The last two days I've been working in what we call the "wood yard". This is where the wood is processed into splits and goes to the stacks. It has been beautiful weather, highs in the 50's with a nice light breeze. Today I took a break, sat down on the tailgate and tried to soak up what was around me. To the south and east of me a pair of Northern Flickers were calling back and forth to each other, I assume looking for a suitable tree to begin excavating a nest in. Across the creek, a red-bellied woodpecker was letting his friends know he had found the mother load of grubs in the punky wood of a box elder. Up by the back door a sapsucker was busy making his nice little rows of sapwells on a black maple, sure to be a lot of flies around that tree. Just sitting there I could hear robins blue jays, cardinals, bluebird, red-winged blackbird, and others. Yesterday a dog fox hunted mice in the pasture not more than 100 yards from me as I ran the splitter. Several times this spring as I worked the stacks, wave after wave of snow geese flew north overhead. Why do I cut wood? To heat my home of coarse, but getting to share God's handiwork while I do it sure makes life GRAND! Have a blessed Easter tomorrow!
I love those moments when things "click" and you look around and can really marvel at what we normally take for granted.
Thanks for sharing that with us. I find my self getting lost in the sounds of our woods every morning these days. The robins singing the woodpeckers working a tree, geese overhead going north Randy the rooster crowing at 4:00 am. Peeper frogs singing and soon the tree frogs on a rainy day. You are right life is grand especially for us wood burners. Wishing you and everyone else hear a wonderful day tomorrow .
Almost every year we have a vixen fox raise a litter up in the timber above our house, I love to lay in bed at night and hear her making the "vixen scream"! I always feel blessed as I doubt too many people in this country have ever heard that.
you know, I'm just shy of being 70 and I don't recall hearing what a female fox sounds like. So I googled it. We have fox around her. So next time I hear that sound, I'll be able to put an animal to it. thanks.
The first few times I heard that sound, I chased it across the canyon and up/ over a ridge before it was too far off. Most always around dusk. Sounded like something in pain, I was prepared to put it down. And now I know better. Now, the "Vixen scream" is a source of great enjoyment when company visits. People freak out when they do that about 40yrds. behind them in thick cover. Of course I play on that..................
God gave us so much....and nature and all its beauty is one of the most magnificent gifts of all. Great to hear you found the joy in the simple things.
I hear everything you said. Only thing you came close to missing is the wrens. How can such a tiny bird be so LOUD?
Had an ear splitting Carolina along the creek last week, the House aren't back yet and the Winter have headed north.
Great post Red Elm ! I always have my old beat up Stanley filled with fresh brew awaiting the tailgate break so I can just watch and listen. Being able to hear all those wonderful sounds at break is the main reason why I wear hearing protection when the saws and splitter are running.
Great post! Was sitting outside last evening listening to the first woodcock calling in my field and the phoebes showed up middle of last week and always a great sign of spring arriving. Bluebirds arrived this afternoon. Was certain I'd hear wood frogs or peepers in my pond last night - perhaps tonight. A beautiful creation indeed! Cheers!
Thanks Red Elm! As much as I like the adventure of cutting wood through all seasons: watching and listening to wildlife; smelling fresh cut hickory; finding deer horn drops and cool rocks....going outside loading my burner in the early morning hours is just as introspective. The clear night skies at 4:00am give me the opportunity to see shooting stars almost every night along with hearing the wind through the pine trees. Whispers of folks that I have long lost speak to me during those special times. May Gods blessings be upon all of you amid this special season.
