The Sun

It's come around again. The warmth. Still not quite above 60 degrees but what can we expect 1150 feet up in the air. I did notice nettles, about a foot tall, today. The tiny strawberry ground cover that grows everywhere is up and the thimble berry flowers are dying to make way for their fruit. A couple of weeks ago there were 3 trillium growing like lotus in the wetlands.

One of the most wondrous insights into the seasons is the arrival of new birds and other wildlife as the days grow longer. There were at the beginning, of course, a jury of Juncos. Now the list is much longer. There are Ravens, Bald Eagles, a Heron at the pond, Stellar Jays, Anna's and Rufous Hummingbirds, Hairy Woodpeckers, Red Breasted Sapsuckers, (which I wish would stop trying to find insects on my house!), Mourning Doves, Red Winged Blackbirds, Pileated Woodpeckers, Towhees, Nuthatches, Chickadees, Townsend's Chipmunks, Golden and White Crowned Sparrows, Brown Headed Cowbirds, Douglas and American Red Squirrels, and one of my very favorites so far, the Band Tail Pigeon.

Added 5-8  Black Headed and Evening Grosbeaks
Added 5-25 Violet Green Swallows and Gray Jays
Added 5-28 Downy Woodpecker    Also learned that the Sapsucker is not trying for insects!!! His drumming on my downspout is his mating call. He must have found her because it stopped about 4 days after the post about him.
Added 6-1 Evening Grosbeak
Added 6-3 Swainson's Thrush (heard)

George is really good with the birds but not so much with the squirrels and chipmunks. Fortunately, he can't bound beneath the bushes as easily as they can.

Tomorrow is a day of going to the dump and re potting the Mock Orange. Sometime after the back fill happens around the house I'll be able to plant. Until then, pots will have to do. Really looking forward to planting.

In the middle of Harry Potter binging so I'd better get back to it.

Time Has Passed

Suppose I should have looked to see when the last post was but pretty sure it doesn't really matter. But tonight there is a thunder storm. There is that Golden Light and that wafting smell of, I suppose, an ozone kind of thing. Making me somewhat delirious. This is a good thing because there has been a fair bit of spinning out about the news, the greed, the manifestations of suffering and unhappiness. So, I sat on my beautiful bench inside the glistening light of thunderous twilight, found a stillness, then decided to write here. I never really know why I do this. I know I trust the impulse.

The house is built. I have lived here since December of 2016. Moving from my tiny cabin was ungrounding and for awhile this house felt like a hotel. Or someone else lived here and I was a guest of some sort. Now, we're friends, the house and me. Now she is my home. George and I luxuriate and hermit here. Yes, we have friends too. They also love their solitude and when we meet it is always perfect timing. Love is like that now.

This last winter there was snow on the ground here for 6 weeks. Sometimes it almost melted away and then it would return. Standing at the window it always made me smile to watch it drift down and settle. Blowing the steam off my tea against the glass I would make mystical the real. George adored it. Only problem for him was finding his ball! He'd look up as I was laughing and look at me as if, "where could it have gone?"

Truth is, the Fall and Winter were difficult. There had been so much loss of hopes and dreams. Again. At the same time, as is so often happens with change, I learned and am learning mountains about my heart and soul and about life itself.

Grateful is, truly, an understatement. Contentment cannot describe the emotion. Open, comes somewhat close. And from this place I'd like to wish you, whoever you may be, the experience of peace, joy, equanimity, grace, and compassion. May we all be happy and loved.