Ahhh! What A Beautiful Sound!
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
August 14, 2008 2:10am CST
This might be kind of a wacky discussion. But I'm here in front of my computer very late at night. It's quiet...no sounds save one that I can hear. The chirping of crickets...the first time I've noticed them all year long.
Here I am in a city type environment and I guess I relish any indications of nature...the chirping of birds, watching large puffy clouds sail across the skies, watching the budding growths of trees as they wake up from a long winter's sleep.
There's always been something about hearing crickets though...don't know why. Did you know I actually at one time had crickets as pets? Uh, yup. In some cultures crickets are actually considered lucky...then there is Charles Dickens short story "Cricket On The Hearth"
In our "busy-ness" of everyday living we really do sometimes to stop and smell the roses..we have our agendas to meet, deadlines, the simple (or complex) day to day living. How many of us just sit back and become aware and "attuned" to nature's rhythms instead which always seems to be slower than ours...like a beckoning to just take a good time out?
What sounds or sights of nature remind you of the simple pleasures of life? Is it a sunset? Smelling the smell of rain in the air before it does rain, listening to the first robin that heralds spring? Do you take a time out and just "be"?
22 people like this
52 responses
@tapnaroy12 (875)
• India
14 Aug 08
Hi Pyewacket. What a beautiful topic. Yes, life is so fast now we only get a chance to enjoy the freshness of a rose, while we are running after time.
But when it rains during day time, i don't know, why does it make me nostalgic. Rains during daytime brings back memories of my childhood life. Dancing and playing in the rain. I used to say that I was taking a bath under a natural shower. It was so sweet. Even today i vividly feel that unique sensation of childhood during rain.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Aug 08
LOL...I don't mind walking in the rain even now...I remember when my grandmother, mother and I used to visit Florida that around the same time every afternoon it was a torrential downpour...the kind that got you soaked in seconds....but since it was so hot and humid there, it was such a welcomed relief to walk in it
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
14 Aug 08
This whole year has been whizzing by fast..it's already mid-August and before you know it we'll be getting ready for Thanksgiving.
2 people like this
@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
14 Aug 08
It is funny you mention crickets, I was watching a movie the other night and the scene was outside and you can hear the sounds of crickets and it reminded me when I was visiting some cousins who live out of the city area and I recall saying how much I enjoyed hearing that sound, maybe this is because I rarely get to hear them where I live probably because of the heavy noise of the city which seems to drown out their unique sound but my cousins of course complained how annoying it is. You just made me think about that.
4 people like this
@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
16 Aug 08
No I never hear them here. Outside of my window is that parking lot, there is no greenery around my place at all.
1 person likes this
@saigonwarrior (1331)
• United States
14 Aug 08
I have a very nice isolated, private back yard.
I try to sit outside, weather permitted, every evening to just
unwind and chill out. I love to watch the rabbits in the yard and listen
to the sounds of nature...feel the cooling down of a hot day and hope for
a gentle breeze, sometimes enjoying a nice drink.
It is a nice way to relax before bed :)
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Aug 08
Aww--must be cute to see the rabbits....I'm kind of envious of people who do live in country type surroundings and can see a lot of "wildlife"..can't wait to make my millions so I can move into the country myself..LOL
@tyc415 (5706)
• United States
14 Aug 08
I love to go out on the patio in the evening or night time and listen to the cricket and the locust. Right now there are also some frogs around here that chirp at night, not croaking but a nice sounding chirp. I thought at firt the frogs were birds but my husband said no, frogs. hahaha When it is the right time of year I also like to go out n the daytime and watch the hummingbirds come to the feeders I put up for them.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Aug 08
I've yet to hear any locust here which is unusual...but don't they usually come or are present when it's really hot? It's kind of been cool for August lately
1 person likes this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
14 Aug 08
Hi pyewacket! Oh, I do love the smell of rain in the air. I also love the chirping of the birds before sunset making me go out in the garden just to bask in the glory of the sky. I have been going out again in the garden most of the time now before sunset and I guess, I owe it to not having my own laptop repaired until this time as I am just using my husband's pc when it is not in use. haha.. But I am thankful for that because I have rediscover the beauty of nature again.
