Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Daily Pics #269.
Good morning to everyone from Muffin (😺that me) and I (😸that my human)! It’s a beautiful, sunny, fall morning, a bit on the chilly side, but it is October. The number of small birds coming around is changing on a daily basis. And variety is changing too. White-throated sparrows were common and there is still some around, but not nearly as many. But they are being replaced by the juncos now which are around in large numbers these days. I saw a white-crowned sparrow yesterday as well. Tree sparrows are likely around now too but they are never as common as the other sparrows. The northern robins are here in good numbers now too. Most of our purple finches are gone now, pine siskins came to replace them for awhile, but are not in large numbers this year. A male hairy woodpecker has arrived looking for food, but it’s a bit warm yet for putting suet out for him, it tends to melt. And they don’t like that store bought stuff that doesn’t melt. So he contents himself with sunflower seeds from the hanging feeder. Jasper and the chipmunks have not been around yet this morning but the blue jays have been busy hauling away peanuts.
Now for oddities. I have been getting phone calls, on my old fashioned land line phone, at different hours during the day. When I answer the person hangs up. The calls never come at the same time. Second oddity. When I came home from church on Sunday there was a very strong smell of tobacco, from cigarettes, in my apartment. I don’t smoke and I’m sure Muffin doesn’t either. Third oddity. Muffin wasn’t at the door to greet me, she was hiding and didn’t come out until about 10 minutes after I got home. She only hides for certain reasons, things that scare her, such as bears, wolves, thunder and people she doesn’t know. Was someone in here? I don’t know. Nothing was missing however. Just some oddities.
Well, once again for our featured image we have another fall pic showing the beautiful golden colors of poplar and birch trees. And in the pic above we have one of my favorite wildflowers, the harebell. I know I have shown harebells before, but not this picture of them, and they are so nice. Well I (Hey!😾), oops, I mean, we hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday and God bless!
Steve (😸that my human) and Muffin. (😺that me).
Steve’s Country Cabin Journal #2.
Hello everyone and welcome to our second look through the eyes of my journal. As I mentioned before, some things will be recent events, others will be perhaps from years ago. Let’s take a look at today’s entry.
It was a lovely day out at “Eagle”, the sun has been shining all day and my little flower garden is doing well. That evening I was watering the flowers and got that odd feeling of being watched. That has happened so many times over the years. I looked around but saw nothing. I even went around the little cabin, but nothing was there either. Oh well, must be nothing then, it’s just because I’m alone, I thought to myself. It was a nice warm evening so I walked around part of the property where we had a road that went in a circle through an area of about 20 acres. It was a very quiet evening, the thrushes were singing so nicely, a little chipmunk was running around on a pile of rocks that I had deliberately put out there for him knowing that chipmunks love rocks.
This was a sandy area, with no rocks at all, and also no chipmunks. So I hauled in lots of rocks each time I went out there and piled them in different places. The very next year the chipmunks showed up. They are a rock loving little animal. After my evening walk I decided to get some water from the well. I got that feeling of being watched again. It was getting later now and I just couldn’t shake that feeling. I got my bucket of water and turned around…there was a black bear between me and the cabin. Interesting predicament. I waited. So did he, standing there looking my way. After a bit I got to thinking that maybe he’s not looking at me. I turned and looked behind me. Another bear was standing about 50 feet away, bigger than this other one. The first one, which was between me and my cabin, was less than 20 feet away.
For some reason that second bear also stopped. Do I look that tasty? The second bear was looking at me, the first bear was…not looking at me now. He was looking toward the road where this huge cinnamon bear was standing. A cinnamon bear is just a black bear with a brown fur coat. Now what is with all these bears coming along and stopping right here. Seeing bears was a common sight out here, the local garbage disposal area was only half a mile away through the trees. I wasn’t really quite sure what to do, except wait.
However it was starting to get darker, the sun has been down for quite some time already. Finally the big cinnamon bear started walking away towards that garbage disposal area. Then the bear behind me started to follow, then the first bear joined them. Then I quickly and quietly made my way to the cabin and went inside fast! After in the safety of the cabin I counted 3 more bears walking past. I wonder how far they go to spend their days, or do they stay close to here and sleep most of the day? Not a great thought. Well, that was quite a way to end the day. I hope all of you have a wonderful day and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 