Simple Pleasures

There aren't many pleasures nowadays, with hubby's severely broken leg and all. There are some though, that I wouldn't trade for the world.
One of them is right outside my front door. I planted some mammoth sunflower seeds in the spring, and they have grown beautifully this summer. Now, in the waning days of summer, they are seeded out, and the birds are just loving them! As I sit out there, I see a family of six titmice pecking at the seed heads, to find their favorite food. Funny thing is, one titmouse will fly in, hit a browning leaf, and they all scatter, just to realize it was one of them making a noise, and immediately they're back for more. Some of the seed heads I cut off the dead stems, and placed on a platform feeder. These noisy little birds, just happy to have all this abundant food available, chirping, tapping, flitting around.
Then a few moments later, a beautiful male goldfinch flies in to see what he can gather for a meal. He lands on a plant, looks around, flies to the top of the seed head and proceeds to turn upside down to retrieve a seed. Another goldfinch, swoops in to see what all the fuss is about.
I have a hummingbird feeder buried amongst the stalks of huge sunflowers, and in they zoom to quickly sip a quick drink, and buzz off to the nearby tree to rest.
It's so relaxing, to sit out there in the afternoons, and just let the activities of nature take me away to a calm place.
Next to me, off the front porch, a butterfly bush is busy with swallowtail butterflies, monarch butterflies, and hummingbird moths, along with plenty of bees, all searching for their nectar.
I love the waning days of summer, cooler breezes promising relief from the scalding days of past, watching nature prepare for the winter.