Good morning to all my faithful readers and welcome to some new readers on this the last Monday of October and what a cold Monday it was and I know what you’re thinking, how can I say ‘good morning’ and then speak of Monday as ‘was’?  Quite simple.  I don’t know what time of day you might be reading this and it just might be morning when you do, even though it wouldn’t be Monday morning unless of course it’s next Monday morning or some other Monday morning if you are reading this in the past tense of the future which would…I think I better stop, I’m getting confused.  Sigh.  I was going to talk about shopping today though not necessarily shopping today but still about shopping today and…there I go again, getting myself confused.  It’s easy to do.  I was shopping.  The aisle is full of boxes and people stalking shelves.  So it is single lane traffic only.  I am about half way.  A lady comes almost running with her cart from the other direction.  We meet.  And look.  I was here first, says the lady.  Not exactly.  And I’m not backing up for someone so stupid, says the lady.  That’s okay, I will.  And I did.  I don’t think she quite understood that.  I know.  I’m a terrible person.  However, talking about shopping didn’t sound too country like.  So I won’t.  So how was my Monday in the country?  Very cold.  And fantastic!  So where did I go?  Nowhere.  Except onto my deck.  It was heavy cloud today, which made for a very dull, rather dark day.  And it was cold.  Only 37F.  At least it was supposedly that warm.  Didn’t feel like it.  I stood motionless for 50 minutes.  I did have a warm jacket on.  And slippers.  Slippers?  Yes, they are warmer than my shoes.  And there is presently no snow on the ground so I will not wear my winter boots.  I do NOT wear winter boots with no snow on the ground.  Even if the temp is below freezing. Won’t happen.  That’s why slippers.  I was standing there feeding my little feathered friends.  Plus LB and Jasper, my little squirrels.

Looking at the leafless trees and shrubs. There is a lot of beauty even with no leaves.  The amazing twists and bends of those crooked branches.  The fallen tree with the bark falling off and the hairy woodpecker pounding away looking for a meal.  Two robins chirping to each other as they sit in the birch tree.  That tree is growing out of the side of a rock.  Looks like it should fall over.  But undoubtedly it is well anchored with it’s roots going around and in the rock and twining around the roots of nearby trees.  A lone junco constantly going through the shells of sunflower seeds dropped by the chickadees.  There is always leftover bits of sunflower seeds left in those shells, and juncos as well as other birds love going through those shells.  And there is lots of shells in that one spot under a certain shrub, I have no idea what that shrub is though I have tried to identify it.  At that time there were dozens of chickadees using that shrub to sit and peck open their treasures.  Great protection for them, it is so thick with branches going in every direction.  Then those little birds fly up to me, land on my hand and go through the seeds I am holding, looking for the best one they can find.  Then off they go back to their shrub.  And they all have their own spot in the shrub.  The nuthatches have their own spots, but they prefer putting their seeds in the bark of a tree and pounding it open.  Usually a big maple out back, or one of the black ash.  Nice to have my own little patch of ‘forest’ right behind my apartment.  A little patch of ‘country’.  The birds were constantly landing on my hand.  And my shoulder.  And on my head.  One little chickadee landed twice on my shoulder.  I turned and looked at him.  He looked at me.  Less than 2 inches apart.  Talk about a country pleasure!  Then Mama showed up.  One of my deer friends.  Her baby showed up shortly after.  Actually he has gotten fairly big.  Then a young buck showed up, a 6 pointer, nice size critter though.  Only Mama was brave enough to come to me.  Petting a deer is another fantastic country pleasure!  Too dull and dark to get good pics unfortunately.  My hands were getting very cold.  And dark red.  The rest of me wasn’t exactly warm either.  Thus ended my Monday in the country.  It was starting to get dark anyway.  I have added more pics to my gallery and more will be coming, just click on the thumbnail for a better look.  Enjoy your week and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.