Take care always..God Bless!
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Aug 08
LOL...it's raining here now as a matter of fact...I can usually smell rain in the air hours before. What was really sweet happened yesterday morning. It was early...a little before I was to officially get up but was half awake...I noticed my two cats were diligently looking out the window fascinated by something. So I get up and it was a baby sparrow on the windowsill (don't worry my two kitties couldn't get at it as I have screens)...I stood there awhile and sure enough momma bird came to feed it...what a priceless moment
@debjit (339)
• India
15 Aug 08
Hi friends.... It's not a wacky discussion at all!! Infact, this is a good one. I always think of writing such discussion, but for some reason I didn't. This time, when I see this discussion I feel I had to response it.
I don't live at the centre of the city. So, I don't need to hear the noise of streets at night. When the darkness engulfs, when everyone is asleep, I can hear the melody of silence. The sound of cricket adds a beautiful essence to it.
I love the darkness, I love silent night.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Aug 08
Living in the city type area it's rarely completely quiet...that's why I love listening to the sounds of crickets I suppose...kind of makes my mind imagine for the moment that I am in the country
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
14 Aug 08
always! and I have crickets in the house but I never hear them they must not be happy. I put them outside when i find them.
The birds seem sto have deserted me here lately I havent noticed them singing in the mornings like I ususally do. sigh.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Mmm...maybe the crickets you don't have are the female ones....they don't chirp like the males. Aww..wonder what happened to the birds near you
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
14 Aug 08
I have the pleasure of living in the country right now and the one most special thing about it right now is the sounds of nature - tons of birds, crickets, frogs, the occassional raccoon chattering and a few weeks ago I tried sneaking around the back side of the garden to take photos of momma deer and her twins when she snorted at me - yep I got chewed out by a deer :) It was neat but I headed for the house at the same time the 3 deer headed for the woods - deer can be very dangerous particularly when protecting their young.
2 people like this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I have gotten some photos of the deer but none yet that I think are 'great shots' it's been a major goal of mine "to get THE great shot" that day Mom snorted and ran, deer to the woods in a matter of seconds and I towards the house.
Little stinkers got into my tomatoes last night or early this morning - tops were eaten off several of my cherry tomatoe plants and actual bits taken out of 3 large tomatoes - we, the deer and I, are going to have to have a talk.
LOL - just noticed in the mylot category 'relationships' there is a photo of last year's twins I posted - one was eating while the other stood gard.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Did you manage to photograph the deer? I think all "moms" even in the animal world are very protective of their young
@BarBaraPrz (47265)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
14 Aug 08
Reminds me of a past neighbor who missed the sound of crickets, so went to a pet store and bought a dozen to set free in the yard. She has since moved away, but the crickets remain, chirping their comforts...
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Aug 08
I agree that's a beautiful way of saying it...chirping their comforts...I guess the crickets that you hear now are the 'grandchildren" of the original ones...LOL
1 person likes this
@maidangela7349 (1191)
•
15 Aug 08
One of the drawbacks of living a few hundred yards from the sea is that most of the birds you hear are seagulls and they can sound like someone in agony. However living by the sea is wonderful. Just been down to Southwold. It was a lovely day did not see the prime minister though.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Aug 08
It's odd...we have gulls here too yet I'm not exactly close to the ocean. I kind of like gulls though...I went through a phase where I loved the story Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Also, sometimes very late at night I can hear the overpass of migrating geese...and their "honking" sound
@maidangela7349 (1191)
•
18 Aug 08
You get gulls everywhere in England they are herring gulls and they will go wherever they can find food. By the sea you have other gulls that are competing for food so you do get a lot of noise. They have finished nesting now and the chicks are beginning to fly and slowly get their white plumage. It is the height of the season lots of visitors we have a new ferris wheel that we can see from our front door. They are building a new harbour for ferries. It is all go round here
@cortjo73 (6498)
• United States
14 Aug 08
The first butterfly I see each year is something I always pay attention to. And, where I live, the crickets can get so loud at night that you have to speak up a little louder if you are having a conversation outside. They have a bit of a calming hum thing going on when I go to bed at night.
