Summer is winding down and even though this pandemic has chewed me up from time to time, I’m not going to let it spit me out. I’ll take my entertainment where ever I can get it.

We have a number of feral cats in our neighborhood. Some of the neighbors feel sorry for them and feed them, so they’ve lived life to the fullest. Since they are wild, we leave them alone, but they certainly are fun to watch. Add to the mix, a group of very busy squirrels on a quest for winter sustenance. They’ve been having a field day with the black walnuts which have recently tumbled to the ground.

Lately we’ve noticed a single chipmunk trying to get in on the action. We’ve only seen one, but he seems to get braver each day in the pursuit of a tasty morsel. The little intruder certainly is brave. Maybe I’m wrong and it’s a whole army of chipmunks, but they take turns making their way into the fray.

All of these critters and the occasional birds trying to get a taste of the bounty have created an unending adventure framed by the four windows in our dining room.

We’ve taken to naming some of these outstanding animals. One cat has been hanging around for all three of the years we’ve lived here. I think she’s the oldest and probably the mother of many of the others. Paul named her Crabby Face, because she’s got kind of a mean personality. However, over time, she’s been a bit more friendly. Especially when Paul fires up the grill. There are two yellow cats. The large one is named Goldie and her offspring is Cutie. My husband has never been a big fan of cats, but he seems to be tolerating Crabby.

The squirrels also have names. One apparently lost his tail in a fight. He’s called Stubby. Another is known as Nutsy. He’s been observed walking one of the electrical wires, balancing a twig with walnuts on each end. He’s quite the acrobat. The chipmunk/s name is Chipper.

Yesterday I washed the windows and it cleared up a whole new world for me. It’s amazing what that simple act of cleaning makes visible. Not wanting to be part of the political rhetoric and all the name calling and mudslinging, I took to watching the floor show in my own back yard. It made me chuckle at times. It took my mind off of all the feelings of imprisonment and helped me to shake off some of the depression this whole thing is causing.

The riots will continue. The protests won’t stop for a long time. The virus will go its course. The anger over politics will never end. Children will return to school and we may see another upsurge in the plague. Tempers will flare and depression may even hold us back, but still, God provides even for that. He gives us His creation to enjoy, to wonder at and to escape for a while.