Heaven In My Own Backyard

Last night I was able to sleep with the windows open for the first time this year, and I just love this! I wake up earlier than normal when I have them open because the cool air and the sound of birds singing pulls me from sleep. It's one of my favorite parts about camping in fact. The warm sun and the shadows of the leaves waving on the canvas of the pop-up, that cool air biting my nose, and that early morning orchestra of birds just singing their hearts out. It's the best. However, I always have a debate with myself before actually getting up.

"You could sleep for another hour, you know." says bad me.

"Yeh, but you'll probably just lie here and think about how you should get up and do something. Then you'll be mad that you wasted that hour." says good me.

"True. But it's nice and warm in bed here, and a whole hour of doing nothing. Think of it!"

Today good me won out and I got up and took a walk/jog. I knew I wouldn't regret it because I never do. As I was walking down our driveway one of our numerous rabbits in residence scuttered into the woods in front of me. At the end of our driveway my neighbor and her dog were looking intently into the woods.

"See something?" I asked.

"I heard a grouse. Do you know what they sound like?" she asked. I did not know what they sound like and she made a sort of quick thumping sound. Cool. I'll have to keep my eyes open for grouse I guess.

Then as I was walking up the road, still listening to the birds, I gazed at the mist sitting in the mountains. Further up the road two turkeys came running into the road ahead of me. They saw me and kept running ahead of me, in the road. All I could think of was the road race in my hometown every Thanksgiving called the 'Turkey Trot'. It made me laugh. Finally the worried looking turkeys figured out that they could just go back into the woods to escape me. "Whew. That was close!" they seemed to be thinking. That also makes me think of the other morning when I looked out my window and saw a flock of wild turkeys strutting around my car. They made their way through my yard, and what must have been the big kahoona (he was a huge bird for being a wild turkey), spread his tail feathers out just like you see pictures of on paper napkins at Thanksgiving. I've never seen that in person and it was pretty neat. I showed my 2-year old daughter and she squealed with delight. "Look at the chickens!" Well, close enough.

After that I came to the river and the birds in the marshes there were just going crazy. It was almost deafening! They were singing with a verve that made me think of Julie Andrews twirling on the mountaintop singing "The hills are alive with the sound of muuuuuusic!..." I almost broke out into song myself. That's the kind of morning it was today. Just me and nature communing. It was so much more uplifting than a cup of coffee. It was fuel for my soul. (Stop rolling your eyes...especially you, Annette!) Yes, I'm corny. Yes, I'm a nature freak. Yes, I love 'The Sound of Music'. And yes, I LOVE SPRING! Doesn't it just make YOU want to break out in song?! Well, you should try it. Go ahead, I dare you!

So, the thought/fact of the day is:
Go outside! Whenever you can.

In my humble opinion, there is no better cure for what ails you than being in nature. That is why I feel like the luckiest person in the world right now. I have a house in the country where I see rabbits, birds, woodchucks, turkeys and even bear. I was folding laundry on the screened in porch last night listening to the peepers, breathing in the dewy air, and I even heard a wild cat, probably a bobcat, screech. (That, I admit is a bit disconcerting since it was probably attacking something, but still. I like it better than the sound of sirens.)

We haven't been able to go any big vacations for years, but it's all worth it to have this house. I feel like I'm vacation 365 days a year! Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but I truly always try to keep in mind how fortunate I am. I'm living my dream, and loving every moment of it! I'm definitely a country mouse, through and through! So, feeling blue? Take a walk down a country road or in the woods. You'll feel better in no time! I do.

These pictures were taken on a family walk last weekend. I wish I had some of our turkey visitors, but I wasn't quick enough.