Some mornings you wake up and the world invites you to a new
and exciting day and sometimes you have to force yourself to ease one leg after
the other out from beneath the covers. This week has been a combination of
both. The coldest summer week ever recorded for this area was not only damp,
grey and cold but a catalyst for dampening one’s spirits as well. Every joint
in my body has been complaining and I’ve even had to light the fire to take the
chill off my usually cozy room. But this morning sunshine beamed in the window
and promise of a warmer day has me planning to clean and mow.
Regardless of the
weather I am fortunate that in this active household there is always something
to amuse or entertain me. One would be the newest member of our family a grey
tabby cat—barely beyond kitten stage. I have a bird feeder right outside my
window and watching small, big, colourful, drab feathered creatures arrive, eat
and leave is one of my small pleasures. I have one I call The Phantom—it is a
grackle but one with character. One side of its face is off-white! The Doctor,
the cat, (named by the children as per Doctor Who) is poorly named and should
be known as The Hunter. She is a great catcher of mice. However, she has not
quite reasoned the concept that there is a pane of glass between her and the
feeder. At least once a week out of the corner of my eye, I spot her slinking
along the tiles, ears tight to her skull eyeing birds at the feeder. Slowly she
lifts one foot after the other along the floor careful to get onto the sofa out
of the sight of her prey. I watch with a smile as she stalks, her fur dancing
as her body quivers in anticipation. Then WHAM she attacks and bangs right into
the glass. The blue jays have figured this out and I’m sure they are smiling
too.
This morning was so
cold my regular visitor to the pond, a great blue heron, was hunkered down
shivering. All I can say is I’m happy I have fleecy slipper to keep my feet
warm.
