2009-10-25...

2009-11-22

Welcome home, all of mine, welcome home!

Get in here and warm up. Sheesh, talk about your getting cold overnite, it was 28 degrees yesterday. Lots of heavy frost. The Newbie and the Viva stay outside and seem to love the cold. You should see the thickness of their coats. I can’t wait until ‘shedding’ season arrives next spring. Oh dear!

The sun came out for a while and I staggered out to the mail box. Wasted trip… Not a thing in that critter… not even an ant’s egg.

Well, not totally wasted… I saw bunches of my flyguys up there. I parked my buns on the tail gate. Searched the sky. No wind and dead quiet out there. When I did hear one of mine, the sounds came from an entirely different direction. The echoes are not coming from the usual areas. The leaves are mostly gone and that has a great effect on the bouncing of the sounds.

While I was scanning the skies, the Newbie started a singsong. Can you say ‘goosebumps’ up and down your spine?

I’m out front, right?… The Newbie is on the back porch. Newbs starts to sing…I hear a double echo… one off the hill opposite the back porch which bounces off the holler in the front of the house. The sounds overlap. Eeriest sound I’ve ever heard. I get the biggest kick out of watching the Newbs when he sings! Nose pointed straight up… muzzle puckered… eyes squinted almost closed…

Then everybody else joins in and we have the community sing-song! All noses up, lips puckered and all is well with their world. Lolol I do love my critters.

I did a no-no the other day… I fried up almost a pound of hickory smoked bacon… just for me. Froze the rest. Now, I have all this yummy bacon grease to mix in with the dried dog food. I digress (thank you KK … a wonderful word)

Back to setting on the tail gate… I started whistling ‘The Streets of Laredo’. (SP) and then I started whistling the dog calls to see what would happen.

Here she comes up the holler… the red tailed hawk… my whistle must be very similar to an injured animal or to the hawk’s call itself. I have learned so much up here.

I’ve learned about growing and harvesting tobacco… This is a vanishing way of life. I’ve been taking pix and documenting the many different steps needed to make a successful crop appear.

I’ve learned and saw for the first time the mating flight of the hawks in spring.

I’ve seen flocks of turkey feeding in the bottoms.

I’ve seen deer. A bear cub… a bobtailed cat. Heard the wolves/coyotes sing. Seen flocks, yes, flocks of cardinals. Have bluebirds nesting around the house. I have a swift’s nest built atop one of the shutters. I have a wren who lives outside my bedroom window.

I’ve seen all the colors of the rainbow painted on the clouds by the sun. I’ve seen storm clouds crawling over the mountain tops. I’ve seen the rain marching up the holler towards me. I’ve seen the rain not falling but blowing sideways parallel to the porch.

I seen the snow whirling in the winds… ice crystals dancing in the sun… leaves sliding down the sunbeams.

I’ve scented the aroma of skunk (I love the odor of skunk…had one as a pet), the mimosa blossom and the honeysuckle.

I know I am repeating myself but I value what I have now. Maybe this is my Thanksgiving message. Enjoy each day, it is so valuable.

Then there are the friends I have made in the past two plus years.

I’ll tell ya what… I will only mention the Boss and the Marv here… if I try to name everybody, sure as shooting I’ll forget somebody. These two keep me on my toes on a daily basis. The Boss, him been pickin’ on me… I guess he was covering for the Marv who was out of service for a week.

Fair warning here… the Marv is back on line.

I seem to be in a mellow mood… a rarity for me, I guarantee you! Lolol

Take care all of mine…go in safety always. Remember to appreciate what you have, especially the good memories…

Many hugs, much love and soft chuckles… meems (/center)