No, it's probably not what you're thinking .... since retiring from my journalism career (for the most part anyway) I haven't taken a new job.
Although there are many days here in Frog Hollow in scenic Northeast Iowa where I feel like my days ARE a job ... like today.
As I stood in our Great Room debating how I could reach the cobwebs taunting me from eight feet above my head, a loud thud against the window behind me, interrupted my thoughts. As quick as I could get to our large picture window, our Mama Cat, "Lulu" had latched on to the vibrant blue indigo bunting that had knocked himself silly.
Sans shoes, I ran to the basement and out the door to retrieve the bird from becoming Lulu's lunch. Considering I feed my cats well & just began teaching Lulu's five kittens to join her at the dish, I didn't feel bad about depriving her of what she thought would be a tasty treat.
Dazed and confused, the little bunting's heart beat rapidly against my hand as I carried it to the sunflower feeder – now more than six feet high to keep the cats away. Over the next hour while I made my Aunt Audrey's custard rhubarb pie, I checked on the indigo. Eventually he had regained his senses to the point he was able to fly away.
Actually, today was pretty much a repeat of last Thursday, when a female woodpecker being pursued by a male, struck the window. In their silliness, the male hit the window too. Trudging to the yard (no cats in sight on this afternoon) I retrieved each of the birds individually, and placed them in our wild plum trees to recover. It was more than three hours later, before the female found the strength to fly away.
For anyone worried I've become lazy ... don't worry that I'm lying on the sofa eating bon bons all day. Between "bird-whispering" and chasing after chickens, I still haven't managed to keep the garden free of weeds. Barring more avian collisons, hopefully I can get to those weeds this week!
