Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Blue Skies…Big Surprise.
Hello everyone, so nice to meet with you once again! This is the last Monday of February. Another month of winter is nearly over. How many months are left? Hard to say. But today the sky was a brilliant blue. Not a cloud anywhere the whole day. Amazing really, we haven’t been getting many days like this all winter.
Usually it is quite common during winter, but not this year. So it was very nice to see. Sunshine and blue skies often make people more joyful, friendly and just having a lot more energy and a desire to actually do things. I thoroughly enjoy sunny days. But then, cloudy days are necessary too. If we didn’t have the clouds and rain then those sunny days wouldn’t be much fun anymore.
Weather changes…
Can be very quick and drastic sometimes. It snowed again Friday night and a bit Saturday morning, about 5 inches. Sigh. But Saturday turned out to be quite a nice day. The snow was actually melting by afternoon. Well, soft anyway. I could make snowballs. Water was all over my deck. Such a change from all that cold we have had this winter. But…things changed again. Sunday was sunny. And very windy. And bitterly cold! This morning it was -25F, -41F with the little bit of wind we had today.
My pathway to my deck was filled with snow again. I shoveled that path 4 times. The wind kept filling it with snow. So today I’m not doing much. Too sore to move around. Sigh.
Outdoors…
I don’t learn too easily. But there was a lot of bird activity today. So I went out for a while to get some pics. There is a bird I have been trying to get a picture of for 2 weeks. He was out there again today. So out I went. He flew away. Never showed up the whole time I was out there. Which really wasn’t too long.
I nearly froze. So I came back inside. A few minutes later I looked out the window. That bird was back. Sigh. But I will keep trying.
Mice…
One night I woke up. Thought I heard something. It was early. To be exact, it was 4:58 am. Sounded like something was on my bed. Then it came right on my pillow. It was light enough with the moon shining brightly through the window. A mouse was on my pillow looking right at me! Then it jumped on my head!! Then I jumped. Then the mouse learned how to fly. I did not have a cat at the time. Now mice can look cute. But NOT when they are in my bed! Sigh. The things that happen to me sometimes.
Summer thoughts…
Winter is long again this year. Our winters seem to be getting longer all the time. This time of year I especially like to think about summer. It is nice and warm. Early mornings are beautiful. The lake is like a mirror. Birds are busy singing. And I mean busy, with dozens and dozens of birds singing a grand chorus of praise to God. For me it is a thrill to listen to them. I love mornings. It’s the best time of day. Everything just seems to be so calm. Watching the sun rise from the top of a high hill. Listening to all the birds as they wake up one by one. Some start before it’s even daylight. I enjoy that early time. Not quite the same here in town. But it’s still nice. Going out on the deck with my cup of COFFEE!
Shopping is so much fun…
And one time I bought a couple T-shirts. Two different colors. One had a tag, one did not. No matter, they were the same price anyway. So off I go to the checkout. This one doesn’t have a tag, he said. I know, but they are both the same price, so just use the tag on the other one. Can’t do that, he said, they are different colors. I will have to get a price check. There isn’t anymore in that color, I said. But he called for a price check anyway. There isn’t anymore in that color he was told. Now he was really confused. He didn’t know what to do. This was not a new cashier, he had been working there a long time. Surely he had come across this problem before. Anyway, I said just use the tag on the other shirt. But it’s not the same color. I was almost ready to pull my hair out by this point. Finally he decided to call the manager. The lady behind me was getting impatient. She told the cashier to use the tag on the other shirt. I already told him that, I said. Finally the manager came. Use the tag on the other shirt, she said, and walked away. I’m not sure who wanted to scream more, me or the lady behind me. Anyway, he did it, but mumbled, it’s not the same color. Sigh. It could only happen to me.
Well, another day has come and gone. Thank you so much for reading. Until next time, I hope you enjoy your week, and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
© 2019 Steve McLeod
Just little Country Pleasures.
Good morning everyone on this typical February day! At least it’s not too cold today, just a little snow falling and sun shining in between. Yesterday that redpoll I have been trying to photograph was on the feeder, with many other birds. So I quickly grabbed my jacket and camera and was out the door! When I got out there, nothing. All the birds had flown. Completely. No where in sight. Sigh. But today he was back! So I grabbed my jacket and camera and was out the door! Nothing. Every bird was gone once again. Why? That raven. Sigh. One of these days. I hope. But that is part of the challenge. That makes things exciting. As long as I finally do get a pic. Just one good pic is all that’s needed. But time is running out. Redpolls usually start heading north in about a month, sometimes earlier. Sigh.
Here I sit…
Drinking some hot chocolate. I know. Usually it’s tea. But I felt like a change. And looking at all that snow out there makes me think of hot chocolate. I remember as a kid playing out in the snow for hours until I was wet and cold. Very cold. I would come in to thaw out and Mom would bring out the hot chocolate. Even in my teens after spending a lot of time outside shoveling snow, and we had a lot of snow to shovel where we lived in the country, I would come in and have some hot chocolate. Snow does that I guess. Now I mostly think about COFFEE when it’s cold and I have been out shoveling snow. Of course, I am not supposed to be shoveling snow anymore. My doctor mentioned that. Actually several doctors have mentioned that. Sigh.
Those country pleasures…
For winter I would say that hot chocolate is a country pleasure. Though COFFEE is still tops on my list. Probably why I drink so much of it. Though I have cut back. My doctor suggested that too. So I do drink fewer cups of COFFEE each day now. It was actually quite simple. I just bought bigger cups. Watching all these birds around here is definitely a country pleasure. It’s especially nice when they do something different. Like this downy woodpecker sitting on my broom handle.
Another country pleasure is having a deer lick my hand. These deer are wild, but they can become very friendly with a bit of patience.
Spring is coming…
Though it does seem so far away yet. Could actually be another 2 months. Terrible thought. But the first part of spring brings many country pleasures. Like the arrival of the first juncos. When that happens it means that winter is past.
It is a joy to hear their little ‘chipping’ sounds. They usually arrive when there is still snow on the ground, but the days are warm. A little later brings one of my favorite birds, the white-throated sparrow. My featured image is one of these birds. One of our larger sparrows and they have a beautiful song that really says spring. We have quite a few different species of sparrows around here. Some stay for the summer, some are just passing through on their way north. So many varieties, colors and songs. They are a true country pleasure.
As the days get warmer…
Other birds arrive. But I will write more about them later. All are beautiful country pleasures. The longer and warmer days mean busier days for animals. Like the squirrels. The females like to take a break now and then and just relax.
Just to see it is another country pleasure. Sometimes they will just lay down beside me. Guess they figure it’s a good safe place to relax for a while.
I could go on…
About all the country pleasures. And I’m not even in the country. But country pleasures can be found most anywhere. One just has to look for them. In your backyard. In a park. Even on a deck, like mine. This time of year I start thinking of spring a lot. Seems like winter has been here so long this year. And it has. So thoughts of spring are nice. And that’s another country pleasure. Looking forward to each new season. Muffin is also looking forward to spring. Mainly because it means the chipmunks will be back. And she can have her window open again. And her chair by the screen door. I’m sure she is dreaming about those days!
Well, time to say good bye once again. I hope you will all enjoy a very pleasant weekend and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
© 2019 Steve McLeod
Steve`s Country 