Between Lives

 Seeds - Japanese Maple

 Unknown berries

 Japanese Maple leaves

 Fall colors in Birney

10-18-15 

tanka

my ash tree
afire with gold one day
leaves fallen the next
our hopes and dreams are like that
like the ash we start over

It's a beautiful fall day today and having caught up with housework I felt like writing again. The photos above were taken this month; some on a trip to Helena MT, and a few today. We've had a marvelous autumn season.  After an early frost in august, we had no more until last week. The weather in general has been warm and pleasant after the hot summer months.

 

It's hard to believe that I last posted in May!  Five months have passed swiftly and full of activity. In July I bought a condominium apartment in Sheridan, WY. It was too good an opportunity to pass. My house here is still on the market.  I had a contract with a buyer in June, but unfortunately it fell through and we had to start over. I do have a few interested buyers at present, so maybe something will happen soon.

Here are a few pictures of my new abode: 

I have yet to move furniture so I am making do with elementary stuff for now.  The previous owner was kind enough to leave me a bed and table/chairs. Interestingly enough the complex is called Indian Hills Condominiums,  so when I do move, my blog will become "A View from Indian Hills". 

As usual I am fighting with the bugs of fall; box elders, wasps and flies, but last night was different.I heard a huge crash while I was eating supper and the house even shook a little. I suspected that a bird had flown into the window on the north side of the house.  I was correct, but I could never have guessed what it was. A huge owl was lying on the deck - probably a Great-Horned Owl. It was breathing.  My instinct was to go out and help it, but then I thought better. Sometimes animals are best left to themselves. I checked a couple of times and after about 15 minutes it was sitting upright in an obvious daze. Eventually when I checked later he'd gone away; hopefully after a few days he will be healed.  Here are 2 photos that I took through the window:

As I was writing this, there was a rumpus outside the porch and I looked out to see a red squirrel climbing along under the eaves and he went into the bluebirds' nest!  Red squirrels are rare around here and I should count myself lucky, however I really don't want him living in my ceiling for the winter!   Life here is never dull; I will miss the animal activity here, but my new neighbor Doris assures me that it gets exciting in town too.  Deer wander into the central quadrangle and eat the grass and berries, and there are various birds that come to her feeder, so I will have company, and I am definitely looking forward to it.

Flower Petal Moon

Robins have returned

Diana's tulip

Honeysuckle is in blossom

Lilac as well

and Chokecherries

daily tanka 5-8-15

flower petal moon

floats in an azure spring sky

while in the river beneath

white chokecherry blossoms

drift silent in slow water

  

Spring has sprung and accordingly snow is in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow!  Montana has crazy swings of temperature in April and May;  last week we had many days at 80' some with a wind, and the drought-stricken countryside looked beaten down. However Sunday brought a 1/4 inch of rain and everything popped. Overnight the lilac and honeysuckle blossomed, and I was so surprised since there had been no sign the day before.

With the first warmth the Canadian Chokecherry blossomed, and coming home from the post office I was greeted with a marvelous heavy perfume. I sat outside in the sun and read a magazine in the afternoon,  just letting the aroma drift around me; utter heaven.

In April I got tired of the chipmunks who were everywhere and started getting in or on the roof. I could see damage occurring if I took no action. So I bought a tiny Havahart trap and went to work. 

I managed to trap eleven chipmunks and relocated them across the creek. I now seem to have two left and I think I can live with them. However my popularity is in danger - the folks who live in Birney are now inundated with the critters and blame me! I guess they must have learned to walk over the bridge! 

The Bluebirds are happily flying back and forth with food for nestlings. I have yet to hear them chirping however.  On the hot days I could smell the nest:

daily haiku

life is not easy
when bluebirds nest in your house
they smell a little

Mr Bluebird has a feud with one of the remaining chipmunks and if it gets into nest territory a big squabble takes place with lots of flying and chirping.

Life is never dull on the hill even  though I am the only human.

 

daily haiku

birds everywhere
a living soap opera
going on out there

The last haiku is from "Birds - and other things" - haiku by Christine Valentine and Art Elser.  Published in April, we gave our first reading on April 17th at the WyoPoets Open Microphone in Casper WY.

Art and Chris reading from their new Haiku Chapbook - Photo by Susan Mark

Art and I trade haiku on a daily basis - it is great to have a friend who enjoys poetry as much as I do. I am thankful for our wonderful friendship.

