A Dull and Dreary Morning

This morning dawned dull and dreary. That would be good if it was accompanied by rain, but it isn't. It is just dull, dreary, and windy.

We desperately need rain. Not a sprinkle or a shower, but a good hard soaking. The County has a total fire ban in effect and we are reaching the point that every whiff of smoke on the wind makes the hair on the back of my neck jump to attention.

I thought of going back to bed and pulling the covers over my head for a few more hours, but by then the cells in my body were starting to scream for coffee. I bowed to their demands and put on the coffee pot.
I watched a bit of the Today Show - but bored of listening to them 'blaming' an Alberta trucker for causing a bridge collapse in Washington. Seriously??? He didn't even know he had hit the bridge till after and that sent the whole thing into the river??? Sounds like a fat urban seagull could have caused the same issue if he had sat on a support!
The dreariness of the morning was creeping into me!

Finally I grabbed my coffee and my Kindle and moved outside onto the deck. For the first few minutes I debated the intelligence of my move.It really wasn't an 'out on the deck to enjoy the sunshine' kind of morning.
Bet peered questioningly at me from the house, her nose not breaching the pet door leading to the deck. "Get out here", I demanded and she reluctantly consented.

As I propped my feet up on a chair and snuggled my coffee mug I could hear geese honking out travel plans as they took off from the Beaver Pond. That's a nice touch, I thought to myself.
I set my book down for a minute and let the noise from the woods move into the forefront. Chickadees, sparrows, and robins could all be picked out. If I concentrated I could hear the difference in the wind through the pine trees compared to the wind trembling the new popular leaves down in the meadow.

The persistent raven that has been trying to move into the yard all spring (over Cricket's objections) flew over . His wings making that wonderful 'whoop, whoop' as he did so.

Cricket started to stir from her sentry next to the deck. Nothing Cricket does is without groaning and grumbling. She yawned stretched and muttered.

It was too warm to run, but cool enough that the dogs were all up and active. Most of the summer they are active in the evening and mornings, napping in the sun through the heat of the day.

Crunchie worked away at a sleep hole he has been perfecting. Scud, Chewy, Trooper and Squib had a elaborate game of 'tag' in the works.
The bossy little 'mean girls' at the top of the dog yard were bickering and bullying each other to the point that Cricket finally lurched to her feet, stretched and lumbered up that direction to check on things.
Wolvie pinned Charge in a mock battle and then threw himself through the air in a fantastic sideways leap. "Beat that, Old Man". 

Bet had resigned herself to the outdoors and was stalking Mark's Stupid Cat across the front lawn.

The rowdy gang of blue jays that has stalked out our neighborhood appeared. They checked the feeders to see if anything interesting had been tossed in there overnight - and squawked at me in disappointment when discovering it hadn't.

I strolled into the house for a refill of coffee and to boot up Google Earth to see exactly where the Yukon and Klondike rivers join so I could orientate myself in the book I'm reading.

That sorted, it was back outside.  

Funny how the day doesn't seem nearly so dreary and dull anymore!!!

Enjoy your weekend everyone - I'll be on my deck for just a while longer!!!