The Mafia Woodpeckers

Welcome to Poppy's Blog!

I wake up every morning wondering with amazement what bird will visit today.  I find my loafers and slip them on as I walk towards the deck and check the bird feeder to make sure there is ample food. I return to the living room chair, where I have positioned it to see the deck fairly clearly.  As I sip on my coffee, the Mafia Woodpeckers arrive and set up shop.  They spread out around the bird feeder, and they talk to each other, verifying who will eat today. The flock of sparrows, finch, and songbirds arrives, and the Mafia Woodpeckers allow them to eat.  They are allowed to eat only because one morning, the sparrows, finch and, songbirds got together and pecked at the Mafia Woodpeckers and scared them. Nowadays, the Mafia woodpeckers watch as they eat.  They will return later in the day.  

The blue jays arrive and swoop down in twos and spar with the Mafia woodpeckers.  They give the Mafia Woodpeckers a run for their money, but the Blue jays realize they have been beaten, so off they go.  

In the meantime, I can hear the two doves vying for a perch on the power pole.  Once they stop fighting, they wait for the coast to clear, so they can eat.  Today I had a few band-tail pigeons who came by to visit.

The Mafia Woodpeckers (Acorn Woodpeckers) are busy with the dead trees, snags around the property.  These trees give value to the birds which I have learned just by watching.  Here is something fascinating.  The abandoned nest sites of woodpeckers are inherited by songbirds that are less adapted (or not at all) for excavation. 

Bird watching is an awesome hobby that is beneficial to your health and happiness.  Here are a few of the top health benefits of bird watching.

• Appreciation for Nature - Bird watching inspires a harmonious union with nature.
• Patience - Bird watching requires plenty of studies to get familiarized with types of birds and where they are found, then time to travel to that location, then hours of waiting to catch a glimpse of a bird.
• Quick Reflexes - Bird watchers have to be ready to seize the moment after long stretches of inactivity.
• Mental Alertness - A bird can be here and gone in the blink of an eye.
• Cardiovascular health - Bird watchers sometimes walk many miles in search of a certain species of bird.
• Upper Arm Strength  - Bird watching in forests or other low-light locations requires birders to use larger and heavier binoculars to let in more light.

In this fast-moving world, bird watching comes as a gentle breeze of relief. It is a hobby that can really transform your life. It enhances the positive energy within you and makes you appreciate nature. Your heart will be filled with joy.  Nothing can be more ecstatic than watching the beautiful creation of nature that is Birds.

Let me leave you with this quote - No matter what yesterday was like, birds always start the new day with a song.

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Our Self-Esteem

At one point in time in our lives, we will deal with our self-esteem. A catastrophic life event will happen, and it will set us back.  We must learn to pick ourselves up, dust our knees off and take baby steps.  Do not worry about what other people think.  Worry about yourself.

Maybe our self-esteem was hurt by our dad, mom, brother, sister, or friend, and it probably still resonates in our head. But wait, what do you think about yourself?  Remember, self-esteem is not what other people think of us.  Self-esteem encompasses what we think of ourselves. 

Here is something I had to work through.  I always had high self-esteem until my husband died.  Then it fizzled away.  After putting much focus on my husband because he was ill, I forgot about myself.  I do not regret it, but somewhere down the line, I lost myself.  I had to reconstruct my self-esteem a little at a time.  I was learning to love myself again.  Going for walks, reading, and writing affirmations on stickies.  I wrote one affirmation a day. I then put them on my mirror, kitchen cupboards, refrigerator, and in my apron pockets.  Seeing these daily affirmations assisted me in my self-esteem and thinking positive. I found a jelly jar and started to

fill it daily with positive affirmations.  At the end of the year, I pulled each one out and read them.  Though I cried as I read them, I realized I had become a stronger person and really did not care what other people thought of me.  I am changing the world by being myself.

Here are a few affirmations I use: 

            I am beautifully made

            I am proud of me

            My well being is my top priority

            I add something special to this world

            With each breath, I become calmer, stronger, and confident

Try writing a few of these affirmations and sticking them around your house.  Every day as you pass a sticky with an affirmation, stop, and read it out loud to yourself.  This will make a difference in how you perceive yourself and the day. 

It would be wonderful to let me know how you are doing.  Please leave a comment below.  Poppy thanks you for coming to visit her on this beautiful day.

Let me leave you with this affirmation - I focus on what I can control, and I let go of what I cannot.

 

Poppytheauthor a Country Girl at 💛

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Love is in the Air

Welcome to Poppy’s Blog!

Love is in the air...Your heart flutters: you smile a lot and think about your loved one all the time, when you are with them you have lots of eye contact, and you genuinely want them to be happy. 

I think love should be something that comes easily, and we should show it all the time. A small daily gesture goes a long way. Maybe a touch on the shoulder or a kiss on the forehead. Growing to love the real person and accepting who they are, with both strengths and weaknesses, can make a wonderful difference in your relationship. It helps it to become a lasting source of comfort, emotional safety, and joy. I don’t think we should wait for Valentine’s Day to show our appreciation.  Sure, a box of candy and flowers are great but let them know you are there for them physically, mentally, and spiritually daily.

