This morning I was sitting on my couch, at work, when I looked up at the door to my porch and saw this:
This fuzzy guy (or girl) sat there for about 15-20 minutes, blinking lazily and occasionally closing its eyes. Eventually it stretched and yawned (I’m not overly fond of squirrels but it was SO CUTE) and shifted to get some more sun.
I threw some nuts out onto the deck, but apparently it wanted a nap more than food, because other than watching me warily, it did not respond to the offer at all.
That was my first delightful encounter with nature today, but it was far from the last.
It was a perfect day so I went for a walk in a local nature preserve. There I saw, in the following order (you will have to just trust me because unfortunately I didn’t have a camera on hand):
- two mallard ducks fighting over a female
- a woodchuck climbing a tree, which I didn’t even know they did, but yep, they do. I learned something new today.
- what I later identified as an eastern ribbon snake (I literally prayed that I would see a snake today, because I am a weirdo)
- two deer grazing in a meadow
- a vulture circling
- a great blue heron fishing
- AN ACTUAL BLUEBIRD
I think I might qualify for Disney princess status now.
So, I know it has been too long since I updated this blog, mainly because a lot of personal stuff has been going on that I figure most of you wouldn’t be interested in. Not a lot of brilliant spiritual insights or new tips for INTJs or even any unique thoughts about Age of Ultron. A few things, though: I am going to Colorado in one month, and planning a possible small-scale road trip to geek out at some historic sites in Pennsylvania later this summer, and I may be going to Chicago in a couple weeks, so perhaps there will be photos and stories to share from one or all of these events!
Some personal updates, in case you are actually interested: I started going to a new church that I like very much, I am taking an antidepressant that is doing amazing things for my mood but worsening my insomnia (so some tweaking is needed), and going gluten-free is still working out for me even though I keep having stupid dreams about accidentally eating things with gluten in them. One dream involved a cupcake, another a pretzel, and the most recent one involved a Chicken McNugget, though how I ate one of those accidentally I have no idea.
Emily Jacobs: Freelance Writer 
Glad to hear from you again, Em. It’s great your mood is better and that you’ve found a church that is working out. Kinda had a nature drive on the way to work earlier this week. Saw a deer and fox. Which was unusual.
I’ve been lurking about silently on your blog now for a while, but I had to comment when you mentioned the gluten dreams. Aren’t they awful? My whole family stopped eating wheat last year and I had those dreams off and on for months. I’d wake up sweating because I accidentally ate fictional fried chicken at my grandmother’s house, or a brownie at a social gathering. It does, however, eventually get better. Hopefully.
Though, if we’re striving to stay positive, the horrifying visions might help encourage the dreamer to keep up their guard at wheat-infested social gatherings. Maybe.
Oh THANK YOU. I’m so glad to know I’m not alone in these bizarre terrible dreams (and that it gets better)!
You only qualify as a Disney princess if you spontaneously burst into song with animal accompaniment
.
Or a candlestick!