Tea Time and Summer (Tanager) is Here!

This afternoon when I woke up from my nap...yes, ladies,  (and gents), I do take a nap...how about YOU?...Anyway, when I woke up I wanted to have a cup of tea.  Instead of just making my usual ordinary mug of tea and sitting in my recliner reading a book, I decided to give myself a little impromptu tea party.

After all, I am still recuperating from my surgery of exactly one week ago, and I think I still deserve a little pampering...even if everyone around here seems to think time's up...but that's another subject, when you live in a house full of men...but I'm not complaining...actually, they are all being quite sweet and thoughtful...most of the time.  

  

I had just sent my husband out to the local store to see if he could find some yogurt.  Ladies, you will understand this...when you are on strong antibiotics for any length of time...yogurt is your friend...and I fear I waited too long to remember my dear old friend... But anyway, I am wandering and digressing here...He went to the store, which is about 2 miles away, and found some yogurt, but it wasn't the kind I liked or wanted, and it was a whole carton of it...and so I thanked him kindly, but asked if he wouldn't please take it back to the store and get me the kind I originally requested, even if they only had a few and even if it was more expensive...it was what I wanted...

Well, you can imagine how well that went over, but he "cheerfully" (Ha!) got back in the car and took it right back and came back with two small individual containers of what I wanted...and I profusely thanked him and said how much I appreciated the extra effort and trip...so, anyway....I think my recuperation time is wearing thin on the caregivers...Ha Ha Ha!


So anyway, back to the TEA PARTY:

As I sat here by the window in the sun room, which looks out into the Secret Garden and also the Memorial Garden areas, I was relaxing and enjoying my cup of tea and watching the activities of the birds as they frolicked from the bird feeders to the bird baths and back and forth in the trees...just enjoying a warm summer afternoon...

I noticed this male cardinal splish-splashing in the bath, and he was having a good time...

and then I also noticed this other red bird sitting in the ferns nearby, waiting his turn...

From a distance I thought it was just another cardinal...but when I zoomed in my camera lens I could see the distinctive beak of the male Summer Tanager!  So now things were getting more interesting! I mean, I can watch Cardinals in the bird bath any time...we have so many of them here...but the Summer Tanager is a rare sight!  I know this "couple" (male and female) of Summer Tanagers have spent their summers here every year, but the opportunities to see them and actually photograph them are few and far between!

A minute later the Summer Tanager got tired of waiting for his turn in the bath, and he flew up and drove the Cardinal away...

And then he stood guard over the bird bath for quite a while, daring any other birds to challenge his right to take a bath in the Secret Garden spa!  (Sorry these photos aren't real clear, but it was at a distance and through the window,  and in the shade of the huge magnolia tree)

Isn't he beautiful?  You can see the differences between him and the male Cardinal more clearly...

  He has more of a hooked beak, and no black mask on his face...and no crest on his head...

What a wonderful surprise and treat for my afternoon tea time!

And by the time hubby came back with my yogurt, the birds had flown away and the tea party/Summer Tanager bath time was over...but I was feeling mighty blessed and thankful for the lovely little ways the Lord blesses our days with His beauty and peace.

And hubby is back to being his sweet self, happy he found the right thing and he can go back to doing what he loves best...relaxing in his recliner on a summer afternoon...

After all, we are retired...