Happy New Year 2015

       What a quiet beginning to 2015! 

       We have family around but are unable to spend time with them as they have been dealing with the flu. They seem to be improving but now Gary has a head and chest cold. Save for coughing and sneezing, it has been a quiet end to 2014 and an even quieter beginning to 2015.

       Gary has been resting, as have the cats. And while no one was watching, the annual visitors to our yard have returned.  

       Now, we'll have ducks staring longingly at our kitchen windows every morning when we wake. They wait for Gary to feed them.

       If he's not better soon, that will be my job.

       Happy New Year 2015. Things change, things remain the same.

Southeast Cove, Big Tancook Island, NS

From Big Tancook Island, 

we watched this boat sail across Southeast Cove 

and moor.

It stayed for several days and nights.

We wondered if it belonged to one of

the many summer residents on the island

or to someone visiting, like us.

The island in the background is Ironbound Island, 

the third Tancook Island.  

This view is the one we enjoyed 

throughout our vacation in the rental cottage

on Big Tancook Island.

Words in coloured text will take you to another site with additional information, if you click on them.

Reflection

Reflection

Pond…

mirror

of deep sky,

of fern and leaf…

neighbour to moss covered stones, alive with

beetle and robin, chipmunk and goldfinch.

Ripples of splash

where ducks rest,

breathing life.

Pond

sings its

generous

song of quiet,

heals a world

that has forgotten

how

to mirror

Peace.

Photo is mine.

Shediac River NB

We saw Common Mergansers and Bald Eagles at the Shediac River last Sunday. 

As we sat watching pairs of Common Mergansers swimming and diving on the river, we noticed an immature Bald Eagle land in a tree near the water’s edge.

The immature Bald Eagle sat and watched the ducks, and watched us watching the ducks.   Shortly after it landed, a mature Bald Eagle flew overhead, perhaps the parent.

The mature bird captivated us with an aerial display, swooping and diving and floating…the acrobatics on air looked effortless.

The eagles stayed for 15 minutes, then disappeared as quietly as they had arrived.   The ducks kept up their activities undisturbed.  

We continued watching, with nothing more exciting to view than ice melting...the last of it, we hope.

It was a peaceful Sunday afternoon at the river, breathing Spring.

Photos are mine.

Rainy Day Quiet

Rainy Day Quiet

Listening to the rain tapping on leaves and cars swooshing on the road below, I sit with the cat at the window.   He is watching the rain trail down the window and a grey squirrel racing around the oak tree caching acorns.   Outside is damply dark and feeling chilly.  Skies are uniformly a puffy grey.  Drizzly mist hangs over the city across the river.

Inside, we have finished our Saturday tradition of sizzled bacon, scrambled eggs and marmalade toast with apple pie for breakfast dessert (hmm, a fruit serving).  The kitchen is cinnamon fragrant and warm from baking the pie.  The heat comforts us against today’s damp chills.

I’m feeling sedentary, lazy, anticipating peacefulness—reading, knitting, cozy by the fireplace on this rainy grey day.  I am content.