This is my time of year! I can't get enough of it. Anything that's not an absolute necessity is being neglected while I make myself busy with all of the fun, exhausting, back-tweaking but very rewarding toil of Spring. I feel like when I get it all cleaned up (meaning brown dead stuff gone, green new growth showing through), then it's "presentable". Now we're open for business. Of course the wildlife doesn't wait for me...
With a surge of Lifeforce, in no time we went from buds on twigs to a full-on green hug. Privacy has returned to our little patch of Heaven. Old friends I said goodbye to last fall have re-emerged from the soil to get reaquainted. Peony, Astilbe, Hosta, Tradescantia, Budleia, Iris, Lily and Rose- all very good friends of mine, arriving for a garden party.
The birds are way ahead of us. In February the Mourning Doves ceased their mourning and began romancing. That's why we have a few new plump short-tailed sparsley marked Doves frequenting the feeders. The first little Robin baby surfaced just last week, looking nothing like a Robin of course. All speckled and full of Life, exploring, testing objects for possible food sources. Mom and Dad are around but probably adding to the family already. They trust that their little ones are fine with the training they were given earlier and under the watchful eye of Mother Nature, they will find their way in this world.
Osprey and Purple Martin have returned. Cardinals are courting, the male delicately feeding the female as the Mockingbird is singing his heart out in the treetops. How can I stay inside? There's so much to see!
Across the street there are some very tall Pines that Crows frequent. When I spied our Blue Jays
nest-building in what looked like the perfect tree crotch I was concerned. Sure enough one morning there was a flurry of activity and a lot of squawking and cawing. In a flash - silence. Again I see Blue Jays nest building this time in my yard. I wish I could have told them that Crows like eggs for breakfast.
One of my very favorite birds is the Catbird. They are so very friendly and curious about us. Wherever you are if you have Catbirds you can look up and see them quietly stalking you. They are in the same Family as Brown Thrashers and Mockingbirds, and closely related to Robins. Though less garish than Mockingbirds they are equally good songsters. They mimic other birds and sing sweetly in the bushes almost as though they are whistling to themselves. We have had a pair in the same area of the yard for years now. It is difficult to believe that they are not the same birds, or at least the same male or female that begins the nest and attracts the mate to it. (They look identical so who knows which is which.)
They are so comfortable around us that this year they have begun building a nest right next to the porch, within view. Did someone else beat them to their favorite spot? Are these the offspring that were born here last year? Or has the Viburnum just become that much more irresistable since it has grown in leaps and bounds this year? These and other issues will be pondered while sipping coffee or iced green tea on said porch this season... binoculars in hand, of course!
Birdwatching, Gardening, Deep Thinking
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The Easter Bunny
Today I saw my yard bunny building one of her annual nests. Most of the time we humans don't get the pleasure of being privy to these secretive operations. I believe she trusts me, at least to an extent. I have shielded her from Bentley last year so he wouldn't see her and chase her . (Not good for his heart or her well being.) When I see her, or come upon her suddenly, I stop and let her know I'm not after her. The way to do that is to stop, look down, move slowly in another direction. Sometimes I even take a step back and assume a kind of hunched, humble posture, sort of like the way Asian cultures show each other respect.
Yes, I realize this sounds rediculous. Only do it if you really want to have a personal relationship with the wildlife in your world; and of course if you have a high fence so the neighbors won't laugh at you.
It really works. I always feel bad when I stumble into the backyard after the hawk has been there and flush all the birds out of their hiding spots. This has made me more self-aware and intraspective. If you go about your day in a frenzy, it might take some time for the critters to believe you have calmed down enough for them to read you. But they will if you stick with it. Besides, its a good discipline to slow down anyway. Who wants to live life like your hair's on fire?
This method also works on birds. There are at least two Mourning Doves that frequent our deck feeders who are unafraid. I just LOVE that! Since I was a small child I always felt bad that the birds I love so much were terrified of me. After all, I feed them, protect them, provide nesting material, plants with seeds and nectar, suet cakes, chase the squirrels and cats and generally treat them like outside pets. How 'bout a little love once in awhile! Well some of them finally heard my plea.
About 12 years ago I learned a valuable trick that I will share with you. It was taught to me by a tiny three pound Pomeranian. All of a sudden something would make me look up from whatever I was engrossed in and notice my little Buffey squinting at me in the most peculiar way. She would then burst into a wagging, wiggling celebration of joy. This happened so often that I just could not excuse it as coincidence.
I began to "squint" back at her and she would keep it up for some time. It was our little game and one of the pivotal points in my education on communication between species. I began to understand that although Buffey was the tinest of dogs she was the hugest of Souls; filled with Love and sharing it with me. She knew what she was doing and so do many of the animals we pass off as cute, but dumb. Not so! There is a Light in them that sometimes we have to squint to see.
A few years after her passing while pondering how to communicate with birds, Buffey's "lovey" eyelid method came to mind. Animal experts maintain that looking bears, apes and big cats straight in the eyes is a challenge to them and generally irritates and ticks them off. Why wouldn't the opposite be true? Since we don't have any lions or tigers or bears in our yard... (oh my!) I deciced to try to be a "Mourning Dove whisperer" instead. It worked!
