I almost considered offering a polite decline when a friend invited us to her acreage for dinner, but it had been a long time since I’d had a chance to go to the countryside. So, I went.

                It was a beautiful day. There was hardly a breeze, and the sun warmed us so nicely that we had to take off our jackets. Someone had taken a butter knife and spread the blue sky with a light layer of cloud, and the air was alive with the voices of Mother Nature’s wild creatures. In my first five minutes there, I saw, several Canada Geese and a whole mess of Coots and Mallards scattered across the lake, two butterflies flutter by, and a great soaring hawk overhead! Not to mention the distinct trill of the Red-Winged Blackbird that came from somewhere among the reeds.

                I was happy to stand in the grass with a spotting scope and look out over the water. In a couple of places, I watched as male mallards smacked each other silly. It’s that time of year where everyone needs to pick a spot to build a nest, and sometimes the competition gets a bit dramatic. It’s a necessary part of life, but it’s kind of amusing to watch them slap each other with their wings. I wonder how they determine a winner? Oh well. I’m sure that, in the end, there’s a spot for everyone.

                Thanks to that spotting scope, I was able to see some of the results of the display. Just beyond the reeds were several hummocks that appeared to be made possibly of soil, rocks and a coating of spent reeds. In Mother Nature’s universe, nothing goes to waste. I was told these hummocks are muskrat lodges. On top of two of them sat geese, proud, tall, long necks erect. They were very still and quiet. I don’t know if they already had eggs or not, but at very least they were setting up their nurseries. On one hummock, a little closer to the water, sat a Mr. and Mrs. Mallard, close together but facing opposite directions. His stunning colors glistened in the afternoon sun, and I almost missed her entirely, because her brown plumage blended so nicely with those reeds! Amazing to see how Mother Nature cares for her own. I could have stared at them all day through awe-struck eyes that, suddenly, didn’t seem to ache anymore.

                Later we decided to go for a walk. First, down to the water’s edge where we could see millions of little bird prints all over in the muck where they’d, apparently, come exploring recently. Then we retreated to the woods where we were surrounded by towering aspens and spruce which let the sunlight shine through in speckles. The air was sharp with that wonderful, beautiful aroma of evergreens and fresh vegetation – – which I suddenly realized I could smell sharply through sinuses that suddenly seemed clearer than they’d been in weeks. And, in fact, I suddenly realized I hadn’t even sneezed in quite a while!

                We sat down on little benches that surrounded an unlit fire pit, and, here, we settled in a while. We just sat and looked up at the trees towering above us and listened to the awesome, unbelievable sound of what must have been 100 Red-Winged Blackbirds chirping and singing endless songs high above us. They were amazing! A huge, great dark flock would suddenly, randomly rise from a tree, move almost singularly across the clearing, sometimes swooping and circling like one big bird. Then, just as suddenly, they’d scatter themselves among the branches of another tree or two and resume their choir.

                Finally, we had to wander back to the house to see to the supper hour. Out on the front lawn, again, something unusual caught our eye. I crouched down to get a closer look at a big, shiny, black ground beetle making its way over the blades of grass. And as I kneeled there watching him, I suddenly realized my back wasn’t objecting so much, either.

                So, the next time you’re feeling a bit icky, do yourself a big favor. Hop in the car and take a drive out to the country, or even to your local park – – or even your very own back yard – – and help yourself to a big dose of the best medicine in the world: a great big spoonful of Mother Nature! She doesn’t promise to cure everything, but she’ll sure make you feel a whole lot better!