Enjoyment or a 'Waste of Time?

That is what I ask myself sometimes, as I sit outside, with my coffee, or lemonade, and watch the activity at the bird feeders and in the grass. I prefer to think of it as enjoyment, whether or not it is a waste of time.
Sometimes there are several different birds, and the chipmunk, all doing their thing. The jays are screaming, the goldfinch are singing, the chickadees are dee-dee-deeing, doves are cooing, sparrows are scrambling, playing tag (it seems) and this morning they were joined by evening grossbeaks, for the first time this summer.
How can a person not sit and watch them flitter to the feeder, then fly to a branch to break the sunflower seeds open? The goldfinch will sit right in the feeder and eat. The chipmunk tries to gather all the seeds that have been dropped, filling her/his pouches so full, I wonder that it isn't top-heavy. I can't forget the humming birds, that have become so accustomed to me that they will hover and look right at me, about 3ft away, sometimes less. They perch quite often in the tree, and sometimes decide that there are too many birds and whir around chasing a few away. They are so amazing. The more I watch them, the more I am infatuated with them. I suppose it will soon be time for them to start their migration. I am not sure when they begin. Perhaps it depends on how warm the weather stays. I try so hard to get some good pictures of them, but my camera is not equipped with the necessary close-up focus that I really should have, and I guess I am more of a watcher than a photographer.

Goldfinch on limb, and a pine siskin in feeder, though I am not positive of that one.

 

 

Sadie does not like to be left alone, and misses me when I go out, and she is left inside. Last evening, as I was watching the birds, I heard this scratching sound, and wondered where it was coming from. Then, I looked up to the window of my den, and there was Sadie, scratching on the window, as if to say, "Hey, remember me? I'm your loving puppy dog who DOES NOT LIKE TO BE LEFT ALONE! Well, what could I do but get right in the house, and give her a big hug, (all the while, giggling to myself.) To explain, I have two desks, one for the laptop, and beside it, another for writing and painting, and felting. Sadie likes to sit on the desk when I am working, and look out the window, or sleep or whatever. She manages to get down from there, when I don't lift her down, by walking across the two desks, squeezing under the shelf where the printer is, thence to the file cabinet, then onto the back of a living room chair, to the seat, and then to the floor. Apparently, she retraced her steps last night and found her way to the window. What a puppy. Well, she's not really a puppy, as she is 81/2, and probably getting more spoiled every day.

 

Sadie at 'her' window.

 

Now, some more pictures from my trip to Ironwood.

 

 

tomatoes in the hot house

The new ram, Lester, brown, in the background.

More sunflowers. These are huge, and growing in the field across the road

A part of the same field

 

 

That will do it for now. Back to my question.......definitely enjoyment.....and being in the moment.

Cheers!