Unsettled Skies

The smoke was just billowing as I crested the hill from work today.  There is no denying it.  This isn't going away very soon.  The feel of rain in the air was brief.  The smoke pushing toward the heavenlies, entertwined with the clouds while the sunshine shone through an opening.  It was a magnificent sight. 

When I drove in our driveway, I remembered my "fine figure of a man" saying I could park in the garage.  It was a welcoming sight and made me thankful.  Maybe I'm spoiled but there is nothing like a garaged car when winter comes.  My hubbie worked hard today and it was evident.

I think a lot about the view.  So I thought I'd share part of my special view.  On Sunday I rolled out of bed in time to grab a cup of coffee and head out to the back yard to enjoy the cool morning air.  About half way through my steamy goodness, I noticed a hummingbird low to the ground.  It was doing its thing about the bushes.  Soon it switched to the dogwood tree.  My interest peaked as to what it was up to because there are no blooms on the tree at this time.  So I watched.  What it did next was so sweet.  It was bathing between three leaves.  The water had come from the early morning sprinkling that is lavished on our backyard daily.  The hummingbird was enjoying the small puddling amongst the trio of not just one but multiple clusters of healthy, green leaves.  As I enjoyed the "filling of this vessel" moment, I thanked God for the sweetness he lavished upon me on this particularly tough Sunday morning.

The fair was on its last day.  It was one of those weeks when the activities of some of the most fine families around Siskiyou County get together and celebrate some of what this county is about.  Livestock and tradition.  Acutely aware of the day, schedule and activity of this special little county fair, there were many moments replayed and missed.  One day I'm sure we will go and watch and smell the memories with a smile on our faces. 

We have a couple of gray squirrels who live among our trees.  Today they were working together to gather the acorns.  First they had to get them out of the tree.  So in squirrel like fashion, they were knocking as many to the ground as possible in one afternoon.  I'm sure they intended on gathering when the time was right.  Foiled.  They did not factor in the "blow and go" that my "fine figure of a man" planned for the yard today.  I'm thinking that if the squirrels are gathering acorns early in August that God has a wet, cold Fall planned for us here in Scott Valley.  On a day like today I'm just going to hang on to that thought.