There He Is - Gone

     My little wild friends put on a show for me this morning.  I enjoy watching their antics, especially when the squirrels join the fun.  This morning was one of those times. 
     First of all, I have named the squirrels, since there are definitely two of them.  The first, I call Backyard, because that's where he comes from.  The second is Roadrunner, since he runs across the road to get to the feeder. (He's very brave.)
     When I first looked out the window, there was Backyard, sitting in the tray, enjoying his breakfast.  The chickadees buzzed him a bit, but he didn't seem to mind, and the chickadees just ate on the opposite side of the feeder.  There were quite a few Juncos on the ground, for the rain had uncovered seeds from before the snow.  I saw Roadrunner making his way to the tree, and I watched to see what would happen.  As Roadrunner arrived on the branch of the tree where the feeder hangs, Backyard popped to the branch and then to top of the feeder his eyes on Roadrunner.
     Of all the birds that come to the yard, the Mourning Doves are the only ones that seem to startle the squirrels.  Roadrunner is sitting on the branch and Backyard on the top of the feeder, facing off, when a Mourning Dove flew into view heading for Roadrunner's branch.  Well!  Roadrunner raced down the tree with great speed and probably headed for home, and Backyard totally disappeared.   I watched for a few minutes, but there was no sign of Backyard.  The doves helped themselves to a snack and went about their business.
     Perhaps ten minutes later, I looked out and there on the top of the feeder, I could see what looked like a squirrel's head, but no body.  I looked again, thinking I was seeing things.  Then slowly, Backyard wiggled his way through the very small opening in the feeder lid and resumed his feeding.  He had actually hidden inside the feeder tube.  The opening is narrow, perhaps the width of my little finger, and maybe two inches long, certainly no bigger.  Amazing. I chuckled out loud.  What a smart little guy.  It lifted my spirits.
     I wonder what I will see tomorrow.


   

Just a blank..

     Some days, my mind works overtime, then, there are days like today.  I can usually think of a few things to write about, but today it seemed as though my mind was just turning over and over old thoughts, and that's not a good thing.  It's time like this that I wonder why I decided to blog.  I read a few blogs and find them so interesting.  Finally, I realize that I can only write about that which I know, that which is around me, the things that I can delight in, but not today.  Today was too dark.
     Perhaps tomorrow will be a brighter day.

A Quiet Day

     Today was a day of thinking, and planning, and discarding.  My mind can run in several directions at one time.  I did finish the cards I had planned to do yesterday.  Check that off my list.  Then, I was thinking, maybe I will start rearranging another room.  No, I didn't learn anything from a few days ago.  It is hard when you have a small house, and little storage room.  The best thing to do would be to get rid of the things that I really have no use for.  But then, decisions would have to be made.  Should I toss it?  Should I keep it?
I'd need three bags. Keep it.  Toss it.  I don't know.  Guess which bag would be the fullest?
     As things stand now, I'm just thinking about this.  I am not sure that my energy level is up to the task.  Does this mean that I am a serious procrastinator, or just cautious?  Oh well.  Tomorrow is another day. I'll see.  Sometimes it is better to discard an idea, rather than forge ahead, get in the middle of it, and then ask yourself,  "What were you thinking?"

Moving Things Around

     I thought today would be a good day to move a bookcase in my den.  I was just going to rearrange a few things, that's all.  Oh yeah!  It never fails, that when you move or change one thing it usually entails moving many things.  Before you know it, the whole afternoon has been spent taking books off shelves, and out of cabinets, so that you can put other things in their place.  Now.... what to do with the things you took out and don't have room for?  Well, of course, you move other things.  Some things, you take out of a drawer, look at, put on desk for consideration, and then, after a passage of time, you put it back in the same drawer, because you don't know what else to do with it.  What I need is wall to wall shelves and drawers.......on second thought, scratch that idea.  I get the shudders just thinking about rearranging them.
     I am satisfied with my afternoon accomplishment, although that was all I did.  I had really intended to paint 2 cards, but now that job will have to wait for tomorrow...... 

After the Storm

     A lot of snow fell last night.  The wind blew it around, so it is hard to tell just how much came down, probably 18 - 20 cm, and it was much deeper where the snow drifted.  The poor birds were quite hungry, hardly able to wait until I had filled their feeders. 
     Needless to say, poor Sadie really was not impressed, and was happy when the driveway was plowed so she had lots of room.
     I'm working on sketching.  I have piles of books on drawing, but the main thing is to keep at it.  I guess it is the same with everything you want to improve on....practice, practice, practice.

