Bliss...

The sun is just starting to come up over the canyon as Jack and I head out for our daily walk, my favorite part of the day! As we approach the thicket the quail eye us cautiously as we walk by. I call out "Good Morning" to them, they reply (in quail talk, of course!) We round the bend to check the canal at the side of the lane, no ducks yet today. We hear a familiar cooing sound and spot two beautiful mourning doves on the telephone line above us, Lovey and Dovey. (I name all the critters, don't you?) I answer in my best dove impression! As we near the old barn, we see an early morning visitor, a young deer has ventured down, perhaps to get a drink from the canal. I tell him how pretty he is, so he stands still

and lets me take his picture.

We walk in silence, enjoying the cool, fresh morning air. We pass the house with the two Jack Russell puppies, they run over to the fence for a pat on the head. I receive puppy kisses through the fence. The morning is quite cool, and I find a beautiful dragonfly in the roadway, still not warmed enough to fly. I carefully carry him over to a bush, where he settles in the sunlight. I take his picture, what lovely wings he has! We wave and call out "Good Morning" to the older couple we pass each day, well into their eighties, still out there walking, still holding hands, and I think to myself how precious that is. I can hear the canyon stream even before we reach it, it flows fast thanks to all of the recent rains. I must stop and take another picture of it. We cross over to check out the lovingly tended vegetable garden the older couple maintains. Peas and strawberries looking good! Mr. Robin seems to think the strawberries are ripe enough to try! Next to the vegetable garden is what I call "the forest" where tall pines fill one end of the property to the other. Jack spots movement, so we pause. There are two baby squirrels scampering up and down in the pines! They refuse to stop and pose for a portrait, as the deer did, so I start snapping away. Luckily they show up in a picture. I will try again tomorrow, maybe they needed more time to get ready for a photo op! We start back home, passing what I call the "fairytale house". It just looks so old-fashioned and cute in that tranquil setting. We linger for a few minutes to chat with the man who owns a lovely historic Victorian home. We chat about his gardens, the birds singing, his roses in bloom, what I call the "precious" moments of the day. Soon we are back home, refreshed and renewed, ready to take on the day. Our cares have melted away and it is a peaceful feeling. Go ahead, take a Nature walk! But don't just keep your eyes open for the wonders we saw today, keep an open mind and heart as well...