Let me share one of my silly dilemmas while being in love. I become forgetful.  I sometimes forget I washed my hair, so I will rewash it. However, the funny and entertaining moments you share will make you crave each other’s presence even more. Did you know people who are in love report they spend, on average, more than 85% of their waking hours musing over their love? Wow! Love is often associated with warm and fuzzy feelings; it can also be a huge source of stress. Being in love often causes the brain to release the stress hormone cortisol. So, if you notice you are freaking out, you may be just in love. 

For the ones who have lost their loved ones.

Valentine’s day will be difficult. Though they may be gone, we keep their memories near and dear to our

hearts. Maybe do something to honor them. Have a piece of cake or a piece of candy they enjoyed. Go to a place where you both loved and sit and think of all the wonderful memories you made with your loved one. Give them thanks.

Let me leave you with this poem.

"The rose is red, the violet's blue,
The honey's sweet, and so are you.
Thou art my love and I am thine;
I drew thee to my Valentine:
The lot was cast and then I drew,
And Fortune said it shou'd be you."

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Infuse your Life with Action

Infuse your life with action. Don’t wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope. Make your own love. And whatever your beliefs, honor your creator, not by passively waiting for grace to come down from upon high, but by doing what you can to make grace happen… yourself, right now, right down here on Earth. 

Mastering your Mind

Welcome to Poppy’s Blog!

I have been busy working in the garden, the front yard, and around the property trying to keep up with the weeds. A couple of months ago, when the leaves started to fall, I used them as mulch in my garden. The leaf mulch kept my soil temperature warmer in the winter and protected my plants.  It also suppressed the weeds, reducing the number of weeds in the garden and improving the soil fertility as it decomposed. I am a Happy Gardener.

Here is something I want to share with my friends, family, and visitors. 

Controlling your thoughts and mastering your mind.

Our mind is a powerful tool.  When you control your thoughts, it influences the way you live your life. I heard that the average person thinks around 70,000 thoughts a day. Crazy huh.

Let us think of many squatters living in our minds, and they create unhealthy and unproductive thoughts.  What we need to do is be in charge and evict them.  I believe being able to control your mind is a cornerstone of overall health and wellbeing. When your brain is healthy, your body follows, you will reduce your stress levels, energy and improve your focus. Creating a healthy mind is a daily discipline like creating a healthy body. Think of your words as being your daily nutrition. 

The inner critic compares themselves to other people, listens to other people’s words and their expectations. 

The pessimist is always worried about the what-ifs.  Always motivated by fear.

The reactor is triggered by anger, frustration, or pain.  Unhealed wounds from the past.  Any experience that is even closely related to the past will set him or her off.  It can even be a sound or smell.

The sleep depriver is the inner planner, the rehasher the contemplator. 

Why not begin each day by paying attention to your thoughts.  Every day is a new opportunity.  If you are thinking bad thoughts stop and counter the bad with good thoughts. Your mind can be your best friend or your enemy. Sit quietly and allow peace, gratitude, compassion, love, and joy in. The new version of you will be so much better than the old version of you.  Why not be your own best friend.

Let me leave you with this quote – At the end of the day, I’m at peace because my intentions are good, and my heart is pure.

 

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Living in the Country

Welcome to Poppy’s Blog!

When I moved to Paso Robles, my goal was to learn to become self-sufficient. There was plenty to do on the ranch because of the 15 fruit trees, raised beds to plant a garden, grapevines, and plenty of acreages to hold livestock.  

Here are the 5 best things I learned living in the country. 

1. You can see Stars - I noticed right away the number of stars you can see.  They are limitless.  I was amazed.
2. Peace and Quiet - No traffic, no car horns or sirens, no neighbors playing their music too loud, and plenty of parking.  You now hear birds singing in the morning, cows mooing in
   
   the pasture, toads, and crickets at night.
3. Friendly Neighbors - My neighbors always looked out for me. I would walk over and have coffee with my neighbors and sometimes a piece of homemade pie.  We would talk about our gardens and the town.
4. 
   Slower Pace - I like the slower pace of life. I felt it was time to go back to my roots.  If I close my eyes, I can remember running in the tall grass with my sisters.  We did not have much, but we had each other’s love.
5. Room for Animals and Gardens - I planted a garden in the raised beds, and tended to my 15 fruit trees daily.  I had chickens and plenty of eggs.  I grew a cow and pig for meat. I bartered with my neighbors for their heirloom white eggplant and beef tomatoes for my grapes and almonds.
   

Let me leave you with this quote:

If you are not grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you will be happy with more?

Thank you for dropping by and visiting me.  Poppy sends you many blessings on this cold and winter day.

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A Note from Poppy

Welcome to Poppy's Blog!

My Reader

The one that takes the time to read my stories and watch my podcasts.  I want you to know that I am grateful to you for being here even if I’m sure that sometimes there are better and more important things you can do.

I have lots of readers and users checking my blog every day but there are a few of you who are reading it. To you I’m saying the most honest and from the bottom of my heart  “Thank you”

It means a lot to me that you read my blog and that you sometimes share my articles. I feel like this is a true statement of trust in what I write and that you believe my content is worthy of being seen by other people too. 

Again, Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Poppytheauthor a Country Girl at 💛