Willie

Soon, the mating season will begin anew, and other females and males will find their way into our area and populate the neighborhood with their honking and cawing night and day! The new females will turn up and Willie will be kept busy. I can’t wait to see him with his magnificent tail open…shades of electric blue, turquoise and iridescent green…strutting up and down in royal splendor. The king will be holding court. What a way to initiate the Rite of Spring here in the enchanted animal kingdom!

Best Dressed List

The New Prince

Blessings, Bambi

Here we are again turning the corner and heading into the nesting season. It’s time to gather our harvests, and prepare for the winter months ahead. It means cleaning the house (as best you can with 6 animals running amok!), throwing out junk, turning out the closets and getting the winter clothes in line. However, the fall here in the mountains also means that the weather is still HOT! We are currently in a mini-heat wave again. That’s the Indian summer aspect of mountain living. But, even though the days are still warm, there is just the slightest hint of wood smoke in the early morning air. The leaves on the Black Walnut trees are starting to turn yellow and litter the decks around the house. My animals are starting to shed their light summer coats in preparation for their thick winter fur (I have hair everywhere, black, orange and brown!)

The first full moon of September is called the “Harvest Moon.” Traditionally, the time to collect the harvest in whatever form it takes. Down the road and over the mountain, lies the beautiful Napa Valley. The fragrant grapevines are resplendent in mosaic colors of red, purple, gold, and orange. Along the roadside, beautiful Queen Anne’s Lace grows profusely. (It’s such a lovely flower for a weed!) The wineries there are in full swing harvesting their grapes and preparing for this years wine crop. At the local wineries, the scent of fermenting grapes, held in huge gondolas, is everywhere! This is a busy time of year for the vineyard workers.

Closer to home, we do have some smaller wineries, but our surrounding land is mainly farm land. Sleepy cows, sheep, and horses dot the countryside…all creatures great and small, taking in the last of the warm, Indian summer days. This morning I sit out on the back porch with my steaming mug of coffee and contemplate all the work that needs to be done around the house in anticipation of the festivities for October, November and December. I gaze out at the distant mountain ridge covered in a blue/gray haze (there have been wildfires in other areas!) A slight scent of wood smoke lingers in the air, and the temperature is just right. Soon enough I will be sent scurrying inside the house as the temperature rises!

I love preparing for the fall. Out come the colorful quilts, flannel sheets, seasonal throws…all in appropriate colors. Warm browns, oranges and yellows for autumn, red and gold jewel tones for winter holidays and winter white and blue for January and beyond! As I rummage through my storage bins, I catch a glimpse of my senior cat Leo, (sunning his ageing bones in the window) fast asleep and oblivious to all the frantic activity. Time to be thinking about supper soon…I think tonight, a nice savory stew will be in order. As the sun slowly sets in the west over the ridge, it paints colors of peach and turquoise across the sky, I see a small, pale moon already riding high in the sky, It brings to mind the words of that well-known song about harvest time…”shine on, shine on harvest moon, up in the sky.” Now, on to the next… (2009)

Hot August Days AND Nights

I love summer, but August is the hottest month of the year here in the mountains! I dread the long heat waves and non-stop air-conditioning we have to use! Already this month we have had several heatwaves reaching from 105 to 111 degrees. Our animals and plants definitely had a hard time on those days! This weather is not typical for Northern California, but in our neck of the woods it is. We definitely have four seasons here in the mountains. Even with the heat of summer, I do prefer the changing seasons. Unlike other areas in California, the nights do not cool down in high summer. Hot August nights are traditional here!

This morning I sit out on the back deck with my morning cup of coffee and do a little reading. I have our dog Zoe and a few cats here with me enjoying the fresh morning air. Sometimes a few peacocks will turn up looking for food. (We have a family of wild peacocks on the property too!) The only sounds are the chirping birds perched high in the pine tree next to our deck. We are surrounded by western White Pine, Ponderosa Pine and Black Walnut trees in our backyard. I can see some deer foraging around the backyard for breakfast (something other than black walnut leaves!). An occasional dog barks in the distance. Looking out past our balcony, I can see the blue horizon against the dark ridge of mountains. Very serene and an ideal setting for meditation!

August is a busy time in our family, we have a birthday and multiple wedding anniversaries. For some reason, everyone decided to marry in August! My husband and I recently celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary on the 11th of August. (Coincidentally, we always have the Perseids meteor shower to commemorate the occasion!) How time flies! Typically we celebrate by taking a day trip down to Bodega Bay to escape the heat and enjoy a stroll along the beach. We gaze out at the Pacific Ocean in all its vastness. If we’re lucky, we will hit it on a nice, sunny day, not too hot. Most of the time, it can be very foggy along the coast. I love watching the seagulls soar high in the sky and land nearby looking for food tidbits. Nothing like the scent of the sea to get rid of all your cobwebs! Afterwards, we have dinner at the inn where they filmed Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” what great atmosphere! After a glorious day at the beach, it’s back home to our family of animals and wildlife.

