Company enough
This sweet bunny came to visit and stayed awhile. July 2016
“I can enjoy society in a room; but out of doors, nature is company enough for me.” — William Hazlitt
I think many of us can identify with Hazlitt. It’s almost impossible to feel lonely when the birds are chirping, the squirrels are scampering around and the rabbits hop silently from place to place. Even the flowers and trees are good company. Add a book and a cup of tea, and what more could anyone want?
The other day I was chatting by telephone with Mama, from her room in the rehabilitation facility where she is staying temporarily. I was happy because she sounded as if she was doing well. As usual, she had only cheerful things to say about how kind everyone there was treating her. She tends to put a positive spin on things, but she really did sound pretty good, much better than she had the last time we talked.
So I already was smiling when I glanced out to the porch and saw this adorable little visitor, who seemed not to mind my opening the door to get a better photo. My smile became a big grin because I never tire of these surprise visitors. No matter how many times I see them, each one seems special. I just had to snap a photo to share with you. As a bonus, a virtual visit means this critter will not eat up anything you are trying to grow.
I think I’ll go sit outside and read for awhile. Want to join me? It’s perfect weather for spending a late afternoon keeping company with nature. If it’s chilly or raining where you are, maybe you can open a window just enough to hear the sound of the raindrops on the trees or roof. If it’s hot, perhaps you can take some iced tea or lemonade outside and sip while you enjoy the view. What will you see and hear that you might have missed?
I wish you natural sights and sounds to put a smile on your face today!
Defeat Despair 
I am fortunate to have my desk in front of a window that overlooks two Palm trees not ten feet away. (I live in a second floor condo.) there are other trees to view as well. The other day the landscapers were here trimming all the trees in the complex, which included my two Palm trees. This is a yearly ritual due to Hurricane Season. However, there are only a few fronds left on each tree.
The trees beyond the Palms contain a few species of birds, of which one is Morning Doves. I love the soft cooing calls and the quick flight from one tree to another.
Today a squirrel climbed up one of the trees and was scurrying around franticly. I think he was looking for his nest where he was storing his winter supplies. He started jumping back and fourth between the two trees and running up and down the trunks. I could almost feel his anger. He scurried away only to return twice more during the day, as if to see if his nest was restored. It was not. He is gone now and I feel bad for him. I hope he finds another place before winter. Of course winter here in Florida is not freezing either. :o)
Patricia, I really enjoyed reading about your view. It was like a mini-break for me. WOW I would have felt sad for the squirrel too. I didn’t know until just recently that squirrels have nests in trees. I saw one in a tree outside the kitchen window (also on the 2nd floor) and told Jeff “Wow, that must be a REALLY big bird” and he laughed and told me it was a squirrel’s nest. I cant’ believe I was in my late 50’s before I knew squirrels had nests in trees. I guess I thought they lived in the ground or something.
We have Morning Doves here too and I love their sound.
It’s great to hear from you! Hope you are doing well.
Good morning Julia, it is a nice day with a little rain falling. We really need rain, I think we are in a hole,always goes around us. I had my 6 month check up Tuesday, it was a good one. I do have another hernia that will need to be repaired. Waiting on that for a little while. Checked again in 6 months. How are things with you all? Still sending up prayers. Think I will just have another cup of coffee and decide what I will do with the rest of the day. Love and hugs to all.
Hi Carolyn, HOORAY for your 6 month check up and the good news! Wish I had some good news for you, but we haven’t gotten much lately where Jeff is concerned. However, he was able to go to church this morning for the first time in a long time, which was good. I am hoping and praying the chemo is starting to have some effect. This is the toughest time for us since Jeff’s initial diagnosis, when there was so much uncertainty and gloom. But Jeff is incredibly brave and we stay pretty strong for each other, at least so far. Lots of other things have to be put on the back burner, though. I’ll join you for that coffee in the morning. Love and hugs from all of us!
Smiling.
-Alan
Thanks 🙂 I like smiles!
Your visitor is so cute.
Although here summer is becoming unbearable day after day every morning I get to listen to some little sparrows at my window. It seems summer does not bother them at all and their energy and enthusiasm – truly refreshing.