In fact, they do it back to me. By the way doves have lovely blue eyelids! The large slider window between my living room and the porch where the feeders are helps keep a "safety" barrier for them. I can chase the squirrel off their seed dish and they stay. I can wave off the bully birds (Grackles and Starlings) and they wait til they're gone and hop back on the food bowl. I believe the two doves most often on my deck understand now that I won't hurt them. Perhaps they will convince the whole flock. Although I haven't found any tiny little thank you notes out there, I know they appreciate it on some level. And it thrills me to no end to have some kind of communication with these birds. Now back to the Easter Bunny...
Its hard to tell if this is the same rabbit who has been here for years. The Eastern Cottontail can live from about three years to eight if protected from preditors. It's pretty safe here and she's perfectly happy to share the yard with me. I do the non-threatening droopy-eye thing to her and she just sits there munching her lunch. I wonder if she is thinking "what a nutjob human this one is!" But, nonetheless, she isn't afraid.
The other day, little Zach next door accidently lost his frisbee over my fence and right in the middle of where Mrs. Bunny was collecting nesting material. She was travelling with huge mouthfuls of dry grass
back and forth depositing them in the cavity she dug at the base of the rose bush. It was fascinating to watch. She let me come within five feet of her as she patiently waited for me to return the requested red
UFO. At one point she turned her back to me, the ultimate sign of trust in the animal kingdom. (Of course I was using my wacky "walk softly and carry a big heart" action on her!)
Rabbit babies are dependent on Mom for only two weeks after birth and "does" can have about five litters of five offspring. So, this Spring I'm looking forward to lots of tiny little Easter fluffballs bouncing around the yard. You don't even have to be a Christian to love that!
Yes, I realize this sounds rediculous. Only do it if you really want to have a personal relationship with the wildlife in your world; and of course if you have a high fence so the neighbors won't laugh at you.
It really works. I always feel bad when I stumble into the backyard after the hawk has been there and flush all the birds out of their hiding spots. This has made me more self-aware and intraspective. If you go about your day in a frenzy, it might take some time for the critters to believe you have calmed down enough for them to read you. But they will if you stick with it. Besides, its a good discipline to slow down anyway. Who wants to live life like your hair's on fire?
This method also works on birds. There are at least two Mourning Doves that frequent our deck feeders who are unafraid. I just LOVE that! Since I was a small child I always felt bad that the birds I love so much were terrified of me. After all, I feed them, protect them, provide nesting material, plants with seeds and nectar, suet cakes, chase the squirrels and cats and generally treat them like outside pets. How 'bout a little love once in awhile! Well some of them finally heard my plea.
About 12 years ago I learned a valuable trick that I will share with you. It was taught to me by a tiny three pound Pomeranian. All of a sudden something would make me look up from whatever I was engrossed in and notice my little Buffey squinting at me in the most peculiar way. She would then burst into a wagging, wiggling celebration of joy. This happened so often that I just could not excuse it as coincidence.
I began to "squint" back at her and she would keep it up for some time. It was our little game and one of the pivotal points in my education on communication between species. I began to understand that although Buffey was the tinest of dogs she was the hugest of Souls; filled with Love and sharing it with me. She knew what she was doing and so do many of the animals we pass off as cute, but dumb. Not so! There is a Light in them that sometimes we have to squint to see.
A few years after her passing while pondering how to communicate with birds, Buffey's "lovey" eyelid method came to mind. Animal experts maintain that looking bears, apes and big cats straight in the eyes is a challenge to them and generally irritates and ticks them off. Why wouldn't the opposite be true? Since we don't have any lions or tigers or bears in our yard... (oh my!) I deciced to try to be a "Mourning Dove whisperer" instead. It worked!
In fact, they do it back to me. By the way doves have lovely blue eyelids! The large slider window between my living room and the porch where the feeders are helps keep a "safety" barrier for them. I can chase the squirrel off their seed dish and they stay. I can wave off the bully birds (Grackles and Starlings) and they wait til they're gone and hop back on the food bowl. I believe the two doves most often on my deck understand now that I won't hurt them. Perhaps they will convince the whole flock. Although I haven't found any tiny little thank you notes out there, I know they appreciate it on some level. And it thrills me to no end to have some kind of communication with these birds. Now back to the Easter Bunny...
Its hard to tell if this is the same rabbit who has been here for years. The Eastern Cottontail can live from about three years to eight if protected from preditors. It's pretty safe here and she's perfectly happy to share the yard with me. I do the non-threatening droopy-eye thing to her and she just sits there munching her lunch. I wonder if she is thinking "what a nutjob human this one is!" But, nonetheless, she isn't afraid.
The other day, little Zach next door accidently lost his frisbee over my fence and right in the middle of where Mrs. Bunny was collecting nesting material. She was travelling with huge mouthfuls of dry grass
back and forth depositing them in the cavity she dug at the base of the rose bush. It was fascinating to watch. She let me come within five feet of her as she patiently waited for me to return the requested red
UFO. At one point she turned her back to me, the ultimate sign of trust in the animal kingdom. (Of course I was using my wacky "walk softly and carry a big heart" action on her!)
