Thursday, October 11, 2012

The World According to Detail

Outside my window this morning, a Chickadee perches, worrying at a sunflower seed to get it open. I see his little black cap and the white eyeliner he wears. A cardinal, dressed in angry red, lands on the same branch. The Chickadee wisely hops to another.

Lana comes in and points out a female Indigo Bunting in the yard. She isn't brightly colored but if she is here the blue bedecked males may not be far behind.  I see some of our resident doves on the ground near her, in a patch that is bare of grass where we spread seed every other day.

The leaves on the trees are still summer green here.  Mostly. I can see a few brown ones scattered throughout, and at places in the woods I see red and yellow leaves on some of the bushes. We will have a fall, though it will be a brief one. You wouldn't want to blink.

There is much to be thankful for this day. This morning I have a few minutes to think, and it is a joy. And it is our 5th anniversary. Lana and I have a five-year-old, you might say. I'm looking out on the same backyard scene we saw that October day 5 years ago. We were married on our own deck. And this whole last week Lana has been feeling so much better. That, too, is such a relief.

I hope your day is going as well as mine.

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38 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Happy anniversary, Charles! Enjoy all the little wonders of today.

ivan said...

Nice writing!

Prashant C. Trikannad said...

Lana and Charles, a Happy Anniversary to you! May joy and peace keep coming your way and I hope you have a truly memorable day.

Ty said...

Glad to hear Lana is doing better, and happy anniversary to you guys!

This morning I had five wild turkeys behind my place. Oddly enough, all of them were hens, so I'm expecting a gobbler must be hiding someplace near. With hunting season(s) kicking into gear, I'll probably have lots of turkeys and deer around our place, as is usual because I don't hunt and no one ever asks to use our land for hunting (and no, I'm not against hunting, I'm just not interested).

Sarah Hina said...

Love this post, Charles.

Happy anniversary to you and Lana. May your corner of the world continue to be colorful and lovely.

Deka Black said...

Happy anniversary!Glad to hear lana is doing well :)

Paul R. McNamee said...

Nice details, and happy anniversary!

Ty - I'm waiting for the turkeys to return to my neighborhood. We had a colony here during Spring. Everyday we saw either toms or hens or sometimes mixed. I think they must have been nesting close by.

Rick Robinson said...

Happy Anniversary! Very nice, indeed.

We have the usual Chickadees, Wrens, Spotted Towhees and other assorted Summer birds, but none of the Fall birds yet. The ones who are just passing through. Our Fall color will be scarce and brief too, as my post today mentions, there is a tiny bit of color, and the rains begin tomorrow and will knock any loose leaves asunder.

SO glad to har Lana is feeling better lately, that's great.

Charles Gramlich said...

Alex, thanks, man.

Ivan, appreciate that.

Prashant, I hope so too.

Ty, I used to hunt but don't anymore. Since I eat meat, I pretty much can't be against hunting, but I don't want to do it anymore myself.

Sarah, glad you enjoyed. thanks.

Deka, we are too, my friend.

Paul, I wish we'd see some turkey here. That's one thing we haven't seen. Seen quite a few deer.

Richard R., Most leaves here just go from green to brown, but some trees do change.

BernardL said...

A magical little morning for a special day. Good one.

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary Charles to both of you.

Adventuresfantastic said...

Congratulations on your anniversary and wishes for many more happy ones to come!

Thanks for the description of what you see out your window. Rural living is a wonderful thing. The only nature experience I've had recently was I'm pretty sure I smelled a skunk when I let the dogs into the backyard this morning. We live well inside the city limits, so this is a little unexpected, not to mention disturbing.

laughingwolf said...

methinks a fifth, of something, is in order... grats on year 5, youse guyz :)

good stuff on lana's continuing recovery!

had our first frost in my area this am; took vic out for his morning pee - all water puddles were frozen over...

rest of the week: windy and rain

wind already rattled the house, earlier in the day

laughingwolf said...

here ye be, a fifth ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MFbn8EbB4k

nephite blood spartan heart said...

Congratulations to both of you.

Golden Eagle said...

Happy Anniversary!

Cloudia said...

Five years, down-payment on happily ever after. Congrats to two of my fave people I never met IRL.


Enjoyed your basic words today. THAT'S good writing!


Aloha from Waikiki,

Comfort Spiral

> < } } ( ° >

Charles Gramlich said...

Bernard, I'm learning to appreciate such moments.

Richard, thanks, man.

Keith, more and more animals are moving into the city as humans encroach on their territory. I routinely saw Racoons in the New Orleans area when we lived there.

Laughingwolf, thanks, dude, I'll check it out.

David J., I appreciate that.

Golden Eagle, appreciate it!

Cloudia, Felt good to stretch my writing legs a bit this morning. Haven't had a chance to of late.

X. Dell said...

That Lana feels better is important. I still pray for her improved health.

I agree that a lot of the "details" are beautiful. It's funny how often we avoid looking for them.

Maybe we expect the devil to be in them?

X. Dell said...

That Lana feels better is important. I still pray for her improved health.

I agree that a lot of the "details" are beautiful. It's funny how often we avoid looking for them.

Maybe we expect the devil to be in them?

Charles Gramlich said...

X. Dell, the devil is everywhere I fear. :)

sage said...

Nice observations. Happy anniversary!

Randy Johnson said...

Good deal all around for you guys.

Charles Gramlich said...

Sage, I enjoy our birds.

Randy, things are looking up!

the walking man said...

My old lady came back after a week away yesterday..we fell right back into our argumentative routine...man I missed her. 30 years and it just wasn't the same arguing with the dogs. They couldn't come up with a coherent sentence. except "Feed me you old fart!"

How do you say "hell no!" to that?

the walking man said...

Oh yeah happy anniversary don't worry the honeymoon ends around year 15 or so.

jodi said...

Charles-Don't listen to Mark! Happy Anniversary with many more wonderful years to come your way!

eric1313 said...

So that's where the chickadees go...

(Sounds like the name of a novel)

eric1313 said...

And of course, happy anniversary. The best to you both.

Charles Gramlich said...

Mark, Lana and I only play argue at the moment. We'll see in 10 years.

Jodi, when did I ever listen to Mark? :)

eric1313, that'll be the title of my "to kill a mockingbird."

pattinase (abbott) said...

Charles-I am so glad that although it is autumn, it is spring there.

Charles Gramlich said...

Patti, we are too.

Angie said...

Happy anniversary to both of you! :D

Angie

Charles Gramlich said...

Angie, thanks

Travis Cody said...

Thanks for sharing that peaceful description of your world. Happy Anniversary to you both.

eric1313 said...

I would love to write an equivalent to that.

Anyway, watching the Lions today, but I've got the Tigers vs. Yankees tonight as the fail-safe (knocks on wood).

You still watch the Saints?

Charles Gramlich said...

Travis Cody, it was a great morning.

eric1313, No Saints game this week but I am still generally watching them. They seem to lose when I watch. The only game they won was where I didn't watch.

eric1313 said...

That's OK. The Lions were losing, then I fell asleep on the couch. When I woke up, they had won the game. I'll probably need to keep doing that if they are to break even this season.