Me and Mother Nature

My day started in the usual way. I did the ordinary things I did every morning. Shaving, not being one of them.

I picked up my clipboard headed for the outdoors. Once outside, I took a long deep breath. When exhaling, I could lightly taste the cedar and pine trees' fragrances that were floating in the crisp, fresh mountain air. Just to the left of the front door stands a warren rattan chair. That seems always to be inviting you to sit a spell. So I excepted the invite and sat down as I was taking in what I could see—all of which nature has given to me.

A couple of Western Gray, Tree Squirrels, were doing what they usually did every morning — playing a game of squirrel tag — running up and down the trees. Then across the old wooden deck, made from salvaged wood from the old sawmill.

The squirrels had made their way to the far west corner of the deck. Which is one of their favorite places that exist in their world? A stainless steel bowl mounted on the top of a 3-foot railing filled twice a day with various nuts. The squirrels perch themselves on the rail close to their dish as they looked over their meal. Their little hands reached into the bowl and began to move the nuts around. As if they are reading a menu. They are trying to find what to eat first. Once that is decided. They lean back slightly, resting themselves against their large fluffy tails.

Then the feast begins, not long into their meal. A small group of four Blue Jays flew over the squirrels. The nuts that had the squirrels' attention. Now had the attention of the birds also. They quickly landed in the tops of the trees just behind the house. The trees are tall enough to still keep their eyes on the nuts and the squirrels as the Blue Jays settle on a plan of attack.

The Jays began to circle back. They are setting up for their first assault. The two squirrels began chattering loudly to each other. They had no intention of sharing any nuts with those birds. The four birds began a dive towards the nuts. They were souring in from different directions as they cried out with an upward pitched screech, which seemed to start deep in their throat — caring two short wobbles at the beginning. Then a longer one towards the end.

After three rounds of attack, the Blue Jays flew away defeated. The chattering of the squirrels was still loud. But now, it carried a different tone. As they once again began feasting on the nut. But this time, they were also enjoying their victory.

I felt sorry for the Blue Jays, for they did not get any nuts to eat. So later on that day. I went to the farm supply feed store and purchased a peanut in the shell bird feeder.

I didn't want another altercation between the birds and squirrels. So I made a cover for the squirrels' nut bowel to keep the birds out. Next, I mounted the peanut feeder on the gardening shed about twenty feet to the right of my deck. So I can clearly see to watch the Blue Jays and a few other species of birds that fancy peanuts in the shell.

It is amusing to watch the birds as they snatch a nut from the feeder. Then drop the nut to the ground and fiercely peck at the shell. But, of course, as soon as they see the peanut inside, it's gone.

I count myself very lucky to be living on the top of this mountain with my neighbor, Mother Nature. And all of her wildlife pets that stop by to visit with me.

I close with this—the incredible roar of the breeze.

You can hear the wind begin moving through the tops of the trees from the bottom of the mountain incline. Sounding as a heard of buffalo stampeding getting louder and louder the closer it becomes. Then, gazing upward, you see the upper portion of the trees swaying as the buffalo pass above. You only hear it; you never feel the breeze. It's amazing.