Rabbit babies are dependent on Mom for only two weeks after birth and "does" can have about five litters of five offspring. So, this Spring I'm looking forward to lots of tiny little Easter fluffballs bouncing around the yard. You don't even have to be a Christian to love that!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Spring: Inside and Out
Dawn's early light, Shorter nights
Showers steady, Raincoat ready
No more Winter blues, Muddy shoes
Sunshine pending, Cold days ending
Old shed leaning, Time for Spring cleaning
Birds on the wing, Dust on everything
Buds on trees, Busy me
Butterfly wings, My vaccuum sings
Hyacinths seen, St. Patrick's Day green
Leaves in heaps, Easter Peeps
Brown lawn greens, Jelly Beans
Bulbs emerge, Families converge
Picking up twigs, Dressing to dig
Ducks have returned, Garden tips learned
Temperatures rise, Plant catalogs arrive
Already? weeds?!, Start early seeds
White flowered clover, Hibernation over
Birds gobble seed, Quilts? No more need
Looking at the growing grass
through panes of yet un-Windexed glass!
Showers steady, Raincoat ready
No more Winter blues, Muddy shoes
Sunshine pending, Cold days ending
Old shed leaning, Time for Spring cleaning
Birds on the wing, Dust on everything
Buds on trees, Busy me
Butterfly wings, My vaccuum sings
Hyacinths seen, St. Patrick's Day green
Leaves in heaps, Easter Peeps
Brown lawn greens, Jelly Beans
Bulbs emerge, Families converge
Picking up twigs, Dressing to dig
Ducks have returned, Garden tips learned
Temperatures rise, Plant catalogs arrive
Already? weeds?!, Start early seeds
White flowered clover, Hibernation over
Birds gobble seed, Quilts? No more need
Looking at the growing grass
through panes of yet un-Windexed glass!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Signs of Spring
Dancing dafodils in the wind
Buds of red & green
Winter's promised drear rescinds
Raindrops often seen
Wrens hunt spiders newly hatched
With comical routine
Bright red Cardinals not yet matched
Chase rivals from the scene
Anticipation comes in waves
Of warmth and plants we dream
Anxious gardner's hearts behave
Like hibernating teens!
Early bulbs break thru the soil
Poke out their nose of green
Insects wake, begin their toil
Thunderstorms will teem
Rabbits leave their dens behind
Squirrels start to scheme
How to rob the feeders blind
Until I want to scream!
Mourning Dove's romantic skills
Darting Chickadees
Songbirds tweet melodic trills
The Signs of Spring are these
Buds of red & green
Winter's promised drear rescinds
Raindrops often seen
Wrens hunt spiders newly hatched
With comical routine
Bright red Cardinals not yet matched
Chase rivals from the scene
Anticipation comes in waves
Of warmth and plants we dream
Anxious gardner's hearts behave
Like hibernating teens!
Early bulbs break thru the soil
Poke out their nose of green
Insects wake, begin their toil
Thunderstorms will teem
Rabbits leave their dens behind
Squirrels start to scheme
How to rob the feeders blind
Until I want to scream!
Mourning Dove's romantic skills
Darting Chickadees
Songbirds tweet melodic trills
The Signs of Spring are these
Friday, February 25, 2011
Rain
Into every life a little rain must fall...
Have you ever heard those wise words? Perhaps, if you are blessed enough to still have a grandparent, you may have been imparted many little hidden wisdoms like this one. Heed them well!
Into every life, a little rain must fall...
It's Natural. It's the ebb and flow of the ocean. It's the change of seasons. It's the breathing in and breathing out of Life. Sometimes it's a sprinkle and sometimes it's a torrent, but it comes.
The clouds drift in, the rain begins, the wind might blow, tears may flow but you must always know it will end.
There are umbrellas and raincoats, kind words and faith that help to get us through the storms in our lives.
It takes a little practice to know which one to reach for, but that comes with time and age. I suppose that's one good thing about getting older, we learn when to find a tissue and when to grab an umbrella!
April showers bring May flowers. What do February showers do? Tell you it's too warm outside to snow?
Wash away the remnants of that last snowstorm? Rinse the birdpoop off your feeders? All of the above, plus let you know in a whisper that the Earth is preparing.
She's preparing to have a party! To burst forth in all Her multi-colored, festive finery. The budding artistry has begun! The trees are thinking about blooming. The watering of silent roots and sleeping creatures beneath the surface is in progress. They soon will emerge hungry for the hors d'oevres of Spring... more rain (and sun eventually).
The Fairys will dance in the garden once again. The airy cloud Sylphs float overhead on white whisps of moisture. The elves and their kin will soon be tending to Life's unseen celebration. All unbeknownst to us.
All because the rain sent out the invitations. All because of the wisdom of Nature.
She sees around the corners, through the fog, past the storm and into the forest. And beyond the dark woods of uncertainty, there is a rainbow that makes everything "right as rain".
If you listen, the rain speaks to you. There is a whining in the wind, a whistling in the trees, a rhythm in the raindrops. It's saying "All is well. This too shall pass. Into every life... a little rain must fall.
