Bliss, Birds and Taking Care Of Things

Recently I had a most fantastic day. It was during late March, the temp in the upper forties and the sunshine coming down at mostly full force through a few strands of clouds. I had been raking leaves and doing other small clean-up jobs around the acreage when I eyed the poor, weather battered homemade chimes hanging limply among the trees and poles, some broken on the ground. For some reason collecting and fixing them became my instant focus. I gathered up some thin wire, needle nose pliers, some S hooks and a few other things I might need and sat on my bench in the sun, facing the south. I laid out my materials and tools around me and got to work. Two of the chimes needed to be completely rebuilt. There was a light breeze from the east, but not enough to bother or chill me. I took my time, cutting out old, disintegrating material and replacing it with new. Occasionally I would stop and lean my head back, eyes closed, and feel the early warm spring sun on my face. To do something enjoyable, without knowing beforehand we wanted to do it, might be one of our most rewarding experiences. That was how I was feeling. It was a bliss, after such a long, cold snowy winter, to be sitting outside in sunshine working on something.

The birds have been gradually returning to our place. So far I have seen mourning doves, sparrows, crows, finches, cardinals and of course the ubiquitous robins. There are some hawks in our area, and we will occasionally see a bald eagle. I have not heard the coyotes much so far this spring, nor have I seen the usual explosion of baby rabbits, but those could both change at any time.

Our road is starting to get a little busier with the farmers trucks and tractors coming and going, with planting right around the corner. We are coming to the time of year, as my Dad says, “when it’s time to start taking care of things again.”