I also like the smell of rain before it happens.
The light outside on the first warm day of spring always makes me smile. I savor it! And, to accompany that, as I am driving around on that first warm day or spring, seeing people driving with their windows down, makes me smile.
Another thing that makes me happy is a favorite song played on the radio.
Waking up on a Friday morning and knowing that it is just a few more hours of work until 2 days of freedom. And, when I wake up on a Saturday morning and realize I have some extra time to sleep because I don't have to go anywhere.
That is all I can think of for now but, these are just a few of the simpler things that make me appreciate life a little bit at a time.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Aug 08
See anymore bunnies? It was you who had a discussion about a little bunny visitor wasn't it? I literally stop in my tracks when I'm outside and see butterflies...people must think I'm gaga....LOL. Don't see too many of them around ....one day when I was crossing the street I happen to see a dragonfly, flying about...was kind of unusual to see.
1 person likes this
@cortjo73 (6498)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Hey Pye! I haven't seen anymore bunnies around. A few full grown rabbits now and then but, no more little baby bunnies. And, yes...that was me. He or she was so cute!
Living in Georgia, we have a ton of dragonflies around. Well, maybe not a ton but, I probably see one or 2 a day and they are huge. They are probably no smaller than 4 inches from head to tip of the tail.
I like to hear the birds singing, after the rain has just gone away and the sun is peeking form the clouds. The birds are all happy because they know they will find worms. I love the smell right after the rain clears too. @pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Aug 08
I love the way the air smells after a rain too. I can usually smell rain approaching hours before it actually rains..LOL
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
14 Aug 08
I have to admit that crickets are not my favorite creatures, nor their chirp my favorite sound. Perhaps that's because when I was a young teen with a bedroom in the basement, crickets used to get in and wait until I was sound asleep to chirp. Sometimes it took me hours to find it or them. As soon as the light went on, the chirping stopped. When it went off, the chirping started again. I hated that. And they're also very destructive to clothing.
No, I prefer waking before the sun comes up, then watching the sunrise. To me, it's God's greatest gift to us - that beautiful canvas sky that the Master Artist creates anew each day.
The birds and squirrels are different at that time of day too. They awaken and seem to have such joy. Sometimes the sounds of the birds seems to be the sound of worship.
I love that time of day best, listening to the birds sing and watching the squirrels romp.
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (47265)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
16 Aug 08
I love the sound of a train in the distance!
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Aug 08
kenzie....you're lucky you can see the sunrise...I really can't from any of my windows....all I see are apartment buildings.
cher8558
You're making me drool here..LOL...It's one of my goals to be able to move to the countryside somewhere...where I don't know...by looking at photos I seemed to be drawn by the New England area..especially New Hampshire for some reason. I would love to see deer in my yard. Being that I'm in a city type area...there are LOADS of truckers driving through my street at all hours even the wee small hours of the morning
cher8558
You're making me drool here..LOL...It's one of my goals to be able to move to the countryside somewhere...where I don't know...by looking at photos I seemed to be drawn by the New England area..especially New Hampshire for some reason. I would love to see deer in my yard. Being that I'm in a city type area...there are LOADS of truckers driving through my street at all hours even the wee small hours of the morning1 person likes this
@cher8558 (425)
• Canada
15 Aug 08
Hi friends,
You know we moved from the city (Toronto) to the country. I must admit, the first two years I found it difficult being a city woman, the fast pace, the shopping malls, everything at hand. I think tooooo much at hand. You get sucked into the fast pace, the rat race, if you will.
Now that I live in the country, going on 11 years, I love it. You could not drag me back to the city. I don't even like visiting the city.
We have learned to appreciate the sounds. We have deer in our backyard. It is so peaceful to watch them and their babies as they feed. The birds chirping. And yes the sometimes annoying crickets.
Speaking of sounds. There are two of the most lonely sounds, and I have always thought this; a truckers tires on the pavement late at night and the sound of a train in the distance late at night. To me, these are the loneliest sounds around. God bless those truckers and train conductors. I think they have very lonely jobs, especially at night.