Have you ever heard those wise words? Perhaps, if you are blessed enough to still have a grandparent, you may have been imparted many little hidden wisdoms like this one. Heed them well!
Into every life, a little rain must fall...
It's Natural. It's the ebb and flow of the ocean. It's the change of seasons. It's the breathing in and breathing out of Life. Sometimes it's a sprinkle and sometimes it's a torrent, but it comes.
The clouds drift in, the rain begins, the wind might blow, tears may flow but you must always know it will end.
There are umbrellas and raincoats, kind words and faith that help to get us through the storms in our lives.
It takes a little practice to know which one to reach for, but that comes with time and age. I suppose that's one good thing about getting older, we learn when to find a tissue and when to grab an umbrella!
April showers bring May flowers. What do February showers do? Tell you it's too warm outside to snow?
Wash away the remnants of that last snowstorm? Rinse the birdpoop off your feeders? All of the above, plus let you know in a whisper that the Earth is preparing.
She's preparing to have a party! To burst forth in all Her multi-colored, festive finery. The budding artistry has begun! The trees are thinking about blooming. The watering of silent roots and sleeping creatures beneath the surface is in progress. They soon will emerge hungry for the hors d'oevres of Spring... more rain (and sun eventually).
The Fairys will dance in the garden once again. The airy cloud Sylphs float overhead on white whisps of moisture. The elves and their kin will soon be tending to Life's unseen celebration. All unbeknownst to us.
All because the rain sent out the invitations. All because of the wisdom of Nature.
She sees around the corners, through the fog, past the storm and into the forest. And beyond the dark woods of uncertainty, there is a rainbow that makes everything "right as rain".
If you listen, the rain speaks to you. There is a whining in the wind, a whistling in the trees, a rhythm in the raindrops. It's saying "All is well. This too shall pass. Into every life... a little rain must fall.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
A Pair o' Ducks
****This morning I awoke to a perfect blanket of pure white snow. The kind that sticks to every little twig and tine of chickenwire fencing. It looks like a warm snuggly, fuzzy blanket. Ha! I wouldn't want to roll around in that! It's a "pair o' ducks", you know, something that seems like one thing and turns out to be the exact opposite!
****Our backyard is once again secluded just like it is in the late Spring when everything is green and blooming; another pair o' ducks. It makes me think that I live in a much better area where you can't see the neighbors. I can dream, can't I? (At least until later this afternoon or tomarrow when all the snow melts.)
Its supposed to be 60 on Sunday.
****Nature always seems to find Her balance. Even though something looks odd to us, She sees it as normal, Natural. To Nature a pair o' ducks is just a couple of Mallards. All is well. If you pushed those ducks below the surface and let go, they would bob right back up on top of the water again. Balance.
****The sun is out now and the contrast of blindingly white snow on branches and leaves against the rich blue sky is a thing of beauty. Don't you get fooled when the day is clear and sunny and looks warm but isn't? (Another "pair".)
****I don't know about you, but I think it's arrogant of us humans to think we have any great power against the force of Nature. She seems to function just fine without consulting us one iota. We may not understand Her ways, and we certainly don't have the scope of vision to stand outside our limited bubble of life and observe the overall vista of the plan of the Universe. Its probably all a pair o' ducks!
****The immense power of tidal waves and cyclones, volcanoes and lightening, the changing of seasons and the cycles of Life and death are baffling to us. For eons our ancestors have tried to change and control the ebb and flow of Mother Nature's ways to suit themselves. They have danced and prayed, sacrificed and chanted their way through history. Are we not still doing the same thing? If there is global warming, perhaps it is because Ms. Nature wants it thus. "Its not nice to fool with Mother Nature!" (Old commercial for you young'ns!) Not that I'm for polluting or disrespecting any of this beautiful planet or the wonderous Life on it. But, could it be that we are more like fleas on a dog, than destroyers of the balance of Nature? Maybe we are just an annoyance. Maybe we are loved no matter what havoc or mischief we create, just as the birds of prey or lions or crocodiles are a part of the program even though they are aggressive and deadly. Are we not as valuable as the lillies of the fields and the sparrows of the woods?
****Do you know that after a forest fire, there are elements available that actually help to create new life? Some plant's seeds grow better after they charred. If Life can fight back after something as devastating and deadly as a fire; if the earth can spin on it's axis for millenniums; if civilizations of crazy humans of every shape, color and form can ponder the ways of the Universe and try to effect a change upon It (to no avail I might add); then what detrimental effect could little us really have? Aren't we arrogantly and ignorantly just following our ancestors pair o' ducks, all the while thinking how sophisticated and advanced we are?
****Face it people! We're just a bunch of fleas inhabiting a flock of Mallards floating upon the pond of Life!
****Our backyard is once again secluded just like it is in the late Spring when everything is green and blooming; another pair o' ducks. It makes me think that I live in a much better area where you can't see the neighbors. I can dream, can't I? (At least until later this afternoon or tomarrow when all the snow melts.)
Its supposed to be 60 on Sunday.
****Nature always seems to find Her balance. Even though something looks odd to us, She sees it as normal, Natural. To Nature a pair o' ducks is just a couple of Mallards. All is well. If you pushed those ducks below the surface and let go, they would bob right back up on top of the water again. Balance.