Bindu, I am happy you have some visitors to cheer you! I wish there was some way I could send you some cool breezes. We have had a very hot week, and high humidity which has made it doubly miserable. I am soaked with sweat after just a few minutes working outside, even in the evening. But I still like to go out for at least a little while. On weekends I like to work in the yard and I am usually out until dark, when I reluctantly come inside, dirty but happy. 🙂
Good Friday morning, Julia, from not only me but Walter as well. 🐥☕️ I can always count on him early morning to screech, “Move me!” as he wants to see and be seen! I’m happy to have him at 428 after his 2 month vacation. “Hi” to your Momma and hope she’ll be back at that kitchen table very soon. We have a neighborhood bunny, looks out of place in a coastal location. He has found an appropriate cottage, on the inlet marsh, and hiding in their shrubbery. Jack finds him “interesting” but even better is the cottage name is “Pooh Corner”! I can’t make these things up… Haha. Have a good weekend, my friend! 💛
Sheila, you are right, you could not make this stuff up, I love it! That Walter! I find it hilarious that a bird will say “Move me!” Next thing you know he’ll be saying “Change the channel” or “keep the noise down!” 😀 Wow, an actual cottage called “Pooh Corner.” Does it say “Mr. Edwards” over the door? No wonder the bunny has taken up residence there. Though I must admit, bunnies are not what comes to mind when I picture the ocean. Just more proof you live in an enchanted world. Must be that magical Verandah…Hope you have a great week coming up! Thanks for being here. ❤
I still miss the shade of our pepper tree on my porch but I am comforted by visits from hummingbirds, butterflies, Japanese beetles, and just this summer, the occasional lizard. I sometimes see bunnies when I run at our local high school. My late, beloved dog, Booster, used to try to stalk them when I would take him with me.
Booster is a wonderful name for a dog. I’m surprised I’ve never heard it before. I know you must miss that pepper tree! But I’m glad you have such colorful visitors to enjoy. My late friend Jeanie and I used to talk about how much we loved seeing lizards in our yards. Anything that eats bugs is OK by me, although I prefer frogs and lizards to spiders!
We actually have something of a spider colony on our porch: a green momma spider whose egg sac hatched a day or two ago and a funnel web spider who just chills behind our bass-playing frog sculpture, along with a few others. I had intended to evict them all once the egg hatched until I realized that I haven’t been bothered by flies at all this summer. They usually make the porch miserable once it starts to warm up but I have been able to sit outside and even eat without any problem. They may be creepy but the spiders can stay.
Booster (Rocket) was the name of a character on The Buzz Lightyear cartoon show. My kids couldn’t decide which Pokemon to name the dog after so my husband made an executive (& neutral) decision. One of our current dogs, Buster, is named in his honor.
Rene, I need to adopt your view of spiders. I know they catch other insects and do serve a good purpose, but I am not good enough at telling the human-biting kind from the benign and non-poisonous kind. I know how to recognize black widows, but everything brown makes me fear the brown recluse spider; I had a friend who almost lost a leg to one, so that really put the fear in me! But I also fear using insecticide, so I guess the spiders are a good alternative.
Come to think of it, many of those Disney characters have names that translate well to dogs. Even “Buzz” would be a good one, especially for a short-hair dog. I love creative doggie names. One of our neighbors used to have an ancient brown lab named Nestle. Perfect.
The bunny reminds me of “innocence”. An innocent man, within hours of his death once said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
A favorite secular quote is written by a man named Samuel Clemens (he used “Mark Twain” in his blog.): “Forgiveness is the fragrance that the Violet sheds on the heel that has just crushed it.”
Bunnies and Violets – the world needs more of them.
Bunnies do seem innocent, don’t they? Far more so than those mischievous squirrels! Perhaps it’s their silence, or the way they move, but whatever it is, they are so endearing. I like the Twain quote! I had never heard it before. Yes, we need more bunnies and violets.
Julia, I’m here with Kelly in Edmonton surrounded by her two kitties. We walked earlier and saw a bunny near the road. How timely to now see this post. I’m looking forward to our Skype this Sunday. Hugs.
Wow, perfect! BTW I got the most wonderful surprise in the mail yesterday, from Laurie, via New Zealand, Edmonton, San Jose and the Blue Ridge Mountains! It’s a small world after all. Hope to “see” you all very soon! ❤
Julia, that “rolling ball” of goodness has traveled the world. I’m delighted to hear it’s back in your hands. What a fun idea.
I was trying to cook up (not literally, no worries!) a new version of it. I’ll let you know if I come up with anything.
We’ve all loved it, Julia. It’s been great fun.
I’m working on another round-robin idea…stay tuned…
Hello Julia. I thought I replied here, but it looks like I only replied in my head. Do you ever do that?
Hugs and love floating your way.
Alys, I looked for your missing quote in my spam box and elsewhere, but could not find it. But YES, more and more I have the problem of not knowing whether I actually DID something, or only THOUGHT about doing it, especially with routine tasks. It goes both ways, too. Sometimes I’ll think I did something I didn’t do, and other times I’ll go to do something and find I’ve already done it. I keep reminding myself that aging has advantages that go with such disadvantages! Or maybe it’s just that our lives are TOO full of TOO many wonderful (and not so wonderful) things to keep up with. Hugs and love right back to you!
Julia – even though it’s been a week since you posted this, it made me happy to read of your contentment.
AND i’m so glad the around the world package arrived 🙂
Laurie, you’re doing better than I am, with only a week delay! The package was such a delight. Hope to be seeing you on SKYPE very soon!