Animal House Party

2:30am on last night’s moonlit night.  Snow is still on the ground, but it’s a warmer evening.  I’m nestled in my oversized winter coat, mittens and hat pulled over my ears, seated on a lawn chair in the shadows by the house.  The house light is on, but my eyes have adjusted and I can clearly see the backyard’s open field and the trees that line the back and side yard.  I’m waiting, but my eyes are getting heavy.

3am  I must have fallen asleep.  I awake with a start because I hear a rustling sound from the treeline as my eyes adjust again to night vision.  Who on earth is that?

Out of the shadows emerges a party of epic proportions!  It’s a parade of animals, big and small, which seems to include families and friends that come traipsing through the trees onto my lawn.

Much to my surprise, a big group of black bears lumber into the yard.  There’s a pretty lady bear with a portable keyboard, two hippy looking boy bears with electric guitars and one baby bear who heads over to use my garbage cans as his own personal drum set.  Oh how exciting!  There will be music tonight!  I have a big smile on my face as I watch unseen from the shadows.

Soon enough, the biggest black bear gets everyone’s attention and the party begins.  A cacophony of wildlife cheering breaks the silence as the bear band begins to play.  Big Foot, as I hear he’s named, begins to croon Frank Sinatra’s Strangers in the Night and immediately the yard is full of dancers.  I search the couples and immediately spy two snakes undulating and doing their form of the rumba.  Mark was right!  There are deer dancing with big bucks, fawns and does, swaying to the music.  There are some Canadian geese dancing as well.  In the air above, the hawks are circling in time to the music.  On the ground nearby, I see some mice scurrying by, completely unaware of my presence because they are late to the party.  Whew!  Two black cats saunter over to dance, their tails entwined romantically.  There are plenty of animals who aren’t dancing, but are just standing around chatting away.  I can hear them as clearly as if they were speaking English to me instead of their native sounds.  It’s so much fun sitting here watching the scene as it unfolds!  I wish someone besides the moon were here with me to witness this!

As the younger ones get more excited, they call out for faster dances and Big Foot and his family band oblige.  A ruckus breaks out in the far corner by the trees.  There’s a lot of honking and I squint to be able to see what’s happening, but I can’t tell from this angle.  Maybe it’s the geese playing pool?

All of a sudden, I feel a heavy weight on me and down plops a big stork onto my lap!

I’m sorry little lady, but I’m bushed after dancing with Miz Heron and you’ve got the only seat in the house.  His crutch clattered to the ground.

You’re not afraid of me Sir?

Nope.  Not me.  You think you’re over here hiding don’t you?  That none of us saw you in your little lawn chair in the shadows?  He began to laugh uproariously.

I..I…I just wanted to see what was going on out here while I’m sleeping.  After that snowfall  the other day, I saw so many paw prints that I just had to come out tonight to see who was partying in my backyard!

Oh that’s ok Missy.  We don’t mind a bit.  Glad to see some life in this house finally.  You know your house was empty for quite awhile.

Yes, I did know that.  So you’ve been partying here for a long time?

Well, we have a fiesta once a season, but we especially like the snow, so we decided to host the Snow Ball twice this month because tonight is so warm.

Oh, I see.  I guess I picked the right night.

You certainly did, girlie.  He cupped a wing around his beak and bellowed out into the night.  Hey you geese, play nicely!  I hear you honking over there.  No cheating!

From the far darkest corner of the yard came a response:  Yes Sir, Mr. Stork!  It was just a little scuffle, but we’re ok.  Big Goose was trying to set up his shot and Clover the bunny tried to hop over the 8 ball and messed up our game.  It’s ok now.  We’ve put it all back to rights.

Ok, then play on and don’t let me hear you all honking so loudly anymore.  You’ll wake the neighbors over there! 

Mr. Stork turned back to me, leaned over to grab his crutch and got up.  I immediately felt so much lighter.

Now Missy, it’ll be sunup soon, so the party is winding down.  Nice to have met you.  I hope you enjoyed our show.

The music had stopped while I was so engrossed in the conversation with Mr. Stork.  I hadn’t realized it, but all the animals were now nearby and staring at me.  As I looked from face to face, I felt so blessed.  Each one was smiling at me.

Thanks for letting me attend your Snow Ball fiesta! 

Mr. Stork spoke for the group:  We are happy to make you a part of our family.

You are welcome here any time.  Thanks for letting me crash your party!

Next time, we will put a note on the porch to let you know when the party is again.  Bring your dancing shoes and you and I will boogie down!

Laughing, I grinned and said, I would love it!  Thanks everyone!  Safe home! 

As I turned to walk back to the house, I was grinning from ear to ear.  Laughing to myself, I thought, Nobody but Mark will believe this tale, but I will tell it on the blog tomorrow!  Hmmmm…..How did Mark know about the party???

Shine On!

xo

 

During and After The Eclipse Experience

Just before the eclipse was to begin, the cats remained awake, ears perked up, listening and watching the unseen.  I watched as their breath was steady, but ever so slightly quickened.  I wonder how they react to such a phenomena?  The quiet is amazing outside.  Stillness except for the whir of a car on our country road.  It’s as if we are all holding our breath for the big reveal – the darkness of the moon’s passing over the sun on a summer’s day.  In quiet anticipation, I await as I assume so many on our planet do at this moment.  Await the experience, even though I am not in the direct line of view where I live.  It is the experience of being outside with the world as darkness falls for a few precious moments and life is reset.