****The sun is out now and the contrast of blindingly white snow on branches and leaves against the rich blue sky is a thing of beauty. Don't you get fooled when the day is clear and sunny and looks warm but isn't? (Another "pair".)
****I don't know about you, but I think it's arrogant of us humans to think we have any great power against the force of Nature. She seems to function just fine without consulting us one iota. We may not understand Her ways, and we certainly don't have the scope of vision to stand outside our limited bubble of life and observe the overall vista of the plan of the Universe. Its probably all a pair o' ducks!
****The immense power of tidal waves and cyclones, volcanoes and lightening, the changing of seasons and the cycles of Life and death are baffling to us. For eons our ancestors have tried to change and control the ebb and flow of Mother Nature's ways to suit themselves. They have danced and prayed, sacrificed and chanted their way through history. Are we not still doing the same thing? If there is global warming, perhaps it is because Ms. Nature wants it thus. "Its not nice to fool with Mother Nature!" (Old commercial for you young'ns!) Not that I'm for polluting or disrespecting any of this beautiful planet or the wonderous Life on it. But, could it be that we are more like fleas on a dog, than destroyers of the balance of Nature? Maybe we are just an annoyance. Maybe we are loved no matter what havoc or mischief we create, just as the birds of prey or lions or crocodiles are a part of the program even though they are aggressive and deadly. Are we not as valuable as the lillies of the fields and the sparrows of the woods?
****Do you know that after a forest fire, there are elements available that actually help to create new life? Some plant's seeds grow better after they charred. If Life can fight back after something as devastating and deadly as a fire; if the earth can spin on it's axis for millenniums; if civilizations of crazy humans of every shape, color and form can ponder the ways of the Universe and try to effect a change upon It (to no avail I might add); then what detrimental effect could little us really have? Aren't we arrogantly and ignorantly just following our ancestors pair o' ducks, all the while thinking how sophisticated and advanced we are?
****Face it people! We're just a bunch of fleas inhabiting a flock of Mallards floating upon the pond of Life!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Look for the Robins
****Crisp! Yeah, that's what it was this Sunday... a crisp 18 degrees! Fresh and dry, no humidity, not one molecule! In the Summer when the humidity is 80% you don't get to experience the joy of becoming your own science experiment. You know what I mean... how long will the bolt of blue lightening be this time as I unwittingly reach for the door of my car! ZAP! Wow, that was exhiliarating! It's so crisp that... thats what your face becomes when you spend more then 5 minutes the delightful fresh air.
**** And the birds, dodging that beautiful Cooper's Hawk (the one who wants to have them for breakfast). That's how they get their exercise and keep warm. He just keeps them on their toes. Unfortunately, as they're fleeing to save their lives their beaks and heads are what slam into my window, not their toes!
****Just look at that adorable, fluffy little squirrel. She's so friendly. She lets me run right up to her, waving my arms wildly, making a spectacle of myself, before she reluctantly unhinges her teeth from the suet I put out for the hungry woodpeckers!
****Then there's that cute little kitty. I love cats almost as much as I love dogs. Funny thing though, I never saw a dog hide out scheming under my porch steps trying to figure out the best way to bat one of my favorite Carolina Wrens right out of the air! Uughrr!!
****All tongues-in-cheeks aside, complaining gets us nowhere. Too bad its so much fun. I know a trick though that works for me when I'm feeling, shall we say... Uughrrr! Actually, its kind of a game.
****Now you can't go from sobbing to giggling unless you're schizophrenic, but you can purposely catch yourself feeling lousy and challenge yourself to do something about it. Its hard to remember that you can feel better especially if you have trodden a rut in the road to Yukville. Its a familiar trail. But, if you can remember once, you can intentionally climb out of the doldrums anytime. Here's how...
****Think of something you like. Not something you like that you can't have (that's the road back to Yukville). Think happy, think memory of a good time or a good feeling. Think of someone you love or something funny the kids said. If you're really down there you might just have to get mad. Rant and "uughrr"
your way to frustration. (It feels a lot better than grief or despair.) From mild annoyance you can pick up the binoculars and distract yourself into o.k-ness. There's always something going on out there to take your mind off your troubles, at least until your in a better frame of mind to deal with them. Uh-oh, there's that @#^&*/
cat again! Maybe a little upbeat music instead! Bundle up and take the dog for a walk. Watch a funny movie.
Sit by the window and watch for frozen people out walking their dogs and laugh at them. Pet your INSIDE
cat. Exercise releases those good feeling brain-chemical endorphins. Exercise! Ugh...Guilt...back to Yukville!
****Today the first thing I saw as I opened my front door this morning was a flock of about 50 Robins. What a beautiful, hopeful sight! They began to sing like they do in the evening in early Summer. There will be Spring! Remember: The warm sun is always shining. However, it may currently be temporarily obscured by a Nor'easter.
**** And the birds, dodging that beautiful Cooper's Hawk (the one who wants to have them for breakfast). That's how they get their exercise and keep warm. He just keeps them on their toes. Unfortunately, as they're fleeing to save their lives their beaks and heads are what slam into my window, not their toes!