Sometimes I sit outside again to enjoy the sunset from our back deck. If it’s going to be a show stopper, the late afternoon sunlight will spread across the sky in shades of peach, orange and red. Very dramatic. More often, the light blue color of the day slowly morphs to the lavender/blue of early evening. In French it is called “L’Heure Bleue”, a beautiful, romantic time of evening! As the light fades, the first stars of early evening start to appear. Here in the mountains, the sky is rich with millions of stars. And the only sounds to be heard are the nightbirds singing high in the trees. Soon the raccoons will be abroad to steal the cat food left out on the deck! The dog days of summer will soon give way to early autumn and harvest time. Time enough to prepare for the change of seasons…again.

It’s that time of year again. Around February, Harvey the Peacock starts gearing up to woo the ladies. Mating season will commence soon. He has grown his fabulous plumage back (after running around all summer, fall and winter in shorts!). His long, graceful, iridescent feathers look like a stunning Oriental silk robe. He now has a whole pride of females plus another younger male. I suspect that the younger male is his son! Anyway, when he is on deck, the spectacle is awesome. The females, though not as colorful, are very attractive too. He starts his early courtship with these females by parading, stamping his feet, shimmying and cawing out loud! What a racket when he starts to chase them around. (My plants and cat food bowls sometime get blown away!) I can’t believe that we now have a large peacock family to care for: Five females and two males…wow! They truly are enchanting creatures.

She has grown into a fine young lady. Sasha has the most beautiful luminous green eyes in a jet black face. She looks like an Egyptian statue. Her coat is like black silk – and she acts like a princess! I have a pink jeweled collar for her which gives her a royal look. Her white diamond crystal collar against her jet black coat is striking! She also loves to run like the wind and launch herself into space. I wouldn’t be surprised if she could fly. Sasha is also affectionate and purrs loudly when we cuddle in bed. This is a cat full of charm and luck. We are so grateful and lucky that the other person never showed up to claim her. It doesn’t get any better than a gorgeous, green-eyed feline. I know she used her magical powers to become a member of our family! She is truly an enchanted cat!

Here is some cat lore:

The early Egyptians believed the cat to be a sacred animal and erected bejeweled statues of cats in their temples. (No wonder Sasha likes jewels!)

They believed cats were endowed with magical powers and keen intuition.

Cats are a protection against snakes and rodents! (How true!)

The Celtic people believed the cat brought good luck, comfort and protection.

That cats are graceful, mysterious, mystical and sensual!

The Charmed One!

Princess Sasha

Sasha with her Charm and Luck purse

Sash with her ball

One sunny spring day a couple of years ago, Harvey flew into our lives. Apparently, as the story goes, a number of peacocks escaped from a neighboring farm some miles away. Apparently, our area appealed to them and they settled on our block. Harvey came to our house and claimed our backyard as his territory. He already had grown his tail which, when opened, displayed a magnificent array of iridescent colors! Wonderful jewel-like hues would sparkle off his tail in the sunlight. What a sight! Harvey would strut up and down on our porch calling loudly for a mate. (There were peahens that also came with the group) First thing in the early morning and throughout the day he would strut and call. It did get a little nerve wracking after awhile. But Harvey was persistent and attained a mate who in time produced three chicks. We called her Lulu and the chickens! The females are very aggressive and will attack other creatures to protect their offspring. My poor cats were run off the back deck when she arrived.

In the late summer, Harvey would shed his long tail and proceed to walk about with his shorts. (What a collection of peacock tail feathers I have!) A lot more comfortable in the heat of August! Harvey stayed with us through the next winter, spring, summer and fall. We have seen many babies populate our area. Harvey is so used to being with us that he has become part of our family of animals. He comes and goes on his peacock errands, but is always back in time for dinner or breakfast. If he sees our curtains open on our deck, he will peck at the sliding glass door until we come out with his food! It’s amazing. Sometimes, while I sit reading on my lounge, Harvey will fly in and sit down with me on the porch. He is not afraid to sit close to me in companionable silence. (Do not attempt to pet peacocks as they have dangerous claws and sharp beaks!) Harvey has brought magic into our lives; we are blessed to have such a magnificent creature in our midst!

Here is a little peacock lore:

The peacock is considered sacred in many cultures because it destroys poisonous snakes and has great wisdom and vision because of its many tail “eyes.”

The blue-green iridescence of its feathers is associated with royalty. Many kings and queens have had peacocks on their lands. (The Malfoys of Harry Potter fame own pure-white peacocks!)

The peacock resembles his cousin the “Phoenix”, legendary bird of resurrection who perishes in fire and resurrects itself from ashes. (Harry Potter wizard Dumbledore has a phoenix named Fawkes)

In China, the harmony of sound comes from the blending of the peacock’s five main colors creating a kind of celestial music.

In Egypt, it represents the sun god Ra.

And in Christianity, the death and resurrection of Jesus

Beautiful Harvey in our backyard!

Harvey at our back door

Harvey on the roof

Lulu and Harvey on the roof

Pet mice, cats, dogs, weasels, birds of all feather, fish, turtles, rabbits, horses and exotic creatures like snakes and reptiles.  All have special functions when they appear in our lives.  The Indians have always believed that animals hold a special place in the natural world and have great wisdom.  They are our teachers and we have much to learn from them. 

So, let’s go journey into their world and see what happens…

Coming soon:
Harvey, the Enchanted Peacock

Thank you!