The Bluebirds on the Hill

Right on time - March 10th - here came Mr Bluebird to check the nest

He sunned himself on the fence after his long trip

2 days later he was gathering nesting materials

 Then Mrs Bluebird arrived

 

She has her head to the side as I was whistling to her

The chipmunks came out of hibernation and are dashing around making a lot of noise; the few rabbits that are around are staying out of sight from the eagles and a red-tail hawk that is making this his current territory.

But spring sprung on March 10th with the arrival of the Bluebirds. Two males checked out the nest, had a fight and flew away. Then one came back and sat on the fence. He stayed around flying back and forth, then in 2 days a female joined him. So I have Bluebird mates once more. The other male appears now and then but is driven away by either of the pair. He had the audacity to go up in the nest this morning and Mrs. got very aggravated and drove him away.  While I do want to sell the house - the thought of leaving while they are nesting practically brings me to tears. I do love them so. Maybe I can have a Bluebird clause in the contract?

Joy Cometh in the Manuring

Thawed at last

Black Eagle Mountain on a sunny Sunday

River still frozen - as of today it is flowing again

Blue sky - sunny day

Looking toward the Three Circle Ranch

Bald Eagle

Bald eagle -2

Bald Eagle -3

Pine Grosbeak - rare in our area

Pine Grosbeak

Bird droppings on the gate! Welcome to Hill House!

Deer manure on the deck

A nest the rabbits made at 20 below, and rabbit manure

daily haiku

dead mice and rabbits
have disappeared this week
eagles

This week the Thistle Sock runs out of seed and I will not replace it.  I will miss it as I sit near the window and am about 5 feet away from the birds as they feed.  However my smart husband identified a problem years ago; the Bluebirds will not nest under the eaves if there are too many other birds close by - they are threatened by danger or territory at a guess. The Bluebirds are due to return in about three weeks; the territory needs to be clear so they can delight me with their presence once more, this spring and summer.

I've also been visited by Pine Grosbeaks this past month. I did not know they were rare to this area until I read an article in the Billings Gazette. They are brightly colored but tend to hang out with the house finches and purple finches, and so they are not quite so noticeable. Hidden in plain sight!

A covey/flock (?) of bald eagles moved into the river last week and that was very exciting. I first spotted them in the cottonwood trees as the sun was going down and all I could see were their silhouettes.  I thought they were Turkey Vultures returning early, for some reason, but retuning to the site next day I could see they were eagles. I managed to take the photos above.  I also heard one "talking" a strange sound I couldn't identify at first, but then it developed into the typical screech and I knew exactly what it was.

For the most part we are thawed although the ground is still frozen from night frost.  In the next few days we return to cold and snowstorms. I have been enjoying an afternoon walk down the driveway in addition to my morning walk, on the treadmill or along Birney main street.  I am enjoying this winter so very much.

After the retreat of the snow I was left with a lot of animal manure. Deer left their marks under the cedar trees, the rock patio and even on the deck, and the gate to the house is stained with bird droppings.  There is so much rabbit poop that it is unbelievable. The droppings get into my cleats and track indoors if I am not careful. However that may not be a problem in future - I think the Eagles have feasted on my rabbit population since I have only seen one rabbit of late. Nature took care of it.

So the next warm day I must get out with my broom and dustpan, enjoy the sunshine. Indeed joy will come in removing the manuring! 

Deep Winter

Wintry Forecast

daily haiku

rabbits face south
turn towards the noonday sun
drink in rays of warmth

A Happy New Year to all of you who read my blog

May 2015 be a healthy and blessed year for you all.

Prolonged cold with plenty of snow and wind brings us deep into winter. A chilly greeting for 2015. Actually it is probably more like the usual Montana winters that I remember from the 60's and 70's and is somewhat reassuring considering evidence of global warming.

This week I took down the Xmas Tree and all the decorations; but as always, the hardest part is taking down the Christmas greeting cards that I tape to the living room bookshelves. When they are "up' it feels like I am surrounded by the good wishes and love that the cards bring to me. A wonderful feeling.  After I remove them I spend an afternoon re-reading them and the letters that often are enclosed. As the cost of buying and mailing increases, each one becomes more valuable in the good feelings they convey. 

The animals are interesting to watch as they adapt to winter survival.  A lovely sight - the chickadees hover and the tree creepers scamper upside down under the eaves to drink the drops of water from the end of the icicles on my porch roof. They are very close to me as I sit in my chair.  The rabbits eat the yucca growing in front and then chase each other at high speed through the snow.  I doubt they are mating, although you never know with their oversexed species; I think it is more the need for warmth.  And with that, I had better get dressed for the day and do some more shoveling to keep myself in the same condition!

