1

Hello dear readers and Happy New Year on this Sunday evening here at Steve’s Country! Well, here we are, beginning a new year and we are right into winter. Our summers are very short, so it’s nice to get out and enjoy summer as much as possible. For me I would get out and enjoy it even if we had long summers. That is a pleasure that I treasure. It’s amazing how quick we are to complain about things and yet there are so many things around us each day, so many pleasures that we can treasure. We complain about summer being too hot or winter being too cold. Although our winter so far has not been that bad, it certainly could be much worse.

But think of all the little pleasures that we can treasure. It doesn’t matter where you live, there are always pleasures around. I like to talk about country pleasures a lot since I live in a small town which is close to country living. But pleasures can be found everywhere. Ever walk past a house with beautiful flowers? That is a wonderful pleasure. Have you seen the bees going from flower to flower collecting nectar to bring back to their hive? Often those bees are covered with pollen. That is a real pleasure to see and watch.

What about a brilliantly colored butterfly flitting about? There it goes across the lawn, it stops to rest on a leaf or goes to a flower for something to eat. That is a beautiful pleasure and a real treasure. How about walking across the grass with bare feet on a hot summer day? What a beautiful feeling that is, another pleasure that we can treasure. Or sitting in the shade of a large tree on a sunny, hot afternoon? Perhaps a gentle summer shower and the amazing fresh smell afterwards?

Winter sunrise, unfortunately marred by the security netting on my balcony.

How about the smell of freshly cut grass? These are all wonderful pleasures that we can treasure. If you are an early morning person like me, there is the beauty of a summer sunrise. As the sun peeks over the treetops and shines its golden rays on the still green leaves. Like turning on a switch, those trees just begin to glow. Or if you prefer a time later in the day, there are the amazing summer sunsets with multiple colors of red, pink, purple and gold. Those colors keep changing as the sun sinks deeper under the horizon, until there is just a faint glow. Both of these are true pleasures that we can really treasure.

American Goldfinch

Then we have the many varied songs of the birds. Some can be very plain without any real melody to them. Others are very musical with long, loud songs that carry for long distances. Any time of day birds can be heard. Each seems to have their favorite time of day for singing however. Some will sing any time, day or night, like our robins. Some, like owls, reserve their calling for the night portion of the day.

Common Loon, which is not as common anymore

Our loons will call anytime of the day/night, but they can really get active with their long incredible calls at night. Those calls can carry for kilometers across the water. They are an absolutely amazing water bird. And bird songs/calls are a definite pleasure that can be enjoyed everywhere. How about walking across the hot sand at the beach? Going for a swim on a hot day.

Perhaps going for a walk on a nice country or park path. Sitting on a thick mat of pine needles shaded by the giant trees while looking out across a river or lake. Watching a squirrel high in one of those pine trees cutting down the pine cones which he later gathers up and chews them open to eat the tiny seeds within. A lot of work for just such tiny seeds. But the squirrel doesn’t complain about it. Another bunch of pleasures that we can treasure. We can learn a lot from some of these little critters too.

Well, I will leave it there for this time, but I will be back with more pleasures we can treasure another time. Have a wonderful week and God bless!

Steve and Muffin. ©2026 Steve McLeod.