****Just look at that adorable, fluffy little squirrel. She's so friendly. She lets me run right up to her, waving my arms wildly, making a spectacle of myself, before she reluctantly unhinges her teeth from the suet I put out for the hungry woodpeckers!
****Then there's that cute little kitty. I love cats almost as much as I love dogs. Funny thing though, I never saw a dog hide out scheming under my porch steps trying to figure out the best way to bat one of my favorite Carolina Wrens right out of the air! Uughrr!!
****All tongues-in-cheeks aside, complaining gets us nowhere. Too bad its so much fun. I know a trick though that works for me when I'm feeling, shall we say... Uughrrr! Actually, its kind of a game.
****Now you can't go from sobbing to giggling unless you're schizophrenic, but you can purposely catch yourself feeling lousy and challenge yourself to do something about it. Its hard to remember that you can feel better especially if you have trodden a rut in the road to Yukville. Its a familiar trail. But, if you can remember once, you can intentionally climb out of the doldrums anytime. Here's how...
****Think of something you like. Not something you like that you can't have (that's the road back to Yukville). Think happy, think memory of a good time or a good feeling. Think of someone you love or something funny the kids said. If you're really down there you might just have to get mad. Rant and "uughrr"
your way to frustration. (It feels a lot better than grief or despair.) From mild annoyance you can pick up the binoculars and distract yourself into o.k-ness. There's always something going on out there to take your mind off your troubles, at least until your in a better frame of mind to deal with them. Uh-oh, there's that @#^&*/
cat again! Maybe a little upbeat music instead! Bundle up and take the dog for a walk. Watch a funny movie.
Sit by the window and watch for frozen people out walking their dogs and laugh at them. Pet your INSIDE
cat. Exercise releases those good feeling brain-chemical endorphins. Exercise! Ugh...Guilt...back to Yukville!
****Today the first thing I saw as I opened my front door this morning was a flock of about 50 Robins. What a beautiful, hopeful sight! They began to sing like they do in the evening in early Summer. There will be Spring! Remember: The warm sun is always shining. However, it may currently be temporarily obscured by a Nor'easter.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Winter -Inside and Out
Sparkling icicles drip, hot cocoa sip
Bare sticks & twigs, raisins & figs
Birds quickly flit, fireplace lit
Outside cold and ice, inside its nice
Kindling collection, boots' resurrection
Winter's harsh chill, bread baked with dill
Kids' sleds to pull, sweaters' soft wool
Snowshovels call, mulled cider will stall
Wind whips the branches, candle flame dances.
Birds on the wire, logs on the fire
Nor'easter storm, cozy and warm
Tools on their hooks, curled up with a book.
Sky's bleak grey hue, rest and renew
Frozen watering can, draw a new garden plan
Observe Nature's way, celebrate the new day
Blustering wind, resolutions rescind
Birds' suet block, warm woolen socks
Tracks in the snow, please let this blog flow!
Hawks on the prowl, hear that wind howl
Leaves that quake, cookies to bake
Green things are few, hearty soup and stew
Frozen lake ice, cinnamon spice
Squirrels dig up acorns, snuggly quilt warms
Let Heaven and Nature sing, hibernate til Spring!
Bare sticks & twigs, raisins & figs
Birds quickly flit, fireplace lit
Outside cold and ice, inside its nice
Kindling collection, boots' resurrection
Winter's harsh chill, bread baked with dill
Kids' sleds to pull, sweaters' soft wool
Snowshovels call, mulled cider will stall
Wind whips the branches, candle flame dances.
Birds on the wire, logs on the fire
Nor'easter storm, cozy and warm
Tools on their hooks, curled up with a book.
Sky's bleak grey hue, rest and renew
Frozen watering can, draw a new garden plan
Observe Nature's way, celebrate the new day
Blustering wind, resolutions rescind
Birds' suet block, warm woolen socks
Tracks in the snow, please let this blog flow!
Hawks on the prowl, hear that wind howl
Leaves that quake, cookies to bake
Green things are few, hearty soup and stew
Frozen lake ice, cinnamon spice
Squirrels dig up acorns, snuggly quilt warms
Let Heaven and Nature sing, hibernate til Spring!
Monday, December 13, 2010
A Sense of the Season
***Alright, enough of what we shouldn't eat and do! Its holiday time for goodness sake! (My husband will be glad to hear that!) Its time to celebrate the season.
***The ancient peoples of the Earth were pretty smart. Right smack in the middle of the bleakness of Winter, in the coldest of short days and the darkness of long moonless nights is an oasis. Lovingly and benevolently placed in the doldrums of the Solstice (at least in the northern hemisphere) is Christmas, birth of hope; Hannukkah, the festival of lights; Eid al Adha, festival of sharing; Bohdi Day, Buddhist day of enlightenment; Diwali, India's festival of Lights and Mardi Gras (12th Night) celebrated in Rio and New Orleans, La. They must have wisely known the value of distracting oneself from what's missing, what's grey and lifeless as cloudy skies over brown curled up corn husks. If you focus on Wintry woes you go there.
