Just Jazzy 311

Jazzy Does 100 Days of Happiness 98

Happiness is watching the little birds throw seeds off the feeder for the bigger birds on the ground while the squirrel scolds all of them for having the nerve to be there in the first place.

I Love You June!

“If a June night could talk, it would probably boast that it invented romance.” Bern Williams

Starting off in the month of June is like starting off on the first day of a holiday and knowing that there are days and days to follow just like this one.  Because all that warm sunny weather in July and August and September is still to come and winter is far, far away.  It’s also the month of the property tax bill, but I’ve already paid that just to get it over with and make the interval from now until the next one that much longer.  And the longer daylight of this month is maybe the best thing about it.  Going to work in the daylight and coming home in the daylight – wow.  Makes me feel like work is not the only thing I did while the sun was shining.

There are birds in the bird house, seeds in the bird feeder, nuts and things in that little tray for the squirrel and green leaves on the tree.  A big black crow has taken a liking to the squirrel food and the squirrel is not amused.  It can get a little noisy out there.

And speaking of noisy, I was finally able to snap a picture of my elusive magpie, hopping about on the garage roof screeching magpie expletives at me.  There’s a reason why it’s called wildlife.

Sparkly shingles are not his natural habitat, although he does spend a lot of time up there pretending to be severely pissed off.  It’s actually my roof buddy, you need to get over yourself.  And come down to the ground where I can get a decent shot of your mad little face.

Photogravure of Robert Browning, 1865, printed c. 1893 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“And let them pass, as they will too soon,

With the bean-flowers’ boon,

And the blackbird’s tune,

And May, and June!” 

Robert Browning

Well, I’m off to flip over all the calendars.  Be still my heart.  Have a perfectly beautiful June kind of day.

About Hummingbirds and Summer

This is a close up picture of a Papyrus greeting card that I was given.  I was thinking I should use it for my submission to the weekly photo challenge (this week the theme is Summer), even though I’ve never been part of that challenge before except as a spectator in awe of other people’s photographs.  Perhaps this particular photo choice will give you a clue as to why I’ve been reluctant to take the challenge.  I might not be taken seriously.  Because the word “summer” probably  doesn’t normally conjure up visions of paper flowers covered in glitter and little glass beads.

However, hummingbirds should make you think of summer, and the Papyrus people appear to be obsessed by them.  So if you take that into account, maybe my summer greeting card makes perfect sense.  And if not perfect, at least a miniscule amount of it.  Here is what they have to say about hummingbirds.

Hummingbird (Photo credit: Marie Carter)

Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. Hummingbirds open our eyes to the wonder of the world and inspire us to open our hearts to loved ones and friends. Like a hummingbird, we aspire to hover and to savor each moment as it passes, embrace all that life has to offer and to celebrate the joy of everyday. The hummingbird’s delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life’s sweetest creation.

Now seriously, did you know all that about these little birds?  I’ll bet even THEY don’t know the half of it.  Still, the sentiments are lovely, and that’s really what greeting cards are all about.  They inspire us to say stuff like “Wow, this flower reminds me of the beach” or “good gawd there’s glitter everywhere!”   

I actually love this card – I don’t know why I’m making fun of it.  Even the envelope is gorgeous.  And I have nothing against hummingbirds as long as I don’t have to wash out those annoying feeders that people hang up to attract them.  E-cards are fun, but there’s something solid and comforting about holding a real one in your hand, seeing an actual signature, stashing it away in your sock drawer, taking it out and smiling over it at some future date.  And snapping a close up picture of it, if you have no real life to speak of.  That’s a definite plus for the real thing.