Amazing Day

What an amazing day I had today!

 

Notice the radiant RED eye?

It all started when I saw an Eastern Towhee perched in the dogwood tree just outside my kitchen window. I was washing dishes and was lucky enough to catch a rare sight, for me that is, of this beautiful bird.

 

That event alone would have warranted the title of AMAZING, but no, I was fortunate to chalk up even more amazement as the day proceeded.

 

I took my walk through the pastures today.  The grass is still short, so I thought I would take advantage of this benefit while I was able.  Hopefully, in a few weeks the grass will take off and I will be unwilling to trek through the tall blades. I will be forced to stay on the vehicle tracks.  But, the amazing thing is that the grass is now GREEN, not brown, not kraft paper like, but GREEN. The transformation is fast. One day the grass is washed-out brown and the next day green.  Today is that next day.

 

With dogs running far ahead of me, I had no reason to rush.  I wanted to enjoy every single moment.  The dogs would return to check on me.

 

I left the yard walking past the chickens enjoying the warm, sunny weather.  I walked past the near empty pole barn.  All the surplus hay we purchased to get us through the winter is gone.  I continued past our old, inherited relic of a trailer, no longer habitable except for some wayward wildlife that might find refuge inside.  There are plenty of holes with which to enter.  I continued, starting downhill, walking toward the pasture where the cows and sheep currently reside.  I stopped to count the calves - four cuties.  Our 2014 calving season has officially started.  I continued downhill to the pond.  There I was greeted by a pair of ducks and a pair of Canada geese.

 

 

I slipped into the pond house and out onto the deck to observe these water fowl from an acceptable (to the birds) distance.  They were fun to watch as they all glided over the water near the dried cattails.

 

blue-winged teal

 

Canada geese

I have never seen the pond so ample.  It was above full pond as water was running out the overflow pipe.  The dogs rested and stepped into the water numerous times to quench their thirst.

Sammy attacking some pond weed.

 

 

 

 

 

Upon leaving the pond area, we (me and the dogs) passed the cows again and Sammy had to show his puppy dominance with a bit of barking.  Then, he took another sip of water from the stock tank before we continued on our way.

 

 

 

 

Down the alley, I first heard then barely saw a bird.  The song was unrecognizable to me, but on further inspection I was glad to be able to identify the meadowlark darting about the middle pasture.

 

 

Starting back up hill toward the house, I made slow progress past some red cedar groves because I was looking for deer antlers.  Becky had found a nice one about one month ago, so I thought I would take a few minutes to search.  Unfortunately, there was no antler for me. The last leg to the house was the most difficult because it is the steepest.  But, I made it.  The dogs, already waiting at the top, encouraged me as they patiently watched my slow ascend.

 

Amazing… green grass, baby calves, ducks, geese, meadowlark all within the length of my walk on this gorgeous spring (yes, I think I can actually call it spring now) day…let’s not forget that towhee.

 

And, as I write this, I turn my head and see a herd of deer grazing in the barn lot, just yards from my desk.

 

 

It is just one of those days…one of those AMAZING DAYS!

 

 

 

Note:  We have never seen blue-winged teal in our pond - this just might be a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence - again, AMAZING!