***So light the candles! Let's savor the season and take note of every juicy detail of joy we can squeeze out of the moment. Let's devour chocolate (dark is best for you!), and revel in it's
decadent comfort. Let peppermint awaken your sense of wonder as it chills your nose and plays upon your tongue. Notice the sparkling diamonds in the snow and how beautiful bright red cardinals look against pine boughs. Breathe in the sweet scent of cinnamon, bayberry,
evergreen wreaths and Mom's sumptuous holiday feast. Break out the bubbly and delight as the bubbles tingle your nose. Listen to the crackling of a fireplace log, the squeaky crunch of snow beneath your boot and the muffled sounds of a moonlit fresh-fallen snowy night.
***Its easy to lose our Greater Selves in the rubble of wrapping paper, rambunctuous kids and kitchen prep. If you remember to breathe you'll restore your balance (and sanity). In the spirit of giving give this to yourself. A moment of focus is like a big fat mistletoe kiss to your Spirit!
***This season, join me in childhood awe. What makes your heart sing? What turns you inside out? What makes you feel as though you're about to burst? Taste the deliciousness of that thought. Keep it close. Make it your default setting as you go... dashing thru the mall, with the one last gift, hurray! On the bills we'll stall, laughing all the way! ( I couldn't resist!)
***Keep it Festive, reminisce with family, pet your dog or cat, daydream over hot chocolate and enjoy the harmony of carols. Bake cookies with children and let them show you how unfettered silliness and giggling restores the Soul. Taste, inhale,observe the fun. From our backyard to yours, have a Blessed time!
***The ancient peoples of the Earth were pretty smart. Right smack in the middle of the bleakness of Winter, in the coldest of short days and the darkness of long moonless nights is an oasis. Lovingly and benevolently placed in the doldrums of the Solstice (at least in the northern hemisphere) is Christmas, birth of hope; Hannukkah, the festival of lights; Eid al Adha, festival of sharing; Bohdi Day, Buddhist day of enlightenment; Diwali, India's festival of Lights and Mardi Gras (12th Night) celebrated in Rio and New Orleans, La. They must have wisely known the value of distracting oneself from what's missing, what's grey and lifeless as cloudy skies over brown curled up corn husks. If you focus on Wintry woes you go there.
***So light the candles! Let's savor the season and take note of every juicy detail of joy we can squeeze out of the moment. Let's devour chocolate (dark is best for you!), and revel in it's
decadent comfort. Let peppermint awaken your sense of wonder as it chills your nose and plays upon your tongue. Notice the sparkling diamonds in the snow and how beautiful bright red cardinals look against pine boughs. Breathe in the sweet scent of cinnamon, bayberry,
evergreen wreaths and Mom's sumptuous holiday feast. Break out the bubbly and delight as the bubbles tingle your nose. Listen to the crackling of a fireplace log, the squeaky crunch of snow beneath your boot and the muffled sounds of a moonlit fresh-fallen snowy night.
***Its easy to lose our Greater Selves in the rubble of wrapping paper, rambunctuous kids and kitchen prep. If you remember to breathe you'll restore your balance (and sanity). In the spirit of giving give this to yourself. A moment of focus is like a big fat mistletoe kiss to your Spirit!
***This season, join me in childhood awe. What makes your heart sing? What turns you inside out? What makes you feel as though you're about to burst? Taste the deliciousness of that thought. Keep it close. Make it your default setting as you go... dashing thru the mall, with the one last gift, hurray! On the bills we'll stall, laughing all the way! ( I couldn't resist!)
***Keep it Festive, reminisce with family, pet your dog or cat, daydream over hot chocolate and enjoy the harmony of carols. Bake cookies with children and let them show you how unfettered silliness and giggling restores the Soul. Taste, inhale,observe the fun. From our backyard to yours, have a Blessed time!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Healthy Tips-part 2 Holiday Edition
***Just because its the crazy holiday season, that's no excuse to go crazy and resort to unhealthy habits. We feel festive, we feel entitled (especially when we're stressed), we may feel childlike and like this sugar laden, ooey-gooey something is a "gift for me"! Get a-hold of yourself people! It's a gift for your hips and although "hips don't lie", don't trust them! They'll get squishy real fast if you feed them too much of the wrong stuff and not enough of the right stuff. It's all about balance.
***Eating healthy doesn't mean doing without; or being sad and forlorn at the buffet. It means adding a little "girl math" to your meals. (You don't have to ba a girl!) Rachel Ray says that if you eat right you can eat more.
Its like shoes. If you save $$ on a pair of earrings, you can spend that on shoes! -You know, girl math! Eat well, don't be a pig and make sure you get your whole grains and veggies. Here are a few more ideas...
***No matter what the corn syrup lobbist says, there's a difference in how your body metabolizes sweeteners. Dr. Oz, world renowned cardiologist, author and TV host says that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) isn't seen by your body as food. And without going all technical on you, our bodies won't
turn on the 'stop eating' chemical. Yikes! No wonder we feel like we're
going to burst! Read labels. Adjust your diet.
***Agave syrup (right next to the honey on the grocery shelf) has a lower glycemic index than honey or sugar. Again simply, glycemic index means how fast your blood sugar shoots up. High blood sugar = not good. Agave has no
specific taste. Use for baking or instead of honey or sugar in anything.
