Another peek outside my writing window

In the past year and a half, I've had the pleasure of seeing many wonders outside my writing window. I often find myself saying, "oh" and have come to realize how many intonations the word has.

Since I'm a terrible photographer and often too slow to grab the camera in the first place, these pictures barely represent all the wildlife I've seen. There's a beautiful red fox that is quite camera shy, but I'm determined to get his picture one day.

I added this next photo, taken last winter, of my sons standing by the creek in order to show its normal size. Note the bank is mostly grassy.

Then on April 29th, the entire area was flooded by torrential rainfall. Water completely covered the concrete picnic table. The swollen creek also crept, way too close for comfort, up toward my house.

 The force of rushing water was so noisy it sounded like a waterfall right outside my window. The power of it took out our footbridge, which had stood for over half a century. It also swept in deposits of rock and left them here and there along the creek bank. 
The size of some of the stones washed in is unbelievable.

The road to the east and the low water bridge to the west were completely covered with raging floodwater. We were unable to leave home for several days.

So, how many variations of "ah" did you experience while looking at my pictures? 

R.E.Mullins: author of romantic paranormal.  

check out my webpage for upcoming releases and buylinks.

remullins.com 

Bird-chirping Weather by Christine DePetrillo

I recently read a meme that said, “Bird-chirping weather is my favorite weather.” I agree, and May has wonderful bird-chirping weather. I’ve been enjoying writing in The Outdoor Writing Office ever since I opened it back in April, but the bird chirping has only just reached full capacity this month.

I have two feeders in my backyard habitat, which has been specifically designed to attract birds (and butterflies). I frequently have visits from crows, blue jays, cardinals, robins, doves, finches, black-capped chickadees, warblers, sparrows, nuthatches, grackles, wrens, acorn woodpeckers, and my favorite guest, the northern flicker. I live for the moments when a sampling of all these birds are in the yard at the same time, singing their songs and enjoying the buffet I have put out for them.

We have a small, husband-made stream and pond in our yard too. 

Robins love to swim in it. They dunk themselves under the water, flap their wings, sending a spray all over their bodies, then fly up to our peach tree to preen. They don’t seem to mind that my German Shepherd is in the yard as well, watching their every move. He doesn’t seem to mind them either. They have an “understanding.”

The squirrels are not so lucky.

I like to think that birds are out there in the neighborhood telling other birds to stop by the DePetrillos for a bite to eat and a bath. As if I’m running a bird resort of sorts. I welcome them all and invite them to sing their songs for me. I usually listen to music when I write, but not when I’m outside.

When I’m outside, the birds provide the tunes and it’s perfect writing music. No words. All natural. Totally inspirational.

Learn to GARDEN FOR WILDLIFE HERE if you want to attract birds and other creatures to your yard.

Learn more about BIRDS HERE.

What’s your favorite bird? How would you describe the weather in May where you live?

Toodles,

Chris

www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com

The Maple Leaf Series, all six books, now available. Book One, More Than Pancakes, is always FREE in ebook! Get started today!

A Peek In My Backyard by Claire Ashgrove

Being outdoors month and all... combined with this crazy RomCon preparation that has chewed away at my creative mind and eaten all my time... I thought I'd stick with super simple and give you a peek at my backyard. 

Many of you know I live on a farm.  When I first bought the property I spent that first evening on a picnic in the grass, looking up at the brightest stars I've ever seen.  At night, the crickets sing like they are in concert.  In the distant, (and sometimes not so distant) tree lines coyotes howl, yip, and play with one another.  The first time I heard young pups playing was an eye-opener.  I've never heard such racket.  Once the sun goes down, we don't get much road traffic, but we can hear the train a good 7 miles away.  Not just the whistle, but the chug-chug of wheels on the track as well.  Occasionally the Air Force Base sends an A-10 or a B-2 on a mission or there's something flying in.  And in between all this, we hear the horses in the pasture.  Nickering now and then, an occasional whinny, and just the quiet hooves walking from one place to another.

The other day I went looking for a screw and encountered this guy:

Okay, maybe not that precise one, but that's a great representation.  He was curled up in a plastic tub, not the least bit bothered by us.  We left him be, and I assume, since I haven't seen any baby pigeons this year, he's still in residence.

Speaking of pigeons -- last spring we found a fledgling on the ground in the same barn.  She now resides in the house.  We hand-fed her, and at night she coos to us.  Very soothing melody.

Right now, we're fascinated by our newest old edition, Baariq.  He's been in a boarding facility for about three years, and we just brought him back home.  This photograph is pretty old; he's grown up a lot since this, filled out into adult form, and follows us around.  He lives in our front yard, because the gentleman beneath him, runs the pasture. (Khemo is a yearling in this photo)



Baariq



Khemokaizee

And then, every now and then, we stroll to the far corner where those who've been with us and left us now rest.  It may sound morbid, but really no... it's nice to go back and walk through memories and know our old friends are still nearby.  And that's what makes a house ahome, I think.  The little tidbits of us we leave behind.  Then we can turn around and see their legacy, and everything's a happy place.

Isabella

Isabella's daughter

We love our piece of the outdoors.  My boys pick flowers as often as they can for Mom (of their own accord!), bring me grasshoppers regularly, caterpillars, beetles, and great big honking clods of mud.  The dogs leave me presents in the yard that, quite often, I don't want to know what they were.  But those little gifts draw visitors like the big old buzzard who perched one morning on the kids' picnic table.  The hawks talk to us, two days ago we saw a golden eagle.  And all around you can hear the echoing chorus of mooo-mooo.   Calves in springtime are such an adorable thing!

On that note, I'm heading out the door and shipping off to RomCon 2012!  Hope I will see some of you there!

Claire

http://www.claireashgrove.com/