Timmy Bear Part 3

    

    Timmy wondered where he could put Raven so that the family could see him.  Then he noticed the bird feeders hanging in the tree not too far away.  Timmy looked all around to see if anyone was outside, and seeing no one, he went slowly toward the feeders.  He thought he could leave Raven by the tree, and when the little boy came out to fill the feeders, he would see Raven, and help him.  Timmy gently lifted Raven from the basket, and laid him on the ground carefully, so as not to hurt his wing.  Then he whispered to Raven, “Trust me, Raven.  This family will help you.  I will watch from the woods to make sure that the little boy finds you.  Trust me, I’m your friend.”

            Raven just looked up at Timmy.  He couldn’t believe that Timmy had said that he was his friend, after he had laughed at him, and scared him.  A big tear came into Raven’s dark eye, as he saw Timmy turn and head for the woods.  “Good bye, Timmy Bear.  Th…th..thank you.”

            Timmy bear hurried to the edge of the woods, and sat down to wait for the little boy to come to the feeders.  He hoped he had done the right thing by bringing Raven here.  He hoped the boy was home, and that he would soon come out.

            After what seemed like an ever so long time, and just as Timmy felt himself nod off to sleep, a noise startled him and he looked over to where Raven lay.  Timmy opened his eyes wide, and he saw the little boy stop, and look at the spot where Raven lay on the ground.  But, then he turned around and ran to the house.  “Oh no,” said Timmy, “Now what is he going to do?”

            But Timmy need not have worried, for soon the little boy was coming back with a big person, his mother.  Timmy watched as the two people slowly walked up to Raven, and knelt down beside him.  Carefully, the woman lifted the bird, and placed him in a big box very carefully, and then the two returned to the house.  Timmy couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he did know that the human friends would take care of Raven.  Timmy hoped that they would be able to fix Raven’s wing so that he could fly again.

            Many days went by, and once a day Timmy would walk to the edge of the woods to see if there was any sign that Raven was alright.  After a few weeks, Timmy began to think that maybe Raven had not gotten any better, and Timmy became sad.  He had hoped that the bird would be alright, but maybe that was not to be.  More weeks went by and still Timmy went to the edge of the woods, hoping to see Raven.

            On a very sunny day, just after a light rain shower, Timmy was making his way down the path through the woods.  He stopped at the pond to say hello to his frog friends who were always hanging in the water, then he waved to Bushy Tail Squirrel who was running across the branch of the big spruce tree, and then he heard a familiar noise up ahead of him, and he ran as fast as he could.  All of a sudden a great black bird landed on a low branch of the tree ahead of Timmy, and Timmy smiled the biggest smile that he had ever smiled, for there on the tree branch was Raven.

            “Oh Raven, Raven, you’re better, you can fly, you’re all better!”

Timmy was so happy he could almost fly himself.

            “I had to come and find you, Timmy,” said Raven in a much softer voice than Timmy remembered.  “I had to come, to thank you for what you did for me.  After all the teasing I did to you and the other forest creatures, and scaring you all the time, you helped me.  Without you, I would have died.”

            “Well,” said Timmy, “That’s what friends are for.  We all need to help each other!  I’m sure that if I was in trouble, you would help me, wouldn’t you?”

            “I sure would,” Raven spoke with a very strong voice. “I would help you with anything.  You helped me to see that I really am a part of the forest family, and I promise that I will never pull any more pranks, as I used to do.  I want to be your friend.  I want to be a friend to all the creatures.  I am even going back and visit the people at the edge of the woods.  They were so kind to me.  You were right about them.  Do you think the others will want me as a friend?”

            Timmy nodded his head. “I’m sure they will.  Lets go find squirrel and fox, rabbit and mouse, and even the frogs, and tell them that you are all better, and want to be part of our family.”

            So Timmy ran off down the path to the pond, while Raven flew in circles above him, singing a happy song.  Timmy felt a tear roll down his fuzzy cheek.  He was so happy that things had turned out the way they did.  Raven would be a good friend now, he was sure.

            Timmy wished he had a way to say thank you to the family at the edge of the woods, but he couldn’t come up with an idea.

            “I hope they know what a great thing they did for Raven,” said Timmy to the wind.  I think I will pick some blueberries for them, and leave them at the feeders when they’re not around.  They would never believe that a bear would do such a thing, but I have to say thank you some how.

            Timmy rushed off to the pond to see the frogs and tell them the wonderful news.  Raven had learned a big lesson, and everybody would feel good about that.