And, while we're on syrup: Get the real thing! Real maple syrup costs more than brown colored HFCS so you'll use it sparingly!
***Soda is bad- the worst waste of your calorie investment. Try this:
Mix frozen orange juice concentrate with a small amount of seltzer. When smooth, add more selzer to taste. No guilt orange soda! Works with grape juice (make sure you get the good stuff with no sugar or fake chemical sweetener)or pineapple juice, or apple juice.
***Apple juice is a great sweetener too. Use instead of water to cook Old Fashioned Oatmeal. (Not the instant gunk! In fact, the best is steel cut oats, but they take the longest to cook.) I'm not expecting miracles! If you use apple juice and maybe some raisins, you'll use less sweetener. If you miss brown sugar (no better than white sugar), add a dab of molasses. Brown sugar is just white sugar with molasses added. I make my own.
***Get some whole wheat flour and use it for thickening gravy, coating chicken, baking, etc. Forget you ever heard of white flour! Use ONLY 100%
whole grain bread, tortillas, rolls, pitas, etc. (100% means they can't lie about how much white flour they sneak in there!)There is no excuse, they're all available. You have too much else to think about around the holidays to be worrying about if you're getting enough fiber. Make more things automatic and it won't be hard to incorporate good habits.
***Oh, and at the buffet, visit the veg platter first so you can use your girl math when it comes to dessert!
*** It may seem like we're all too busy to start changing things, but if not now then when? There's always something going on. Then again, there's always plenty of time while recovering from any number of diet-related conditions! Too snarky? Consider it a holiday wake-up-call, my little Naturegirl gift to you! Try some little things. Let me know how they work out.
***Rachel Ray has some good healthy ideas, and Drs. Oz and Roizen (Oz's brilliant co-author) have written a wonderful series of "YOU" books; ie
"You on a Diet" and "You, the Owners Manual". All of their books are found on Amazon. For your convenience, you can reach them through the carousel on the right.->
***Have a happy and healthy, guilt free holiday season right through New
Years Eve...less Resolutions on Jan. 2nd!
***Eating healthy doesn't mean doing without; or being sad and forlorn at the buffet. It means adding a little "girl math" to your meals. (You don't have to ba a girl!) Rachel Ray says that if you eat right you can eat more.
Its like shoes. If you save $$ on a pair of earrings, you can spend that on shoes! -You know, girl math! Eat well, don't be a pig and make sure you get your whole grains and veggies. Here are a few more ideas...
***No matter what the corn syrup lobbist says, there's a difference in how your body metabolizes sweeteners. Dr. Oz, world renowned cardiologist, author and TV host says that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) isn't seen by your body as food. And without going all technical on you, our bodies won't
turn on the 'stop eating' chemical. Yikes! No wonder we feel like we're
going to burst! Read labels. Adjust your diet.
***Agave syrup (right next to the honey on the grocery shelf) has a lower glycemic index than honey or sugar. Again simply, glycemic index means how fast your blood sugar shoots up. High blood sugar = not good. Agave has no
specific taste. Use for baking or instead of honey or sugar in anything.
And, while we're on syrup: Get the real thing! Real maple syrup costs more than brown colored HFCS so you'll use it sparingly!
***Soda is bad- the worst waste of your calorie investment. Try this:
Mix frozen orange juice concentrate with a small amount of seltzer. When smooth, add more selzer to taste. No guilt orange soda! Works with grape juice (make sure you get the good stuff with no sugar or fake chemical sweetener)or pineapple juice, or apple juice.
***Apple juice is a great sweetener too. Use instead of water to cook Old Fashioned Oatmeal. (Not the instant gunk! In fact, the best is steel cut oats, but they take the longest to cook.) I'm not expecting miracles! If you use apple juice and maybe some raisins, you'll use less sweetener. If you miss brown sugar (no better than white sugar), add a dab of molasses. Brown sugar is just white sugar with molasses added. I make my own.
***Get some whole wheat flour and use it for thickening gravy, coating chicken, baking, etc. Forget you ever heard of white flour! Use ONLY 100%
whole grain bread, tortillas, rolls, pitas, etc. (100% means they can't lie about how much white flour they sneak in there!)There is no excuse, they're all available. You have too much else to think about around the holidays to be worrying about if you're getting enough fiber. Make more things automatic and it won't be hard to incorporate good habits.
***Oh, and at the buffet, visit the veg platter first so you can use your girl math when it comes to dessert!
*** It may seem like we're all too busy to start changing things, but if not now then when? There's always something going on. Then again, there's always plenty of time while recovering from any number of diet-related conditions! Too snarky? Consider it a holiday wake-up-call, my little Naturegirl gift to you! Try some little things. Let me know how they work out.
***Rachel Ray has some good healthy ideas, and Drs. Oz and Roizen (Oz's brilliant co-author) have written a wonderful series of "YOU" books; ie
"You on a Diet" and "You, the Owners Manual". All of their books are found on Amazon. For your convenience, you can reach them through the carousel on the right.->
***Have a happy and healthy, guilt free holiday season right through New
Years Eve...less Resolutions on Jan. 2nd!
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