From inside our home, I see nothing different outside as I check my watch.  I still see the sunlight dappled on the ground, peeking through the leaves of the trees.  I know I have to look for the crescent-shaped shadows when it’s time.  I only hope I can get a photo or two to show you.  The eclipse is slated to begin at 1:20pm in my area, to peak at 2:45pm and to end at 4pm.  It is only 1pm and my limbs feel heavy suddenly.  Is it my imagination or is it a real feeling from the Universe?  Did you have any reactions as the eclipse time grew nearer?  I would love to hear how you spent the eclipse time?  I didn’t get glasses so I won’t be looking directly into the sun as I value my eyesight.

The winds have picked up.  I can see the leaves dancing on the limbs of the trees outside my window.  It feels like the anticipation before Christmas morning.  The sky grows dimmer.  It’s now 1:18pm.  It is silent except for the whispering of the wind through the trees.  Even the farmer across the street has stopped his tractor in the corn fields.  Outside it’s beginning to look like the darkening of the skies before a summer thunderstorm.  I’m not sure why I’m so riled up about the eclipse.  It feels like a giant present to the Universe for me to witness.  You know, like when you’ve bought the perfect gift for a loved one and they are about to open it and you just know they’re going to be so surprised and love it?

I watch a car stop across the street.  A teenage boy gets out, puts on his solar eclipse glasses and looks up to the sky.  Since I don’t have glasses, I wonder what he sees if anything yet?  Is it too early to see a change?

Meanwhile, at the same time in Los Angeles, a friend sent this photo:

A friend in Los Angeles just sent this photo of the crescent-shaped shadows on concrete. Cool!

No need to wear sunglasses now.  Skies are darkening overhead slowly, but steadily.  I await hungrily in anticipation.  Do you?

2pm Cats meowing relentlessly.  Do they feel it?  Do you?  Do your pets?  What was their reactions, if any?  Outside the light is fading.  No sunshine to see.  No shadows on the ground.  Willow tree gently sways in the gentle breeze.  No birds are chirping.  No movement from any animals either.  Are they resting?  Do they think evening is here already?

Clouds have darkened the sky. Only a sliver of blue remains and the sun is covered by dark clouds.

Suddenly three geese burst forth honking on their way across the sky.

And then all grows eerily quiet.

Until the clouds part for the briefest of moments and voila! I capture the eclipse!

And then again, two seconds later!

I guess my Universal gift was that I was able to photograph the eclipse because of the cloud cover.  However, I am dismayed that I never got a shot of the crescent-shaped shadows on the ground though.  Thank goodness my friend sent me a photo earlier in the day which I shared here.

It may have been the big reveal that wasn’t such a big reveal, but as you read through my two posts about my experiences, perhaps you’ll share yours.

What’s the big reveal to me?

I think it’s the unity in experience that counts.

Each person’s experience is one’s own,

even when it’s as universal as seeing an eclipse in the sky

over our planet Earth.

Shine On!

xo

 

As The Geese Go By

I moved a few months ago and I am more out in the country now, including having a historic farm across the street which grows rows upon rows, acres upon acres of corn.  It’s an interesting place to live and I’m enjoying the change for now.

Last night, I had an interesting experience.  I was outside when I heard a cacophony of geese and watched as a flock of them flew down the street in front of my house!  Flew down the street, only about 15 feet above the actual road!  The experience made me smile thinking how they were following the windy country road.  About ten minutes later, I heard the honking and they came back up the road in a similar fashion.

Suddenly they made a left turn, still in formation and flew over my home, only a few feet above the rooftop.  I could see them perfectly as they flew by overhead!  Honking loudly, about 20 of them went by.

This morning when I awoke, I heard them before I saw them.  Hundreds of them sitting in the corn field across the street from my home.  The farmer had razed part of the field and there the flock was, all sitting or standing and facing the same direction.  At times one would open its wings (it was raining at first) as if to dry them.  But for hours, they have been there, occasionally honking to one another.

Then the rain slowed to light showers and the sun began to peek out!  By the way, that’s rain, as I was standing outside on the porch and not a dirty window lol!

It’s just so curious to me as I’ve never had any experience with geese.  I guess it’s a part of the transition in my life, but I’m liking it!  New experiences, learning new things and noticing the beauty which surrounds us.  I’m curious though, does anyone know why they are all seem to be facing the same direction?

I don’t remember seeing geese so active so I’m not sure if it’s where I live or this time of year?  I have watched two groups of them criss-cross, in different directions within minutes of each other.  One flying north to south, the other flying east to west and then coming back again fly by and change direction.

It’s almost like they’re blessing our home!

Or is that my overactive imagination at work? LOL

Knowing me, you realize that I looked up the goose symbolism, right?  I found it here in case you were interested as well!

Here’s a little part of it:  Goose spirit animal carries the magical totem powers of synchronicity….It is from this power of synchronicity that they draw their strength and abilities of endurance….creating a group mind for the benefit of all geese in the flock.  

Now doesn’t that sound like a great totem at this time in our lives?

Either way, have you seen more geese than usual?  Have you ever had such an experience?  Anyone know more about geese?

Just wondering!

Shine On!

xo