Sitting on the porch thinking about what Len was saying...that i should write a blog about food or cooking. I don't think i want to be limited to that, though, so I've decided to write about the things i love (besides him)...cats, birdwatching, and great food...the things I'm truly grateful for in life.
My covered porch is my favorite place to be. I can listen to different birdsongs, or the wind rustling in the trees, or the rhythmic buzz of the cicadas, or the persistant bellows, squeaks and pips of frogs at night. My eyes take in the verdant green of the trees, the brilliant colors of the petunias, impatiens and lantanas in my flower pots, and the golden sheen of my cats' fur as they lay sleeping or gazing out at the birds that visit our various feeders. The birds rival any blooms for color. Cardinals, Chickadees, "Canaries" (my nickname for the Goldfinch), Ruby-throated Hummers, Bluejays, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, crimson-hued Housefinches, Brown-capped and White-breasted Nuthatches, Song Sparrows, Carolina Wrens, Mockingbirds, and Tufted Titmouses are all regular diners at the Frantz family "restaurant". All are beautiful, interesting and fun to observe. Over time i have learned to recognize different specie's voices and flight patterns, and each species has it's own unique characteristics. Sometimes i can even recognize individual birds. We are separated from the feeders by a screen (but my chair sits less than 6 feet from some of them), and our porch is 17' off the ground nestled in the trees like an open-sided tree house. The birds are very aware of our presence, but after scoping us out for awhile (and realizing the cats can't get to them) they seem relaxed and curious. I wonder if they enjoy having a meal with a strange "zoo" to watch. This "zoo" includes two pale-skinned humans and 4or 5 cats of varying sizes and shapes, all in a state of pleasant repose.
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