                         ___________________________________________

     Lots of snow fell, starting this afternoon.  The birds were busy at the feeder as the snow began to fall in earnest.  It was nice to see 6 or 8 evening grossbeaks and a white breasted nuthatch among the others.  Of course, the juncos, chickadees, doves and jays were there as well, along with 2 squirrels, now.

Timmy Bear (Part 2 of 3)

     I didn't realize how long this story was, so I will break it into 3parts.

Part 2
              Later that day, as Timmy was sitting beside the pond, watching the frogs hang in the water, with their eyes staring at him, he thought again about Raven.  He wondered how he could help Raven see that he should try to be nice to the other creatures in the woods.

            All of a sudden he heard a loud noise, and he was very frightened.  He couldn’t imagine what had happened, but it didn’t sound like it was a good thing.  Even though he was a little afraid, he began to walk toward the place where the noise had come from.  It seemed very quiet now.  What could have made that horrible noise?  Timmy kept walking, and then he saw something laying on the path ahead.  Then, Timmy began to run, for he knew what the black spot was.   When he reached the place, there on the ground was Raven, and he wasn’t moving.  Timmy knelt down and got quite close to Raven. 

            “Raven, Raven,” he whispered.  “Raven, what happened, are you alright?”

            Raven could barely move his head, but he looked up at bear, and tried to speak.  “I, I, I’m hurt Timmy Bear,” he said, but his voice was so shaky that Timmy could hardly make out the words.  Then, Timmy saw Raven’s wing.  It looked like it was broken, and Raven looked like he was in pain.

            “I’ll help you,” said Timmy.  “I’ll be right back, I promise.”  Raven closed his eyes, as Timmy ran off down the path to the hole in the big rock where he slept.  He reached in and got the basket that he used to gather blueberries, and rushed back to Raven as fast as he could.

            Raven hadn’t moved, and Timmy thought he might be too late, but as he knelt down he saw that the big black bird was still breathing.  Quickly, Timmy scraped some of the soft moss from the rock and placed it in the basket.  Then he spoke softly to Raven.  “This might hurt, Raven, but I must pick you up and put you in the basket, so that I can take you home with me.  I can’t help you here.”

            Timmy tried to lift Raven carefully, so that it wouldn’t hurt too much.  He was careful about Raven’s wing as he set him in the basket.  Raven let out a little cry, but then settled down on the moss, and Timmy headed back for his house.  Timmy talked to Raven all the way back, so Raven would know what he was doing, and wouldn’t be afraid. 

            When he got home, he set the basket down just outside the entrance, in the sun so that Raven would not get too cold.  Then, Timmy sat down beside the basket, with his head in his  paws and tried to think.  How could he help Raven?  He didn’t know how to fix a bird’s broken wing, but there had to be something he could do to help.  Timmy thought and thought.  What could he do?

            Then a big smile spread across Timmy Bear’s face.  He knew what to do.  He gently picked up the basket, and Raven stirred and tried to move.   “Don’t move, Raven,” he said.  “I’m taking you to a place where you can get help.  It’s not very far, just at the edge of the woods.”

            “Why are you doing this?” asked Raven in a very raspy voice.  “Why are you helping me?  Where are we going?”

            “Shh,” said Timmy.  “There is a family near the edge of the woods.  They are very friendly.  The little boy is very kind to the creatures in these woods.  He feeds them and he feeds the birds, too.

Even in the winter, he feeds them.  I think that maybe if he sees you, he will take you home and help you.  Maybe he can fix your wing.”

            Raven started to shake.  “No, no!” he cried.  “It was a human that hurt my wing.  All humans want to do is hurt animals.”

            “I have watched this family, and they love animals.  They wouldn’t hurt you.  It must have been someone else that hurt your wing.  What was the big noise that I heard?”

            Raven was getting tired, and his wing hurt, and he just couldn’t tell Timmy what had happened to him.  It frightened him just to think about it.  Timmy saw that Raven didn’t want to talk anymore, so he just walked on ever so carefully until he got to the edge of the woods.

     Part 3 tomorrow....

     Lots of birds at the feeder today.  A downy woodpecker joined in, along with the regulars, and at least 5 mourning doves. 

     More snow expected for tomorrow into Thursday.  Sadie says, "Oh no!"  Poor Sadie.  She was going a little weird tonight.  Two television stations carried a video of a dog playing the piano and 'singing.'  Sadie wasn't too sure where that noise was coming from, but she wasn't impressed.