I came home from the daily outing awhile ago and the birds at the peanut and suet feeders and the seeds on the deck scattered. They flew into the Major tree and I could see some of them; their abundant presence sometimes makes the tree look like it is squirming.
After sweeping the seeds which were spread about the deck by the birds into a neat pile again I put a sheepskin on the deck chair, drew up a stool, got the pillow out of the wood box, tilted the chair back and relaxed.
Dressed for outdoors I was cosy. A nearby cedar hedge was being trimmed and the fragrance was splendid. The sky was cloudy with a line of brightness to the south that said the sun might, just might, likely would, make another appearance, Victoria-style. A few drops of rain had spotted down when I was sweeping the deck. Only worth mentioning because I had noticed them on the faded green of the deck chair. The trees in my vision were leaf -free, haunting in their silhouettes.
When I had remained still in the deck chair for a few minutes the birds began to return to the feeders.
The nuthatches will approach if I am upright and sweeping so they were the first back and gave their small chirp of greeting.
A downy woodpecker came next and when I turned my head a bit to see him better he startled and flew away from his perch on the peanut column.
Then a couple of juncos landed on the deck railing and I am sure they noted that the seeds were all once again in a tidy pile but decided to wait until I was no longer in attendance to descend to the deck floor. They seem to only eat on a flat surface but when I have observed them up close they seem to be awkward on their feet and a grip would serve them better. But I have never seen them on a feeder that needs gripping.
The chickadees came in fast and furious to both the suet and the peanuts and flew so low across me that I could feel the breeze from their wing beats. Some of them did a sudden stop and somersault backward when they realized I was there. Most of them would have preferred to not have the excitement of a stationary human so near their feeding stations. It is different if I have a hand out with peanuts on it that do not have to be pecked out of the feeder. Reclining in stillness I pose a threat that only a few are able to ignore.
The bushtits must have been at some other feeders; they usually arrive en masse around four o'clock.
The phone rang. I made it indoors in time to pick up the phone and hear the caller hang up. No message was left. In a fairytale I would have call ID with video and see a cheeky chickadee calling.
Often, when I am sitting outdoors in the cool months on a restaurant patio or park bench or picnic table or veranda steps, people will say, "Aren't you cold?"
Often this triggers my cranky meter and I am tempted to say, "Freezing. An absolute idiot for sitting here enjoying the sights and sounds and smells of nature."
Mostly I smile and reply, "No, I am warm; I am dressed for the weather." And mostly people will smile back and maybe realize I am doing exactly what they do when the weather is warm but, the weather being cool, I am dressing for it.
Sometimes, someone will understand completely, and will join me.
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