Who Knew, I might actually BE a morning person?

I have never been a morning kind of person. Normally, I am not a great sleeper and what sleep I do get tends to be late in the sleep cycle and by morning, I am just not all that ready to put boots to the ground.

But all that changed when these came to live with us.






That beautiful rooster above goes by the name Hamlet. He has a brother, Horatio. They don't find any need to be extra quiet in the morning. And as soon as they sense the slightest bit of light in the sky they start crowing to be let out of the coop and down into the run.



And if the weather is particulary cold, I must take the waterer back in the house and refill it with warm water because chickens really must drink a lot and often to be healthy. If you let them drink really cold water, it chills them from inside, and that's not so good.

So once I get all that done, there are 2 very hungry house cats to be dealt with. Most mornings, my old grey kitty is awake and on my upper chest just about the same times as the first rooster crows. He is not all that happy about being 2nd in line but he doesn't get a choice. So as soon as I get back in, that can of cat food gets popped open and that makes them happy campers til evening.

Next up, 2 doggies. One who sleeps in the house and one out in a kennel in the garage. Both are very ready to go outside. Not as much for a nature call, as one to observe what the outside world has to offer them today. So poor tired, sometimes cold me is out trying to get both of them to stop nosing all around and get the necessary potty business done.

Then finally I get to pay just a little attention to me. I get to pour a cup of this.



And I get to take it and another bowl of cat food out to the guest apartment and feed Finn who is also waiting anxiously. Not for the food, but for the company. She has already watched me go make my morning runs out to the coop and she is also not happy that she was not first in line!!



I knowit looks like she could miss a few breakfasts, but actually, she is still a kitten and not all that plump. It was just this position she takes on the floor when she knows I am on my way in the door. She wants her belly rubbed immediately. Before the cat food, before I can sit down to drink that coffee and start the most peaceful part of the morning.

Bird watching. Right outside the french doors of the apartment is a wonderful garden, now with bird feeders positioned for the best view from indoors. I pull the chair into a prime spot, and sit with that coffee in such blissful quiet. Sometimes Finn even bird watches herself, from a perch right by the door.



But much of the time, she thinks she can get those birdies if she really tries. And that involves several charges to the door. The doors, that she finds are very inconvenient for her birding instincts. Oh well, lots of much bigger predators live outside, including one of my dogs. So she will eventually get used to the fact that she can only sit and watch the show.













None of these pictures can come close to capturing the experience I am getting every morning. I find that just getting near the window with the camera sends all the pretty birdies scurrying away. Many times I have as many as 10 adult male cardinals and their mates, 2 or 3 tufted titmice, 2 to 3 blue jays, numerous Carolina Chickadees, white crowned sparrows, white bearded sparrows, towhees, juncos, house finches, ect. Also one very gorgeous red bellied woodpecker. Then of course, the squirrel. Soon I plan on getting one of those really good feeder pole systems with the various add on arms. And a squirrel baffle. But once I do that, I will also buy a squirrel feeder cause, heck, if they already live in my yard, I should get to watch how cute they are. Yes, some call them tree rats. So what, I got ground rats too and unless they come inside, I happily let them live their lives.

But I guess the whole purpose of this post is to let you live my morning, vicariously with me. The peace and serenity that I get from these small hours is amazing. This morning, as I was ready to come in, Finn decided momma's lap was the softest, warmest, bestest place to take a morning nap. Allowing me even more time to watch those awesome birdies.

Hopefully I will start blogging a bit more. Now that I have found Pinterest.com. So many great ideas to do for the garden this spring. I am already working on several of them and should have reveal posts soon. See you then