“I recently took up ice sculpting. Last night I made an ice cube. This morning I made 12, I was prolific.”
When I woke up, I could hear the rain falling on the roof and dripping on the deck. It’s a steady rain, a good rain, and I love a rainy day. My house is dark except for the light here in the den. It seems to brighten every corner of the room. I have always felt somehow comforted by the rain. It surrounds me and fills my ears with a different melody every time. I remember in elementary school I loved to watch the rain dripping down the windows. Though no one spoke, the classroom was never quiet. I could hear the shuffling of papers, the turning of book pages and the rain. I felt warm and safe. After school, I’d get home, take off my wet clothes, put on my pajamas and read in bed. It was the nicest of afternoons.
Yesterday I filled the bird feeders, and the birds are taking full advantage of the seeds. I even filled an extra feeder for the chickadees who are outnumbered by the gold finches who seem to be at all the other feeders and don’t share well. The finches don’t like the different feeder I filled, but the chickadees do. In the afternoon, from my kitchen window, I watched the red spawn jump from the deck rail to the feeder, grab a seed then fall back to the rail to dine. I went outside in stealth mode hoping to scare it again, but it ran. Later I watched a fat gray spawn walking on the rail and closing in on where the red spawn was standing. I waited as the grey spawn got closer and closer. Sure enough, that red spawn went after the grey one which took off in a heartbeat despite its superiority in size. The red spawn is evil.
Last night around 12:30, I let Gracie out for the last time before bed. She took off like a shot. I knew she had either heard or seen something. I stood on the deck and watched as she ran a few times around a tree in the yard. I could hear her sniffing. I called and was ignored. Then she took off and ran the perimeter of the yard along the fence. I lost track of her so I gingerly went down the steps which are, for the most part, free of ice. I, of course, found the one spot which wasn’t, and my leg went though the space between the stairs. Luckily I wasn’t hurt and was able to get my leg back on the step. Finally I managed to get to the ground and stood on a spot free of ice. I located Gracie at the opposite side of the yard. I yelled for her and offered treats. She came running at full force, ran up the steps and into the house leaving me in the dust. I went upstairs gingerly and went inside. She was waiting patiently by her crate for her treat. I still wonder what it was that attracted her attention. Luckily she never found it and luckily I made it safely back into the house limbs intact.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: bird feeders, dark day, icy steps, late at night, melody of the rain, noise in the yard, rain, red and grey spawns of Satan
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February 13, 2014 at 1:03 pm
Why is it that some of us always find that single spot of icy ground 🙂 I’m glad You didn’t hurt Yourself!
Yes what is walking around out there in the dark? Sune sometimes just stop at the open door, takes a sniff or two and refduse to go outside. I do wonder what it might be, pigs perhaps because I know he isn’t fond of them at all.
The foxes barks, or howls, it’s hard to hear the difference sometimes, all night now and soon there will be lots of fox cubs again. But I don’t think he’s afraid of foxes, I doubt he even knows how they look 🙂
Rain and snow here today but it’s too warm for the snow to stay. But it feels like it will be rather cold tonight so I guess the roads will be rather nasty tomorrow morning
Have a great day!
Christer.
February 13, 2014 at 1:18 pm
Christer,
With some of us, it’s destiny! We are always meant to find the ice and fall.
No pigs here so I don’t know what it might have been. Whatever it was had gone and just left a smell behind. It did drive Gracie crazy.
My sister has snow, and many schools near and north of Boston are closed. This has been a really snowy winter. I’m glad it skipped us today. I couldn’t stand another storm. The rain should beat down the snow we have left.
Have a great evening!
February 13, 2014 at 3:57 pm
The roads are ridged like roller coasters, pot holes are more like sink holes, snow is piled 5 or 6 or 7 feet high and water mains blow and create an exciting challenge as the water engulfs over-ambitious vehicles and then freezes them in to place.
We have our first projection for 2014 of a temperature above freezing which is for next Wednesday and the problems associated with a transition will accelerate.
But in many ways its nothing – my sister in Surrey is looking at the River Wey driving up her garden, over the terraces and it is sitting only 18″ from their home. The weekend promises wind, and rain and storms and bad stuff – We are watching and hoping that they stay safe.
I am so glad your ice story was anecdotal and not medical. That Gracie – I have been known to pursue Maggie who was pursuing deer and no command or offer of refreshments would divert her from her responsibilities as a Big Time Terrier.
February 13, 2014 at 4:46 pm
My Dear Hedley,
It sounds horrible, especially the water mains blowing and the water freezing. None of us need any more of the cold, the freezing or the snow.
I’m thinking a day above freezing is cause for some sort of a celebration. I’m hoping for a drink with an umbrella, eluding me still. I think it must have pineapple.
I hope all will be well and that flooding will not reach your sister’s house. I have seen so many pictures of flooded villages and houses, more than I’ve ever remembered.
Maggie knows her responsibilities just as Gracie does. We are superfluous.
February 13, 2014 at 5:08 pm
The daffodil buds have begun to bloom. As have the snowdrops.
Cheers
February 13, 2014 at 5:13 pm
Minicapt,
I so long for those first green shoots, but they are still at least month away. I envy you your daffodils.
February 13, 2014 at 6:33 pm
Hi Kat,
No rain here. Nothing but snow all day long. Wet heavy snow.
I’ve been out to shovel twice. So far.
Plow guy came and cleared out my driveway. An hour later the street plow came by and plowed me in again.
The snow was so heavy and wet that it broke the brush I use to clean off the car. The wind blew the jeep door out of my hands and snapped the nylon doorstrap in two. Now the jeep door opens all the way flat against the front fender. Easily fixed but still annoying.
I hate winter.
I’m glad you didn’t hurt yourself on the ice. I have a fear of slipping on the ice, knocking myself out and freezing to death behind the jeep or in the dog poop yard. 🙂
Red spawns are small and mean. Someone told me the big greys would run the little reds out of the yard. I laughed. It took a pair of red tailed hawks to get rid of the little reds.
Rocky and I are on the couch, fed and warm and settling down for the night.
I hope you are as well.
Enjoy the evening.
February 13, 2014 at 6:50 pm
Hi Caryn,
I’m sorry for your snow. None of us need any more of it, particularly the wet, heavy stuff. I think the street plow guys get a kick out of plowing us in again.
We were supposed to get a heavy wind but it didn’t happen. It was heavy rain all day, but it has stopped now.
I always figure they’d find me only after they notice the newspapers piling up in the driveway. My family doesn’t read Coffee all that much so they wouldn’t notice I hadn’t published on a regular day.
Send the hawks here. That red spawn needs a comeuppance.
Gracie is snoring on the couch, Fern is asleep on the couch cushion behind me, and I suspect Maddie is asleep on my bed.
I too hate winter.
Stay warm and cozy, the both of you!