Snowy Speculations

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If I could paint, I would have tried to replicate the landscape very early this morning. Illuminated by the faintest hints of light and hours before sunrise, the cold, stark landscape lay completely still in its snowy blanket. Naked trees stood proudly and quietly against this backdrop, this palate of pure white an unforgiving place for any creature, big or small, to attempt to cross without drawing attention to its existence at this time. Even our ancient tire swing looked sleepy and droopy, suspended precariously close to the ground, as if the effort of hanging from a tree limb was too much for it. To the east, the only rays of light visible were the ones coming from the across the river, and even those seem hushed and muffled, like a child tired and murmuring not to wake them up just yet.  The young families down the road have gone all out with Christmas lights this year. Bright colours adorn the night skies and my neighbours even have a Christmas Cat and a Christmas Dinosaur th...
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The Giant Bug

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 I love the end of July heading into early August. Although I was complaining yesterday that summer is too short, this is the mid-point where I try to focus on squeezing every bit of summer out of every moment. We have a whole month of my favourite season ahead of us yet! And while Facebook is dotted with people's camping and cottage posts, we are enjoying an equally beautiful serenity with all the comforts of home and zero packing and unpacking!

Last night, Jim and I went outside to relax on the deck by the pool. It was a bit of a lazy evening and we just sat there, barely talking, taking in the scenery and sights all around us. Our neighbours were enjoying a soccer game with their kids along with the company of some friends who had come over for a last minute bonfire. The wind carried the comforting smell of woodsmoke over to us and was just strong enough to keep our masses of pesky mosquitoes away! The birds were flying all around, calling to each other and getting in their last bit of air time before settling down for the night.

We have a large clump of Rose of Sharon trees that seems to spread and grow higher every year. The seedlings pop up in the flowerbed around the masses of slender trunks and our patch of river rock is dotted with them all season long. But I love the mix of dusty rose and white blossoms that have melded together to create a tapestry of colour! These blossoms have always attracted hummingbirds without fail and last night was no exception. 

We had just sat down when a flutter of activity caught our eye. Sure enough, a hummingbird was whirring around from blossom to blossom displaying its magnificent ability to hover, its wings going non-stop. I didn't have my phone on me, which was unfortunate since it was flaunting its impressive abilities just a few feet away from us. As it made its way around the side of the house and out of view, I snuck inside to grab my phone to see if I could capture its splendour to share with you.

Then we waited. Sure enough, it came back full-force. But it seemed to sense that the paparazzi was near and saucily hovered on the other side of the trees so that any photos were an impossibility. It rested on branches several times, obviously exhausted by the constant activity and I could see its profile clearly. But to no avail. All my phone captured was the beauty of the blossoms with the hummingbird blending right in so that it was impossible to see where he was. Eventually another hummingbird joined him and he immediately chased it away, showing how territorial these little flyers truly are.

The little bossy bird came back and buzzed around with a vengeance, clearly stating that these were his trees with such an attitude that no other hummingbird dared to enter his territory. I gained a new respect for the little guy. He continued to work his way around several times and we just watched and waited while he put on his show for us. 

I remember the first time I saw a hummingbird in this same clump of trees many years ago. I had just settled down in a lounge chair with a good book, when a giant "bug" zoomed past my head causing me to jump up in surprise, scattering my book and drink everywhere. Since then, I envision these little birds to have a cheeky comportment, whirring around, completely untouchable. I've always been one to cheer on the underdog so if this little guy had to fight off the big guys in order to survive in this world, more power to him! What sheer beauty was evident in this tiny package that can be missed if you don't take the time to sit down and enjoy nature's show all around us!

Lolita Schimann Hale

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