Summer Nights

Summer Nights

 


The spare bedroom has a window as large as the dining room's.  You can lie on the bed and watch all the trees and sky outside which if you are in the mood is very dreamy.  It's the window my trainer is located next to so I can watch the birds, squirrels and clouds as I do my workouts. It's the perfect spot for a daytime lie down if you are tired or want a comfy place to read.
   Lately all the fireflies are out and I've been going to that room to watch them.  With the lights turned off, the large window becomes a stage for all these tiny twinkling bodies blinking on and off.  I just love seeing them and never tire of watching.
Years ago, as I've told you, I went on a student exchange trip and part of the events was a visit to Camp Fortune here in Ottawa to attend a Gordon Lightfoot concert.  It was a pretty big deal at the time and the other kids were quite excited.  What excited nerdy me were all the fireflies that appeared as darkness fell.  I'd never seen them before and was captivated. I never forgot how I felt...the unaccustomed warmth of a summer night, the music and these fireflies dancing in the air.  I was a very impressionable sixteen at the time and maybe that memorable night is why I'm still so fond of fireflies.  Such a uniquely summer sight.

Sleeping at night with the windows wide is a pleasure. Here in Canada, it is such a summer time thing to do. And our house can benefit from any fresh air it can get, believe me.  Of course, there is a down side.  The dogs can hear every little sound and bark at what are probably skunks or raccoons having their fun in the yards.

Cat Sighting

We've both been catching sight of a large marmalade cat around the property.  I noticed her lurking by the garages in sight of the bird feeders so I moved the furthest one closer to the house.  Rex caught sight of her one day and chased her into the woods.  I haven't seen her since, so maybe it scared her enough to stay away.  I blamed her for the occasional feathers I found under the feeders and also a sad little chipmunk tail I found on the lawn one day.  There are a lot of barn cats around and there isn't much you can do about it.  This one may be hungry though she doesn't look shabby or underweight.
Update: Hubby has spotted her again lurking down in the wood shed.   Oh well.

Nest News

All the nests are empty.  As far as I could tell it was a breeding success.  The robin did lose one chick which was found as a just hatched lifeless little thing on the ground.  I think she led the three others away very early one morning.  They were crowded in the nest one night and gone the next morning by 9 a.m.  I've seen the sparrows around with young still feeding them as they hop about the branches of their fir tree.  The phoebes have disappeared.  I found a wren's nest down in the wood shed also empty now.
So our population here has dwindled once again to the old man and old woman and two big frisky dogs.