Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Muffin And I Are…
Hello everyone! It has been another sunny spring day, although not as warm as yesterday, but it’s melting and that’s the main thing. I think. Though I must admit, these slow melts in the spring are very dangerous. That’s why I like a quick melt.
Gets rid of all that snow and ice quickly. This way there is a lot more ice than before since it melts some during the day, freezes at night, everything is ice the next morning. Sigh. I’m not complaining. Really. But for people like me, it’s dangerous out there.
Ice means…
That I just might slip and fall. And get hurt. Sigh. I hurt. My hip hurts. My neck hurts. My back…well, I don’t even want to mention that pain. It more than hurts. Sigh. And I am careful when it gets icy like it is now. But sometimes that isn’t enough. Oh well. The joys of spring I guess.
A lonely time…
Early spring can be a lonely time too. The winter birds have gone. The spring birds have not yet returned. Except for crows and eagles. So my bird feeders are kind of empty these days. There are still a few chickadees, nuthatches and pine siskins.
But just a few, and at times there is nothing out there. Sigh. There is lots of open water on the lake now, doesn’t take long when the weather gets warmer. The ice is never thick out there anyway. Doesn’t matter how cold it gets, there is just not much ice out there, so it opens up quick. It’s due to the current, keeps the ice from getting too thick.
Phone calls…
I don’t exactly get a lot of phone calls. But sometimes I do. But not ones I want. Someone keeps phoning at different times during the day. No one there when I answer. I sometimes think maybe someone is just trying to find out if I’m home. Whoever it is just hangs up when I answer. I mean, it can be early, 5 am, until quite late, 10:30 pm.
Just a bit annoying. No extra phone calls the last few days though. Which is nice. Amazing the things that have happened since moving to this apartment. But my nightly visitor has given up anyway. I think.
Speaking of…
Nightly visitors. Last night there was a boreal owl out here. Cute little critter. They are small and not seen too often. I mean small, like, think of a robin, only fatter looking. Usually they can be heard more easily than being seen. They have a very unmistakable little hoot. There was another visitor here this week, that shrike came back, or possibly a different one, it has been a while since I saw that bird. And he came in low while the chickadees were here and one nuthatch caught in the open on the feeder. Poor little critter froze, not that it would have helped it. I got out there quick to toss a chunk of ice at the shrike. He took off in a hurry. The little nuthatch hopped over closer to me. He knows where it’s safe.
Muffin…
Was getting anxious this week. I didn’t like the way she kept looking at my feet. I knew what she wanted. An open door. Not to the outside exactly, she doesn’t go out. But she likes to sit by the screen door with the window open. Not warm enough, I said.
MEOW! Is what she said. And looked at my feet. The second day she won the argument. Well, hey, she was not only looking at my feet but her tail was swishing wildly. I know what the next thing is. And it’s not pretty. I wish to keep my feet looking like feet. Actually with the sun shining against the house it was very warm even with the door open. And window. Muffin was happy. My feet were happy. Which makes me happy. Sigh.
Tough question time…
Okay, today’s deep philosophical question. Can a person be up and down at the same time? I’m talking here of physically being up and down. If you think you know the answer, just mention it in the comments section.
Next time…
My post will be a bit different. You might even learn something about Muffin and I that you don’t already know. Might, I said. I would have done that today, but I’m having trouble thinking. Of course, that is kind of normal for me. But…until next time, I hope you have a great weekend and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
© 2019 Steve McLeod.
It’s Spring! Well, sort of.
Good morning everyone on this first day of spring! And it certainly was a beautiful day even here in the north. It was 41F for us and sunny, which really isn’t so bad. I know some of you are thinking, hey, that’s cold. After what we have had this winter, it’s nice. I could be out on my deck with no jacket watching my little bird friends.
There wasn’t many birds around today though. With the return of spring the birds are spreading out a bit. So, until the summer birds begin returning there won’t be much action out here. Sigh.
I missed them.
The hoary redpolls have gone and I never got a photo of them. Sigh. I did try. Even had the one female hop right over to my camera and peak in the lens. Trying to see me I guess. Just a little too close for a pic though. Oh well. However, I am looking forward to all the birds soon to return and I will be snapping pics right and left and upside down too. It’s a busy season coming up for bird activity. I hope. Will be trying for some I missed last year. Like that rose breasted grosbeak. I managed to get the female last year but that male just did not want to cooperate. At least not when I had my camera.
I know…
Forget the birds, get back to that spring cleaning. I do not like spring cleaning. Especially with those huge spiders. I think I mentioned them before. Of course, it’s only the females that get big, the males are small. There is lots of them around. Until I see them. Catch them and let them go outside, I have been told. Forget it. That just means even more.
Right, cleaning…
I mentioned about my small bedroom last time. Have you ever been in a position where you can’t see under something but you have to reach under there anyway? I don’t like that. I reach under this cabinet. My fingers feel something that they shouldn’t feel. Fur. I know none of Muffin’s furry toys are under there. Suddenly I freeze. Now what? I’m laying on the floor. I can’t move fast in that position. Or any other position for that matter. Though when it comes to certain things like those spiders, then I can move fast. Except when I am laying flat on the floor. I get up slowly. Insert groaning here. I get my flashlight, which I should have had in the first place, but forgot. Back down. Shine flashlight. No spiders. Whew. But…there is a dead mouse. What was left of it. Sigh. That would account for the smell a while back. I thought it was a dead mouse, just couldn’t find it. Sigh.
Afterwards…
We shall skip any more details on said mouse. So, next, under the bed. I had to remove all the stuff I had under there first. Carefully. Spiders like hiding in stuff. Nothing. Good. Now I have to lie flat on the floor again. Have flashlight this time. I shine flashlight. Hmm, nothing. Except huge piles of dust. Amazing. I start cleaning all that dust. Suddenly…Muffin shows up. And lays down. Not beside me. Right in front of my face. I can’t see, I tell Muffin. She looks at me. It really didn’t look like she cared. I try to push her aside. She looks at my hand. I smile and say, nice kitty, I can wait. I really don’t want her going under the bed and getting covered with dust. But I can’t really do much in my present position. Actually, it’s getting rather hard to move.
Finally…
Muffin decides it doesn’t look interesting and moves. Good. Right onto my back. Not good. My arms and legs are starting to go numb being on the floor so long. And with Muffin lying down on my back I really can’t get up. And I can’t move my arms around to push myself up. Just isn’t any room. I really shouldn’t be down on the floor like this in the first place. So why am I doing this? Because I’m not very smart. I like questions that are easy to answer.
Anyway…
I guess Muffin got bored. And I was stiff as a board. I asked Muffin to help me get up.
I know, that’s kind of strange. But I was desperate. And she helped in her usual way. She licked my nose and walked away. Thanks. I was really getting sore by this point. But I managed to get up. Somehow. Not really sure how it worked out. Then I lay down again. On my bed this time. I decided to finish the cleaning another time. Sigh. Amazing how something simple can be so complicated.
Spring…
It’s an absolutely beautiful time of year! And the snow is melting quite fast, down about a foot already. Another foot and a half to go. Or more. But the main thing, it’s melting!
Thank you for joining Muffin and I on another of our little adventures. I think hiking would be safer next time. Oh, Muffin has written a new post, just go to my home page and check out Muffins Mewsings. Also, I have begun my new page of mini devotionals called Life’s Recipe. You will find that on the menu bar. Until next we meet, enjoy your week and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
© 2019 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 