The winds have finally settled down and all is quiet again. For two days the winds howled-making the house breath a little, shake once like a water dog shaking off water after a good swim and it made me glad to get back inside once I was finished walking all the dogs. On the flip side the bird watching was wonderful. Driving across town one afternoon I saw eight hundred to one thousand geese flying together to the rivers. It was a great sight and deafening to hear even over the wind. I saw lots of songbirds hunkered in the trees-robins, blue jays, mockingbirds, chickadees, cedar waxwings, cardinals and many more. I saw many hawks-red tailed hawks, kestrels, a coopers hawk and sharp shinned hawk. A few bald eagles too. My favorite birds to watch in the winds are the turkey and black vultures. I know many people’s first instinct is yuck a vulture but their gliding and soaring ability is second to none. I watched twenty ride some thermals up and then come diving down to glide along for many hundreds of yards to ride the thermal again. Never once flapping a wing.. They are natures cleaner uppers. Today I passed thirty feasting on a deer carcass. When I came back by half an hour later they were all in one tree, some with there wings spread. It would have made even Edgar Allen Poe smile.

I always give up something for Lent which I believe starts this Wednesday. I was raised Christian but have also explored and incorporated some other religions into my belief system-Buddhism, Judaism, Quakers and my own soul searching. I have not attended church in quite a long while but I am the only one of my family or friends who gives up something for Lent.. Today I passed a church that had on their sign Try Taking The 40 Day Gratitude Challenge. I thought I am up for that! I try now to find something to be grateful for everyday no matter how bad my day is going. Trust me some days it is a struggle to find anything to be grateful for but once I find one thing I can usually find more. I thought I would step up the 40 Day Challenge and make it personal with people and not just be grateful for things or situations. I’ll let you know how successful I was after Easter.

Now for the pictures. I took the top one while at work on Wednesday evening, the middle one is of a new barn that has been built across the river. They tore the old barn down over the summer last year. I was so sad but I am happy to see this one go up. It looks beautiful. The farm used to house dairy cows. I’m not sure what they use it for now. The bottom picture is out the window of my kitchen when we had a wee little snow.

I wish you a great week. Happy Mardi Gras. And I invite you to join me if you wish on Wednesday to start the 40 Day gratitude challenge in whatever form you would like! Blessings to everyone.