{"id":776,"date":"2015-09-03T12:30:46","date_gmt":"2015-09-03T17:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lostpineslife.com\/?p=776"},"modified":"2015-09-03T13:52:42","modified_gmt":"2015-09-03T18:52:42","slug":"home-to-little-piney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lostpineslife.com\/?p=776","title":{"rendered":"Home to Little Piney"},"content":{"rendered":"

Return to Little Piney<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

After being away for a month, I was happy to be heading home to Little Piney, and anxious to see what the 100+ temperatures and scarce rain had wrought. \u00a0As I pulled up to the house in hot mid-afternoon, Little Piney was silent and still except for three squawking crows. \u00a0The feeders were empty and abandoned. \u00a0The grass–waist high and green in July– shone silver and had fallen leaving the fields looking dry and weedy. \u00a0The fields were not as scorched as I feared, but the grass around the house was crisp and brown. \u00a0In spite of the watering bags I placed around each little tree planted in the spring, I lost most of them.<\/p>\n

It was early evening before I was free to take a slow walk around and say a proper hello to Little Piney. \u00a0Near the house\u00a0I heard tiny peeps from small morning glory-cloaked trees . \u00a0With a closer look I spied three hummingbirds darting in and out of the leaves. \u00a0I was happy to see them! By breakfast next day, the hummers were draining the porch feeder as if we had never been gone.<\/p>\n

\"Female<\/a>
Female Black Chinned hummingbird<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Hummingbirds<\/a>
Hummingbirds at the feeder<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As I walked back toward the lake, I began to hear familiar bird calls and songs–woodpeckers, vireos, pine warblers, cardinals and a few new ones, yet unidentified. \u00a0A curious young mockingbird watched me from a perch\u00a0near the road. \u00a0A calling red-shouldered hawk lit on a bare branch and was soon joined by her mate.<\/p>\n

\"Red<\/a>
Red shouldered hawk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Juvenile<\/a>
Juvenile Mockingbird<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On the other side of the trail, atop an old dead pine, five young bluebirds gathered outside a nest cavity. \u00a0Looking up at their high playground, I thought that a nest box must be boring compared to a tree house.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Young Eastern Bluebirds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Young<\/a>
Young Eastern Bluebirds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Young<\/a>
Young Eastern Bluebird<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I surprised two brown rabbits and two small deer along the way. \u00a0As I approached the lake, a great blue heron rose and vanished in a flash of long wings. \u00a0All was well by the lake–canoe and picnic table in place, poison ivy under control, fish, turtles and frogs present and accounted for.<\/p>\n

A gang of crows cawed raucously around the bend\u00a0of the lake as they often due when they harass a hawk. \u00a0I walked toward the noise for a better look, and as I reached\u00a0the corner where our property meets the woods loud screeches pealed from the closest trees. \u00a0Over my head rose two large birds, still crying out. \u00a0I saw a flash of \u00a0blinding white, powerful beating wings and long legs extended past square tails. \u00a0A pair of Snowy Egrets! One circled back briefly and then they were gone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Really at home<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

When I pulled in to Little Piney earlier that day I was loaded with worries and to do lists. \u00a0For the first time ever, I didn’t feel stress shed like a snake skin and\u00a0a mantle of peace, gratitude, and joy fall over me as I approached. \u00a0I always smile when I turn off the\u00a0highway to drive the last mile between towering pines, but not this day. I noticed what I already know, that anxiety kills joy as fast as a coyote kills a rabbit.\u00a0 Now that I was spending time with Little Piney visiting my favorite trees, pausing at the loveliest views, and silently making contact with the creatures I felt the peace, joy, and gratitude return.<\/p>\n

Speaking of coyotes, that same night we heard a very loud concert of yips and howls at the new full moon. \u00a0We realized that the pack was just down by the lake, here at Little Piney.<\/p>\n

The funniest animal behavior of the day was the appearance of a roadrunner on the well house roof, who later came around to the front porch and tapped on the window. \u00a0Very neighborly of him to welcome us home!<\/p>\n

\"Greater<\/a>
Greater Roadrunner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"DSC_0133\"<\/a>
Greater Roadrunner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Return to Little Piney   After being away for a month, I was happy to be heading home to Little Piney, and anxious to see what the 100+ temperatures and scarce rain had wrought. \u00a0As I pulled up to the house in hot mid-afternoon, Little Piney was silent and still except for three squawking crows.Continue 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