Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Daily Pics #323.
Hello everyone! I’m certainly late here today. It’s a more typical cold winter morning, which is basically over now. Strangely the feeders are not busy this morning, usually that cold weather really brings the birds in for an easy meal. The rock doves have not been here for a couple days now which is making things easier on the remaining birds. Unfortunately, I think many of the birds have been scared away by those doves and may not come back. It will be a lonely winter if that’s the case. Even some of my blue jays were scared away by those rock doves, something I really didn’t think would happen since blue jays are kind of a tough bird. And they are super helpful to have around as they look after the smaller birds, keeping them safe from that nasty shrike who likes to prey on the smaller birds.
There’s something different happens every winter. Some winters are plentiful with birds, others not. We got about 3 more inches (7.5cm) of snow yesterday, so it’s really starting to look more like winter all the time. It was cold going out to feed the birds this morning, with that wind blowing it was -18C (0F). I had to wear a heavier jacket today and if this keeps up I will need to start wearing gloves too. It will have to get a bit colder first though. It was just starting to get daylight while I was out there and I heard the familiar sound of ducks flying overhead. There was 8 in that small flock, then another larger flock flew by, then a third flock, all heading down to the river for a day of fishing. They head to the open water on the lake at night, but that river is their daytime fishing spot. I should walk down there one of these days and see how many ducks are there. These were all goldeneye ducks, but sometimes other species will spend the winter too.
Our featured image today is my good friend Jasper, I kind of cut off his ears a bit, but it’s still such a nice pic showing his color. Then we have Betty the blue jay on the feeder prior to our latest snowfall and then Gent the gray jay looking straight at me. This is the last day for my Daily Pics, but I will still have a daily post, with pics too, which will start tomorrow. I hope you all have a wonderful day and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
20/20 Investigations, Inc. The Curious Letter. Chapter 18.
“I don’t think you will get very far with these diamonds,” I told them. “We’ll get far enough,” sneered Chantelle. “Perhaps you should look over by the barn,” I suggested to them. “Hello my dear,” said Charlie, “I’m afraid you won’t get anywhere with my diamonds.” There was Charlie with his big shotgun and two of his friends also holding guns. “Now, all of you toss your guns in that hole,” yelled Charlie as they started walking toward us, “that includes you Steve, I know you always carry a gun.” I toss my gun in the hole, so did the other Lena. “Never, you greedy old man!”, yelled Chantelle and pointed her rifle at Charlie and fired off one shot. It hit Charlie which caused his shot to go in the air, not hurting anyone. But Charlie was still alive, on his knees, groaning and holding his shoulder.
Then…Thwock!…Thwock!, and Charlie’s two friends dropped to the ground. That got Chantelle and the other Lena to look over that way. Right then Lena handed me the gun I had given her to carry. “Okay Chantelle, drop the rifle now,” I called out to her. She looked at me but I guess she realized it was no use and she tossed her rifle in the hole. Right then Muffin and Mr. Cat showed up next to Lena and I. Meow, meow!=We hear voices and knew you would need help. Meow!=Yep, we use slingshots from inside barn, we nice and close. “You two came to our rescue at just the right time,” I said, petting and rubbing them. They always enjoy when I do that. Lena picked up both of them, hugging and kissing them. “You two are the most beautiful PI cats in the whole world,” she quietly said to them with tears in her eyes.
Meow.=Aww, human Steve bestest PI, we not find treasure without him, and he keep us all safe with his plan. Meow, meow!=Yep, that true! We all walk down to where Charlie was still on is knees and I toss the shotgun aside. Then we could hear sirens at the farmhouse and soon police came running through the trees. “How did the police find us?”, asked the other Lena. “Yes,” said Charlie, “how could they?” “Simple, Charlie,” I explained, “your jamming device only was good enough around the farm, but over here we are far enough away that we can get a good signal.” “You never were very smart,” Chantelle said to Charlie. “But I never saw you phone for the police,” said Lena. “I didn’t, Muffin did that with her special collar,” I said, “I’ll show you how it works later.”
Meow, meow.=Yep, me did it with collar caller. We all laugh. Well, except for Charlie, Chantelle and the other Lena, they certainly didn’t look too happy, and they couldn’t understand what Muffin said anyway, not even the other Lena. Once back at the farm I showed the police where they could find the rest of Charlies friends. There was a trap door in the barn that lead to an old bomb shelter. There were two more men down there that the police quickly brought out. It seems they were making counterfeit money down there in different currencies from many countries. From this the police were able to find two other small groups in other locations that were also involved in other illegal activities. Lena did very well with the sale of those diamonds, plus the sale of the farm. Both Charlie and his wife died of heart attacks before they ever made it to prison. The other Lena, which actually was her real name, did get some prison time for her part in the affair. We had already been paid for the case by Charlie but Lena gave us a bonus anyway.
Muffin and Mr. Cat were happy with that, we were able to get another part of their play structure which made them very happy, plus we moved to a larger place. After all, I needed a place to sleep! Meow.=Human Steve not look very happy, he miss human Lena. Meow, meow.=Yep, too bad she not come home with us. Oh, look, he not wearing shoes or slippers. Meow.=I know what you think, maybe it work to get his mind off Lena. Meow, meow.=Yep, you take left, I take right. Off they go over to my chair. Chomp! Chomp! “AAAAAAA”, I screamed, “come back here you two!” Wheeeeeeeeee!!! Crash! Meow, meow.=Oh, he still not used to new house. Meow.=Yep, and he forget about new addition to play structure. Hope he not break something, sure hit hard. Meow, meow.=That okay, play structure well built, it be fine. “Moooaaan, grooooaan!” Meow.=Oh, he do human purring, sound nice. Meow, meow.=Yep, he happy now, forget about human Lena.
The End.
I think we should have time for one more short story before the end of the year, so please join us this week for the beginning of “The Wilderness Staircase Mystery”. Previous chapters of this story, and other stories can be found on my home page under, 20/20 Investigations, Inc.
Picture of Mr. Cat kindly supplied by his human, Nina.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
