Ask me if I’m not mad! I can’t believe I had my entire column almost finished and my computer said, “WE ARE CLOSING DOWN FOR AN UPDATE!” Well, of course dumb me had not saved my column; so when the Microsoft program got through with my computer my column had floated away! The Hubby of course said….TEE HEE HA HA. That even made me madder. He said you know better; you are supposed to save your file after every paragraph. I asked him when did you become a computer expert. He forgets I taught him all he knows about computers. Of course I knew that but did I do it….NO! NO! Well, so much for the beginning of a new day. Ever have your day start off wrong? Yep, I bet you said, “All the time”! Why do little things make us so angry? And of course you know from then on the day just goes down the wrong road. Ask me if I just saved my article?

Well, I started to tell you that ALL THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE!” Before my lovely accident happened; I was still sitting on my porch watching the birds. This winter we have so many. The Hubby has three bird feeders outside and the birds have spread the word that this is the “hottest” place in town for something to eat! Also, he told Santa Claus all he wanted for Christmas was bird seed, so he was loaded down with packages. So much that he had to put it in the biggest cooler we have and now all he has to do it open the lid and take out a cup full.

When he gets up this morning, he will flip when he sees one of them is empty. I can’t understand why they like that particular one best. It is a clean plastic one about the size of a big coke bottle with little holes on all the sides. It looks like to me that it would be harder to get to the seed. Then at the bottom there is a wire completely around it and they can sit there and eat all they want. I saw a woodpecker hanging, not sitting on the wire, with his complete body hanging underneath eating out of the little tray on the bottom of the feeder. It looked so strange, but I guess his body was too large to get closer to the feeder, so he just hung it underneath forever. I guess the Good Lord takes care of all its little creatures and told him how to get the seed. Anyway, my shrub right in front of the window is the “safe” haven for all the little birds this winter”! It is so cute to see them come and go from the feeder to the shrub. That’s like running to the drive-in market when you get hungry!

Later in the afternoon, I heard this loud noise on the outside of my house. It was a whap..whap..whap! I ran out the door, in front of the shrub and all the little birds flew out and scared me half to death. I bet the thought what is this “big thing” invading our space. Anyway, I turned the corner of the house to find that same woodpecker pecking on my house to beat the band. I guess he thought this is one big “ice cream cone” and I am going to eat it every bite. It was certainly easier for him than hanging upside down on the feeder to get one little seed. Also this is not the first time. They can leave big holes in a wood house. I really thought he was that squirrel that chewed two holes in the other side of my house and now he was back to try out this present location. Needless to say, he flew away at the site of me. I am sure he thought “there is that mean old woman” again. Notice that I called him a “HE”. Isn’t just like a “HE” to not be able to tell it was a house not an ice cream cone?

Of course I started on the column to tell you all about everything in life was free. I woke up this morning thinking about that. I know you wonder, “where in the world does this woman” come up with these things. You see the Hubby won’t read my story until it comes out in the paper. He said he wouldn’t do it until then because he would want me to change some of it and I wouldn’t! Of course once again that’s when the fight starts. Anyway, every week, he just shakes his head and says “woman where on earth do you get these silly ideas?” He is so glad I do this column because by the time winter is over I would have talked his head off. You see you all have the pleasure of hearing me every week. Of course you could just put the paper in the trash or line your waste can with it but I hope it’s after you have read my column.

I must mention that after all this chatter; we do have a lot of “FREE STUFF”. It’s given to us everyday such as the air we breathe, the beautiful sun that comes up every morning except when it rains and snows. But if we did not have rain, the butter cups would not make it and all the other little wild flowers that spring from the ground. This is a pure miracle that we all take for granted. So, today take a moment and say, “Thank you Lord” for all the FREE STUFF you give us each season. This is better than any coupon we find in the paper. Make us mindful that we are blessed beyond words and we do appreciate it; even if we forget to tell you so.

Till next time, call a friend and tell them some “wild” tale that has happened to you and make their day. Bye now!

P.S. The Hubby just had the same Microsoft program take over his computer and he lost it all too. Of course, I said TEE HEE HA HA. I still love computers that bring you my happy story every week.