Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Tuesday’s Terrific Times.
Hello everyone on this very beautiful spring day. No more winter talk around here. It’s spring, it feels like spring, it looks like spring, and it sounds like spring. There, that’s better. The robins are back, none came close enough to get a picture however. A beautiful red-winged blackbird was also back today and several juncos. This week should see many more arriving since there are so many that are behind schedule for returning. Hopefully I can start getting more pictures soon.
Sir George and Lady Pearl were here for their breakfast before it was even daylight, but they had to wait, I wasn’t going outside with food in my hand while it was still dark. I’m not that stupid. They were actually quite comical out on the feeder this morning raising their wings and kind of fluttering around. Definitely spring. But it wasn’t quite enough daylight for getting pictures. I will wait a little longer next time. It’s fun to watch such big birds, Sir George feeding Lady Pearl. Probably won’t see it again. Sigh.
Speaking of Muffin. I’m getting something to eat. She is sleeping in the sun. The food is on my plate. I pick it up and turn to walk away from the counter. Muffin is right there. I nearly step on her. In the process I tilt the plate a bit. Guess where my food went? Dropping to the floor. Not all. But enough. Muffin was attacking it right away. Hey, that’s my chicken. Off she goes. She doesn’t even like chicken. Unless she can get it this way. Sigh.
Now, I had my glass of water sitting on the table. This is a different day. I go back in to the kitchen area, forgot my fork. But I remembered to take my plate of food with me. Ha! Spoiled her plans, I chuckled to myself. I come back and stood staring. There she is dipping her paw in my glass of water. So much for that water. I think she was just wanting to wash her paws. In my water. Sigh.
We were playing skiffleball the other morning. Actually it’s something we do every morning. She gets absolutely wild playing that game. She prefers that to her toys. All I use is a crumpled piece of yellow paper. It has to be yellow, or pink, her two favorite colors. But she knocked it under a cabinet. Just enough space for that paper ball to get under. She couldn’t reach it though she certainly tried hard. My turn now. I had to lay flat on the floor to reach it. Muffin wanted to see what was going on. She lay down right in front of my face. I can’t see. Didn’t seem to bother Muffin. I tried pushing her out of the way. At that point my finger started to bleed. Sigh. But she did move. Climbed up on my back again. She likes doing that. But this time I was ready. So I could get up easily. I don’t think she liked that.
Another thing she likes to do is when I am looking out the window watching the birds, she comes up to join me. Right there is my TV cabinet, which is fairly tall. So I sometimes like to stand there. Muffin likes to join me. Now there is lots of room for her to sit there beside me. But does she do that? No. She sits down right in front of my face. Slapping me with her tail. Not nice at all. She doesn’t seem to mind. Sigh.
Oh well, I guess that’s all for today folks. I am so glad you were able to join Muffin and I today, or tomorrow, whatever time it is where you live. I hope you are able to enjoy some nice weather this week wherever you happen to be, from Muffin and I and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
© 2019 Steve McLeod.
Country Pleasures.
Hello everyone on this beautiful Monday morning! I do hope it is a nice day where you live as well. So nice to see that spring is finally here and looks like it will actually stay this time. I like spring. Everything just seems so fresh. As the snow melts away the birds begin to return bringing with them there many different musical talents. Some can be very colorful and others look rather dull. But some of those dull colored birds can really sing beautifully, like the song sparrow in the picture below. It is definitely one of my favorite spring and summer songs and a true country pleasure.
Almost forgot to mention Sir George, he is in the featured image at the top. That’s his favorite pole to sit on. The pole is on a hill so he can see quite far. But mostly he just wants to see when I come out with the food. He then flies all around me while I put the food on the feeder for him and he is down at that food so fast. His mate, Lady Pearl, is usually with him. And at least 3 others have joined in now, though they have to wait their turn. This also is a wonderful country pleasure.
But perhaps one of the best country pleasures is to have a chipmunk sitting on my knee. A couple of them will even come running to me when they see danger in the area. They know where to find a safe place. They have learned to trust me. My present squirrels are not quite so brave yet. I had several very friendly squirrels last year, but they were all chased away by a very aggressive young male squirrel. However, he found a mate and she finally chased him away. Now there are two different female squirrels and one other male that I call Whitey. That’s because about a third of his tail is pure white. Last year that one would sit on my shoulder and eat peanuts. Another country pleasure.
Then there is the country pleasure of getting alone beside a lake, sitting, enjoying all the sights and sounds of summer. That is a true joy and a great way to relieve stress. Just sitting still, listening to the waves lapping against the shore, the beautifully eerie call of the loon echoing across the lake. Song sparrows singing their joyous song from small bushes along the shore. The melodious chorus of many different warblers sitting in the pine trees behind me. The gentle ripple of the leaves from the aspens nearby. Hard to be stressed in a place like that. But you don’t need to be in the country to enjoy that. Even city parks can be a great place to enjoy some simple country pleasures.
Going for an early morning walk, whether in the country, town (like where I live) or city can be a real country pleasure. Early morning is so ideal. It’s much more quiet. The air is often more still. Watching a nice summer sunrise. And listening to the chorus of bird songs which can be heard everywhere. Early morning is even best if jogging is more what you enjoy. It’s just a more calm part of the day which can help us get a good start to our day, giving us a fresh beginning and more energy to meet the challenges of the day.
When the weather is warmer I like to take my coffee out on the deck and sit, enjoy all the sights and sounds of spring and summer. There is always something to enjoy. From all the birds to little chipmunks to the deer that come by to say hello. Going up to a large animal like a deer and rubbing around their ears or antlers which they so enjoy, truly a country pleasure. Then there is little Muffin. She is my indoor country pleasure. Always willing to look cute and have fun.
Well everyone, I guess I should stop for today and let you go do other things. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing these country pleasures with me. I hope you all have a great day and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
© 2019 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 