Monday, September 1, 2008

From my Kitchen Window




My favourite room in my little house is the kitchen. It is light and bright and has three windows, each with views of nature. As I stood at the kitchen sink washing the breakfast dishes this morning, the activity on the lawn and in the big hazelnut trees heralded the start of a new day – two squirrels, six robins, two Northern flickers (oh, they are so beautiful!), two Stellar Jays, a goldfinch and a purple house finch.

I glanced out the back window toward the pasture and saw Martin, the alpaca, lying by the pasture gate, his head down flat on the soft damp earth, eyes closed in a blissful slumber, so at ease with himself and his surroundings. The leaves are turning, and the reds and yellows and many shades of greens and browns as summer fades to autumn provide a beautiful palette with which to paint my memories.

Minutes later, from the window over the buffet, I watched a beautiful heron swoop gracefully around in a circle before landing on the neighbour’s pond, and just beyond I see a solitary longhaired cat dressed in gorgeous Siamese colours patiently stalking mice in the field.

Today was my birthday – and my favourite gifts of all were ones that cost not a penny: a sweet gentle nudge from my dogs, the funny upraised snoutie of a piggy, the "nnh, nnh, nhh" of a happy alpaca, a smile and hug from a friend, the light tap on the arm from my cat.....and the views from my kitchen window.

11 comments:

Jen in SLO said...

Having views like that makes washing dishes less of a chore! My kitchen window looks out on my driveway. :p

Happy birthday!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Jean! I love reading your site and check it regularly.

Hope you have wonderful students this year!

Irene (from Brindle)

Anonymous said...

Happy belated Birthday, Jean! I hope you had a GREAT day! Love your blog! That's my daughter in the last photo of your Turtle Gardens entry with her back to the camera and her arm around Sadie. :-)

Anonymous said...

What wonderful tranquil views you have from your windows. That would almost make washing dishes a pleasant chore. I envy you.

Else.

Colleen said...

Happy ( belated ) Birthday Jean!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful picture you paint with your words! :D

I want to hear a happy "nnh, nnh!" from Martin, too. That sounds absolutely precious.

Happy Birthday, Jean!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Jean!

I'm glad we finally met the other day. That was a most memorable experience for all and validations are still coming in! Continue with your wonderful stories....I am a committed reader. Looking forward to another meeting someday soon.....and have a very Special Day!!

Unknown said...

Happy belated 29th again Jean! I don't even know how many times I've turned 29...
Thank you so much for posting your wonderful photos from the Turtle Gardens re-union. Your story telling as usual is right-on, and you always capture the 'right'moments.
I don't have a kitchen window in front of my sink, just a cupboard and backsplash. Your kitchen window is as pretty as a picture.

Jean said...

Audrey, I wondered whose child that was - what a perfectly delightful (and obviously animal-loving) daughter you have! She was so very gentle with Sadie.

Thank you, all, for the birthday greetings. Nana, I shall try to catch Martin's "nhh, nhh, nhh" happy sounds on video for you!

Anonymous said...

That sounds like a wonderful birthday to me! Happy belated B'day Jean!
~Joelle

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a perfectly lovely birthday!

Belated happiness!

Sharon & Crystal