Christmas 2014

Christmas 2014

Teddy and the Puffalumps arrive, and Christmas can begin

Snow on Christmas Morning

A chilly Finch

Deer wish me a Happy Christmas

What beauty - both the snowy country and the Doe!

 christmas tanka

snow falls
a silent landscape broken
by squabbling finches
indoors the sounds of carols
and the tearing of paper

I wish all of you a happy and healthy  New Year in 2015. It is probably too much to ask for peace in the world but I do anyway.

I put up decorations early this year and was enjoying them, but somehow it wasn't quite Christmas. I have some Christmas toys called Puffalumps, that were given as a free gift by a store back in the 80's, and Christmas does not officially arrive on the hill, until they emerge and join my Christmas Teddy Bear on the sofa. Teddy plays Christmas Carols when you squeeze his paw, and what is even more fun, will burst into song spontaneously when there is static electricity around him! I do remember one night in July when there was a lightning strike close to the house and he started playing "Silent Night" - that night was anything but silent!  Still, I didn't quite have that certain "Christmas"  feeling yet. Then on the 23rd I was playing carols on the radio and baking cookies, and suddenly it arrived.  The smells and sounds and sights all combined and my senses knew it was Christmas.

 Christmas morning here was beautiful. In the many years that I have lived here , I think this is the first time I awoke to snow falling gently all around. We received about four inches of quiet beauty and to quote the poem "not a creature was stirring".  Then the finches moved in to the bird feeder and had contests with the chickadees for sunflower seeds and their squabbles filled the air.

At my computer reading the morning mail I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye and it was two visiting Does.... one was smaller than the other and I suspect it was her offspring for this year. What a sight.  I whistled and talked to them and they just stood and listened. Then eventually they moved over the hill to take their trail to the river and drink. 

I decided to stay home this year and shared Christmas dinner with my friends Owen and Diana.We had a wonderful meal and then watched the deer from the porch window as evening descended. Now as we head into the New Year I have no idea where I will be next December, but one thing is for sure, if this is my last Christmas here, it was a very special gift. 

Fast Time with a Polar Vortex

Early morning a day before the snow came

Low temps and fluffy birds!

Baby mice on the front seat of my car

usual dawn
usual sky
hard to believe
in a polar vortex
but the mice know

 ------------------------------------------

overnight
landscape change from brown to white
the big chill arrives

My main decision for today was whether to vacuum or to blog, so of course I decided to write! Winter weather finally came as a gift from Canada.....a polar vortex .......as my friend Art says, they are inventing newer more technical names for things now - it used to be called an arctic front, or even just a cold front.

After the gorgeous fall weather we had, we are all very spoiled.  Still, we usually transition into cold weather with a more genteel movement. The critters are all back.  Fred is in my bathroom and determined to commit suicide in the bathtub;  I had to remove him three times last week.  He was very fat from his summer pickings, but now has slimmed down to normal again. 

We had a nasty infestation of wasps - that is one thing I love about the cold - they disappear. Box Elder bugs swarm all over and walk on me while I am at the computer, and the mice reek vengeance indoors and out. Two weeks ago today I walked in Birney, got hot, and removed my scarf. I put it on the front seat of the car. The following Sunday I went to get a lifesaver candy and jumped a mile - there on the front seat neatly nestled in my scarf was a mouse nest and four baby mice! It got into the glovebox, I found later, and chewed through my car registration certificate. Lots of cleaning with lysol!  Indoors, I caught three mice in traps before the snow came.  How do they sense the oncoming weather?

Yesterday and today I am back to the treadmill for exercise. I don't like it nearly as much as the great outdoors.  The days are slipping by so fast. My friend Thelma said "See you at Thanksgiving" when I telephoned her yesterday! Yikes!  I have yet to find Christmas gifts for the family and I like to get them ordered before Turkey day. That is usually easy with USPS delivering two inches of catalogs to my mailbox each Monday. 

A woman who owned the Livingston Enterprise newspaper in Montana, used to call daylight savings time "Fast Time" she was always relieved when the clocks fell back in the fall. It feels to me like time is going faster than I am these days - or is it that I have just slowed down with age?  So - off to the catalogs to at least do my Christmas Consumer research before fast time catches up with me!