The Morning Call

I am an early-riser,  though the birds always beat me to the punch.  I hear their chirps as I come awake in the darkness.  By the time I’ve showered and poured my first cup of coffee, the bird song is a choir that makes my morning complete.  They are the soundtrack for my morning meditation and they make the early Spring days very nice. 

Thanks to my backyard bird feeder, I’ve had the chance to know exactly who is in the choir that sings my morning greeting.  There are blue birds and cardinals, robins, juncos, and gold finches.  Sometimes I hear a woodpecker in the morning, and there are other birds I’m learning to recognize.  The feeder is my way of thanking them for the morning chorus that makes my morning complete.

Monday Garden Update: August 3

I’m fighting a bit of a battle with the backyard wildlife when it comes to harvesting my tomatoes, which the squirrels like to snack on nearly as much as we do.  I am able to harvest some of them and I am fond of the squirrels so I long ago made peace with the wildlife dining element of gardening in my yard.

There is a purple zinnia to admire (and more blooms are on the way).

There are some jalapeños coming along nicely.

More tomato blooms are set on.

My daily stroll out here reminds me of the value of patience, a reminder that I need always but especially in this year of all years.

Tree Limbs & Blue Skies

One of the blessings of being home all day is that I have time to step out on the back deck when the sun is high and the sky is blue.  I’ve taken the time to appreciate the sunshine in my backyard and check out the bird life around our feeder.  We have two sets of cardinals that visit us and I caught a picture of one of them high in the branches of Old Man Tree on a sunny day.

On Saturday we had some sunshine and I made time to sit outside.  Even in the chill, it was nice.  Old Man Tree has turned his attention to making leaves and I’m looking forward to being outside more often as the days warm.  I’ll be out on the porch with a book before  before school, I plan lunch on the back deck.  But no matter where I am, Old Man Tree and the blue sky will be my companions.

The Backyard Cardinal

For several years now, we’ve had  pair of cardinals who visit our bird feeder, rest in the backyard, and sometimes chirp in the windows to torture the cats.  

We love all of it and were especially delighted a few weeks back when a new cardinal turned up.  He’s a loner and small enough to be young and so we’ve named him the Bachelor Cardinal.  Earlier this week, he sat high on the branch above me as I soaked up the sun and the brilliant blue sky.

I love my backyard and the wildlife it contains and as week four of staying home settles around me, views like this are a balm on my worries.

Squirrel-A-Bration!

Last year in the first week of November, T’s beloved pet sugar glider, Zip, departed the earth for the land of sweeter treats.  Zip was a much beloved creature and this week we decided to celebrate his life by leaving extra treats for squirrels in our yard.  Living in our backyard means they dine on my garden on rather a regular basis.  This week meant more nuts, more stale bread, and more bits of leftover cereal.  It’s our way of reminding the universe how grateful we are for Zip.  Naturally, of course, they opted for the front porch pumpkin as well.

We are not the boss of the squirrels.