Country Life sure if different

Well, this post was supposed to be about the house, about the progress and about the great visit we had with my dad. So much has been going on and there is so much to catch up on, but it will have to wait.

Instead, I feel compelled to write about country life in Spring. It seems so different than anything I have ever experienced. Quite frankly, life around here changes by the day. Once the snow melted, the green shoots of grass started appearing, then the wildflowers. First there were white wildflowers, then yellow and now vibrant pink. The cows and horses are regularly out grazing in the fields. It all seems so peaceful, so tame so lovely.

Then, there is the encounters with wildlife in our immediate surroundings:

• Just last week, we had a hummingbird come into the house. I tease Gilles that the hummingbird was coming to get his own food since he was dragging his feet in putting up the bird feeder. Gilles managed to get him out unharmed. He also managed to put up the bird feeders. Morning and night, we are greeted at our kitchen window to the little visitors.
• A few weeks ago, a woodpecker decided to start feasting on our unfinished wood siding. As if there were not enough trees on our 5 acres, he had to choose the house to nibble on. It did not last long since Gilles has been busy painting the siding.
• Today, on my way home from work, I took the picturesque backroads. I was happily enjoying the countryside when I had to swerve to avoid a beaver strutting its stuff on the road. Can there be anymore sign that I am in Canada. I am sure there is a joke in the somewhere, "The was a beaver crossing the road...."
• Last night, we were outside admiring the house when all of a sudden Chulita starting going nuts. Not too far in the woods, we could hear a barking type sound. We are almost certain it was a fox. In any case it was a bit spooky. Although not as freaky as the sound of a pack of coyotes in the distance that we usually hear in the evening.

The most curious encounter with an animal by far has to be the strange episode this evening. As I was barbecuing, Chulita noticed a little frog / toad. She wanted to play with him and started jumping around. The frog tried to get away and then played dead. I tried to get Chulita to leave it alone, but as stubborn as she is, she insisted on having her way. As I approached her, she did not want me to take the frog away from her. So, in a spilt second that felt like slow motion, she popped the frog in her mouth. The frog wiggled a bit inside. Chulita looked a bit frightened and unsure of what to do next. I approached her to get her to spit it out, but fearing I might tale her fun away from her, she swallowed it in one big gulp! YUCK! YIKES! It was utterly disgusting. Not sure how this episode will end and when the frog will come out one end or the other. In the meantime, I am thoroughly disgusted. 

Anyway, I kept thinking about the old lady who swallowed a fly. I thought it should be adapted to Chulita:


There was a crazy mutt who swallowed a fly...
I dunno why she swallowed that fly,
Perhaps she'll die.


There was a crazy mutt who swallowed a frog,
That wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the frog to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly -
Perhaps she'll die.




I will write again soon. This last month and a bit has been a bit overwhelming, but I promise to get back on the bandwagon with more updates, pics and anecdotes.