One of my favorite things about Spring is the sound of birds chirping to greet the day.
Every morning Simcha and I take a long hike in the beautiful Santa Monica mountains where I allow him to run off leash and we enjoy a time of peace and quiet before the daily activities begin. I'm quite certain that for Simcha his favorite part is either his romp in the pond or collecting sticks. But for me it is the sound of birds chirping all around us.
During our walk I try and put everything else out of mind except the sound of the birds singing. I listen to the birds, enjoy the scent of earth and plants warmed by the sun, and take deep breaths. If I have a few extra minutes I will sit and watch as Simcha plays nearby. I find our walks especially soothing when the aggravations and stress of work are exceedingly burdensome, such as they are now.
It is my favorite time of the day and perhaps that's what appealed to me about this little bird. I only wish he could sing. It makes me smile seeing him sitting here on a twig collected by Simcha on one of our walks.
Particulars: Pattern by
The Paper Shed (The Curious Robin); hand dyed wool felt by
Quilting Acres which was a good choice for this pattern as it's soft and very pliable; a miscellaneous fabric quarter; polyester fill (used to stuff all my toys); beads for eyes; and crafting wire. This was a very fun and easy pattern to follow and I'm sure I'll make many more of these little birds. N.B.: This particular little bird has not been the same since a traumatic incident when he was almost swallowed by Simcha. Something about his little legs has not been quite right since and is by no means a reflection on the pattern or design.
Savory Tea Nibbles
I generally have something sweet with my afternoon tea but occasionally I enjoy a savory tea instead. This is a plate of goat and stilton cheese with honey drizzled over the top along with crackers. It makes for a nice change of pace.
Until next time, be well and love well and take a few minutes in your day to find a quiet place where you can close your eyes and listen to the birds singing. You will be glad you did.
So absolutely delicious!! That little bird makes me happy. :))
ReplyDeleteThat is adorable!
ReplyDeleteI sighed as I read your description of your morning walks. How idyllic! And wonderful.
I too love listening to the birds. Their chirping wakens me in the morning and I can hear them singing and talking all day! In my imagination, I think perhaps we occasionally listen to the same birds as they fly around in the mountains. Take extra time for rest and chirping during this very stressful season of work.
ReplyDeleteOh, is he the blue bird of happiness??
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like you both have a great start to your day! and a great way to prepare for whatever craziness the day brings.
ReplyDeleteI love your bird...he's still adorable despite being almost swallowed by Simcha!
That little bird is so cute and your morning walks sound lovely. What I wouldn't give for a little time with just me and the dogs before I started my day.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely! That birdie is very cute! I envy you your walks with Simcha! Sounds fantastic.
ReplyDeleteSuch a cute little bird. I know what you mean about clearing your mind when you are stressed and just listening to the natural sounds around you. Thank you for posting this as I am having a very stressful time at work and this put things into a clearer perspective for me. I will take time tomorrow to listen to nature. Have a great weekend Claudia.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post; I can hear the birds singing. Sorry to hear work is annoying - I can empathize :) I love that little bird. So cute. We had 10 cm of snow yesterday - so sad. It was pretty much gone and now it will take days to disappear again. Just when I was going to start running home from work! I think I need some of your weather. It sounds like Simcha is becoming a grown up dog, since you are trusting him off leash. Obviously all that hard work you did with him, training, is paying off. I hope work gets a little better for you. I am sending you good karma. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet little bird! And those are very good ideas for keeping a busy life in balance.
ReplyDeleteLOVE your happy little blue bird, Claudia! So sweet... And so lovely hearing about your serene start to the mornings. But I was heartened to hear about Simcha trying to munch this little blue bird... I do hope Blue Birdie is OK now! :o/ Speaking of munching, I like a savory nibble with tea now & then too. Pretty plate you've assemble here... Happy Days, my friend :o) ((HUGS))
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely way to start the day. What a beautiful little bluebird. And oh my that tea snack looks devine. I'm envious.
ReplyDeleteSeriously - I drooled over that last photo and description. The bird is adorable, and I too love the birds I see and hear on our dog walks, but man I want some stilton right now!
ReplyDeleteOh, poor little Simcha-attacked little sky blue bird. Given that in the natural world there are many dangers to small creatures, his little slightly-askew legs make him seem even more lifelike.
ReplyDeleteUrsula
That's my favorite sound in the morning, the birds waking to greet the dawn. We don't hear them all winter and boy have I missed them. Glad to hear you rescued this darling little bird from Simcha, the naughty boy - it's just adorable, Claudia!
ReplyDeletewhat lovely thoughts put down here..and a sweet Spring bird...the songs are sung...you can hear them if you listen,Claudia
ReplyDeleteLove the bird! So adorable. What a great reminder to have indoors about the peacefulness of being out of doors :) I hope things at work settle down for you soon.
ReplyDeleteI walk my dogs off leash each morning too. This past week i have been glimpsing at the newspaper as i walk - i can still hear the birds but it's not the same. Next week i will walk and focus solely on the new leaves and flowers and on the singing birds. Your bird is just lovely - and hardy as it appears he made it though the swallowing ordeal unscathed. I love savory treats with my tea as well - provides a perfect excuse to put extra honey in the tea! Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your nice comments and ~ Ursula ~ that was certainly putting a positive spin on what happened - LOL
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to start each day...I should take your example and do the same. It would go a long way to relieving stress and pent up frustration I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteAnd the little blue bird is just adorable!
The bird is adorable!
ReplyDeleteAnd there's a place out here in California, called Lisa's Tea Treasures...and your cute display of food on the plate reminded me so much of what they serve there.
Thank You!
Love the bird.. and I can relate I take my little poochy up to El Dorado Park in Long Beach and we walk around the duck pond, she just loves to watch the birds and chase the squirrels... you're not too far from me. :)
ReplyDeleteI know it's spring when the birds start singing! I love hearing their voices tool. How wonderful to walk in solitude each morning. and your little blue bird is adorable!!
ReplyDeleteTea time looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteThe birds around here amazing right now. So many yellow finches that I cannot count! And the crazy woodpeckers are in their usual form!
one of my favourite things too ~ what a cute bird!
ReplyDeletehiking in the fresh air with dogs is a joy for me too, the dogs really love to romp loose
be well and take care!
How beautiful! I think you really captured the feel of a bird here! With his head tilted a bit!
ReplyDeleteYour walk sounds great, I felt like I was there. Makes me think I need to take time and go for one myself.
Although the location won't be as nice
*grin*
Vicki
I love this bluebird...I am loving all things bird lately for some reason! And your tea ideas are so inspirational...thanks for sharing!
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