Birds That Thrilled Me

 We have been busy raking, mulching, and gathering up the many leaves that fall around our home.  I always say I love our trees, but when Autumn comes and the leaves begin to fall all of our free time turns to work!  Our morning walks are sometimes traded for yard duty.  We are thankful that our grandson works diligently with us as we work on our tasks.  

The leaves have been so beautiful this year.  Our Red Oak trees have been particularly lovely as the sun shines through their branches.  First the leaves from our Black Gums fall then the White Oaks, then the Maples, then the Dogwoods, then the Red Oaks.  Sometimes when we are outside doing our chores we are gifted with sights that thrill us!

We could hear the crows as they were flying around this hawk trying to chase him away!  I believe he is a red shouldered hawk, but I'm not positive.  Crows will do this when a hawk is threatening them for some reason or another.

They successfully chased him off, but not before we could watch him and retrieve the camera off the table inside.  

Hawks are easier to see when the leaves begin to fall.  Watch for them as you are out and about in your area.

A couple of weeks ago I saw this smaller hawk on my neighbor's fence.

He may be a juvenile red shouldered hawk, again I'm not sure.  I am pretty sure he was hunting for his dinner.

Every afternoon as I am relaxing I see this male cardinal in the Nellie Stevens holly outside of our Florida room windows.  Little did I know when I took this photo that he had a friend nearby.  Can you spot the white-throated sparrow on the branch behind him?  

During this season of Thanksgiving I am grateful for the many blessings that our home brings, even endless hours of leaf raking.  Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, my friends!

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. 

William Arthur Ward

 

November Thankfulness

♫ Give Thanks ♫

We have been up to our ears in leaves.  Surrounded by huge old oaks, black gums, maples, beech and dogwoods, gives us plenty of exercise in the autumn months.  If we don't gather up the leaves every few days they become more than we can handle.  Having a strong grandson living with us is a God send in the season of leaf gathering.  I've mentioned before that we compost all of our leaves and veggie peelings.  If you wish to see the wonderful compost we get from our leaves go Here to view.  I must say this is not my favorite of gardening chores, but I so love the wonderful compost we get from our efforts.

This is what that empty compost area looks like now.  We are a good month from having all of the leaves that fall before winter.  This is our mountain of mulched leaves.

The trees are beginning to make pretty silhouettes against the sky with their bare branches.

There are many leaves hanging on to the branches that assure us of more exercise to come.

It is interesting to note the abundance of berries around this autumn.  It's been quite mild so far.   My Nanny used to say that the more berries we see, the harder the winter.  If that holds to be true, we are in for quite a winter.

I find the rhythm of life is comforting as is the change of seasons.  I'm thankful for these reminders.

Yesterday we picked these peppers from volunteer plants in the compost pile!

I brought out the turkeys I made in 1978 when I was on a ceramic kick.  The little turkeys are napkin rings.  I have no idea why I painted them such a dull color, but they do go well with my Friendly Village dishes.

I do hope you are enjoying your November as we slip into December.  It's a busy time of year for us all, but I'm sure we all want to stop to be thankful for all of our blessings.

 Come, ye thankful people, come, 

raise the song of harvest home; 

all is safely gathered in, 

ere the winter storms begin. 

God our Maker doth provide 

for our wants to be supplied; 

come to God's own temple, come, 

raise the song of harvest home.

Henry Alford