April's Charms

TODAY'S QUOTE:

April's Charms

When April scatters charms of primrose gold Among the copper leaves in thickets old, And singing skylarks from the meadows rise, To twinkle like black stars in sunny skies;When I can hear the small woodpecker ring Time on a tree for all the birds that sing; And hear the pleasant cuckoo, loud and long -- The simple bird that thinks two notes a song;When I can hear the woodland brook, that could Not drown a babe, with all his threatening mood; Upon these banks the violets make their home, And let a few small strawberry blossoms come:When I go forth on such a pleasant day, One breath outdoors takes all my cares away; It goes like heavy smoke, when flames take hold Of wood that's green and fill a grate with gold. ~ William Henry Davies


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Today's quote courtesy of my
BooksAMonth reading group buddie, Mary Osborn.

Check out her blog at:http://maryosborn.blogspot.com/

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I have two sets of cardinals and three to five mockingbirds in my yard this spring. They are usually outside my big picture window in my front room. One of the mockingbirds, a slender, bold, handsome fellow, sits on the railing and watches me through the glass. He cocks his head to the side, as if to say, "Aren't I looking dapper today?" He is a crafty one, though, stealing little morsels of dog food from the bowl, while Phoenix and Mercedes nap in a patch of sunlight on the lawn. Many people dislike the mockingbirds, because they are so territorial and because they sing at night, keeping humans awake. I, however, like their music, and their personality. Also, they seem to think they are quite attractive, and I tend to agree.

Out my back window I see six or seven red squirrels scampering about. There is a rather large stump in the middle of the yard, probably eleven feet tall. I believe it is either home to some of them or clubhouse to all of them. I hear them often, barking at each other and at other backyard creatures. They are very serious about their games. A big black crow sits on a branch above the tool shed, and scolds all intruders, including the squirrels, the sparrows, the dogs, and the occasional dreaded starling. At the corner of the shed is a rusty colored bird of medium size very diligently combing through the recently mown grass. I may have to google him to find out what he is. (My apologies madam, if you, in fact, turn out to be a madam.)

My sister and her husband have recently taken great pains to attract purple martins to their yard. I did not know much about these birds until we visited them yesterday. I wonder, would my little yard with so many bushes and trees be a suitable spot for a purple martin house? I wonder how they would get along with the squirrels, cardinals and mockingbirds. I really love the cardinals best, and would hate to lose them or the mockers. But I am considering a construction project. It's a nice neighborhood, after all, and maybe a few martins would love to be my neighbors!

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Bookcrossing is going really well. I had a wild release caught just the other day in Broken Arrow, OK. How very exciting! Otherwise, Tyler and his friend have started a mowing business, Larry is back in school taking online classes at University of Phoenix, and I am planning to steam clean my carpets. Life does go on, doesn't it!

How nice, though, to take a moment and notice the creatures who share this property with us.

Go outside today and read something profound with the birds and squirrels!