But otherwise, I would advise anybody who is so stressed out, if you have the option, the where-with-all, move to the country and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. There is nothing like it in the world.
Cheers,
Cheryl
2 people like this
@twallace (2675)
• United States
14 Aug 08
I live in the country and they are something you hear every night. But one thing that I know is really hard to deal with is when you have one of them in the house. I have had to find it and let it outside. I didn't kill it though. Just caught it and took it back out side. So I hear lots of them at night time and when it rains. They sing up a storm.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Aug 08
That's good you didn't kill the cricket...I can never kill spiders if I find them either as I remember an old saying my great grandmother used to say that it was bad luck to kill one..If I find one I put it outside too
@littleowl (7157)
•
14 Aug 08
Hi Pye did you read my poem called the Sounds Of Silence have done that discussion just recently...what you are saying is the same as my poem..take a look..everyday I look and see the way the trees change colour flowers bloom hear the birds and sometimes sit and just listen to the sound of silence..yes I am very much aware of all these little bits of magic and sounds of silence all around..Please read my last discusion if you haven't aleady..bb littleowl
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Yes littleowl I did read your poem and like me I can tell you really do appreciate the wonders and beauties of the natural world.
1 person likes this
@Bluepatch (2476)
• Trinidad And Tobago
14 Aug 08
Its like when I wake up in the morning.
My neighbour keeps birds and at that time all I hear is the sound of birds singing and chirping.
Its charming and homely and lovely to hear when all day, every day all you listen to is the traffic, the awful rap music and the shouting of unruly people.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Yup...nice break from hearing traffic, noisy people ...when I hear the birds or crickets I can for a moment think I'm in the country
@tessah (6617)
• United States
15 Aug 08
i try often to just take time to "be" to breath.. to be quiet. same as everyone i forget and neglect that need alot of the time. what usually will bring me around to quiet is the sound of the wind. the way it moves the trees.. especially if its raining. better than any of those nature sounds cds by a long shot. 
my husband and i were talking about keeping crickets just the other day.. theyve started invading the house again, and last year we had one that stayed and got all friendly. even the animals didnt bother him. hed gotten so comfortable roaming the house at will like he owned the place.. that there was more than one incident of him climbing up and sitting on the end of my husbands boot. hed just perch himself there for 15-20 minutes at a time giving off the occaisional chirp 
what do you feed them? anything specifically a favorite? below find a pic of silly little bug playing with his reflection in a mirror
my husband and i were talking about keeping crickets just the other day.. theyve started invading the house again, and last year we had one that stayed and got all friendly. even the animals didnt bother him. hed gotten so comfortable roaming the house at will like he owned the place.. that there was more than one incident of him climbing up and sitting on the end of my husbands boot. hed just perch himself there for 15-20 minutes at a time giving off the occaisional chirp what do you feed them? anything specifically a favorite? below find a pic of silly little bug playing with his reflection in a mirror 2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Aug 08
I used to have a whole bunch of those nature sounds cassette tapes like the ocean sounds...having listened to them in years though. I used to keep my crickets in small aquarium tank type things...been so long though forgot what I fed them though....think kernals of fresh corn, and lettuce
@NettyB (335)
• United States
14 Aug 08
Yup crickets mean summer. Our bedroom is in the basement and if we have the window open, the little buggers like to sit in the windowsill and chirp...that CAN get on my nerves when I am trying to go to sleep. But I do like sitting on the front porch in the evening and listen to them and watch the fireflies while the sun sets. I am fortunate to live in a fairly small town, nice quiet summer evenings are the best!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Gee I haven't seen fireflies in ages around here...LOL. I think it would be the opposite with me....listening to crickets while falling asleep to me would be soothing....uh, so much better than listening to traffic whizzing by at all hours of the late night and morning
@LouiseKnittel (4764)
• United States
15 Aug 08
I love the sounds of nature as well. The birds singing, the crickets. I love the sounds of puppies barking their little voices are so cute! i am not a fan of the buzzing sounds from the bees and wasps though.. I hate those LOL
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Aug 08
LOL...yes I guess the sounds of buzzing from bees or wasps is nerve-wracking a bit...come to think of it though I haven't seen too many bees around lately
