The Sights and Sounds of Spring. . .

  I think Spring is finally here. It took awhile for her arrival to be solidified. Like every other season in Missouri she always has the option to  leave at a moments notice. Years ago I remember we had a six inch snow on April 11, 1978. It was gone by late the next day as warm air moved back into our state. Seasons in Missouri slip in and out like an old used grease gun.

  Last night was beautiful. We went outside about 7 p.m. and put our fire pit to work. We sat in our swings, that desperately need new cushions, and listened to the sounds of the night. The tree frogs and the frogs at the pond were in rare form. They were still singing when we returned to the house a couple of hours later. 

  We were listening for the turkeys to fly up and roost. They usually gobble at that time. This gives a hunter the advantage the next morning to know what area they are in. On a quiet night for about three weeks the sound of turkeys is part of the nightly routine. They are ready to mate. Unfortunately for some turkeys, gun season arrives on Monday and will last for three weeks. They had better not play the field looking for a better looking hen. They need hurry up and mate with the first hen they see before they are some person's fried turkey nuggets. This is Tommy's favorite season to hunt. Thank God I do not have to go! We have been down that road together and it was not a pretty sight to see. He will never make a hunter out of me and I will never make a reader out of him. That works for both of us.

  As we sat there in the swing, we heard about six or seven gobblers fly up to rest for the night. As the turkeys became quiet the cardinals took over the chorus. They were close to where we sat and very loud. I watched a pair of Cardinals for about five minutes. The male was a vivid red and singing unusually loud. The female of the pair, more muted in color, walked as far away from him as she could get without flying off. In my imagination she was ticked off at her mate and had no desire to hear what he had to say. He was aggravated at her for not being enthralled with his song. Both flew off in the same direction. I guess they worked it out. 

  Our hummingbirds are late this year. I have only had a couple of scouts visit our feeders. I bought new feeders and I am not positive they like these feeders. I would put my old feeders out if only I could remember where I put them. I think they are in my corner of the garage---but I wouldn't swear to it. 

   We fed the squirrels all winter and never once saw them eat at the corn cob feeders Tommy had made earlier in the summer.  We enjoyed them nibbling on the corn cobs never leaving a piece of corn uneaten. Every morning we replaced the old cobs with new ones to be eaten while we weren't looking. Last night three of them romped through the trees almost as if they were trapeze artists, near our swing. It seemed like the big maple tree by the swing leafed out almost overnight. That is their favorite place to play.

   We have several rabbits, who are enjoying eating my Day Lilly leaves. One popped out of the leaves and was as surprised to see us as we were to see him.

   Just as the fire was dying down and we were in the process of going inside, we heard two coyotes howl in the distance. We no longer hear coyotes as much as we used to. In 1978, they howled so close to the house it sounded like we were about to be attacked by Indians. Farmers have thinned the population of coyotes down to about a third of what we used to have. They had to do this to protect their livestock and new born calves. It was a nice surprise to hear them again.

   All in all it was a delightful Spring night. Nature's playlist is beautiful and long. I never tire hearing the night sounds of life out in the middle of nowhere.

   

Karma Found Me...

 

    Mama and I lived with my grandparents, Harry and Fayetta Poe, for the first eleven years of my life. I was one lucky little girl to be raised in such a loving home. 
    My mother started working at the Deena factory in Arlington when I was a few months old. Mamamae took care of me while Mama worked. 
   My grandmother was a very quiet woman. She kept her thoughts to herself. Believe it or not, I have a tenancy to do the same thing. I am very comfortable to not say any thing aloud for several hours.  I have a wonderful imagination and I do not need people to entertain me. There is always something interesting going on in my mind. 
   In that regard, Mamamae and I were very compatible and had an easy going relationship.  The only time my grandmother got under my skin was when she sang.  She was so tone deaf it was unbelievable. She didn't sing much at home but she let it rip at church. She sang loud, with gusto and much enthusiasm.  She was singing to the Lord so it should not have mattered to me but it did. I was a little girl and I knew nothing about 'praising the Lord'.  All I wanted was for Mamamae to not sing so loud.  As soon as praise and worship started, I began to scoot down the pew to get as far away from her as I could. She hurt my ears. It never worked. I scooted right smack into Mama. My only recourse was to get on the other side of Mama and try to go to sleep.  That worked until I was too old to sleep in church.
   As I got older, I was allowed to sit with other kids my age. This didn't usually last long for me because at church and in school I was a talker. I made up for the lost time of quietness at home and I was in trouble all the time for talking.  'Conduct' was my worst grade on my report cards.
   Mamamae never did learn to carry a tune. She has been gone a long time and I would give anything to hear her sing "Just a Closer Walk With Thee", off key and as loud as she wanted to sing.  I miss her every day.  
  However, Mamamae has been justified and I have to admit Karma  did her up right. When Karma found me, it bit me  in the butt when it comes to singing or playing musical instruments.  And to make matters worse, I married into a musical family. Everyone sings and plays all sorts of musical instruments. They are amazing. My grandchildren have learned to play guitar within the past couple of months. I was there when they started learning and it baffled me. It was so easy for them. Tommy, Tami, Jacy and Logan play and sing all the time. I love it. I very quietly sing along so no one can hear me. As far as playing a musical instrument, well let's just say 'it is not gonna happen'.  I used to know the cord G7. It hurt my fingers and that is as far as I progressed. Tommy would love for me to play and sing but he can't help but laugh when I try. And I do sing at times. Loud and proud as everyone around me finds something else to do.  I bet Mamamae is looking down from Heaven and laughing as I do my off key notes. Yep!!  Karma is a witch for sure. 
   
   

Mamamae, Granddaddy and me--not singing:)