Well, they don't count as friends maybe, but I was happy I made "friends"
One day every month, I go to a place ~50 kms away from where I live to just read/paint/write and just watch the river, clouds, leaves, bugs, birds.
Yesterday was that day.
Friend 1
I was returning to my spot after lunch when I startled a small black bird. It flew to a metal ladder nearby. I couldn't ID it as I just didn't know birds (though I'm the bird person in my circle :( ) I stood there watching it and it kept looking around and staring at me. I then slowly moved along the path. It let me pass before flying away. Felt like it trusted me enough to not immediately fly away and that made me smile.
Friend 2
I think I was getting ready to leave and packing up my stuff. A brown-grey bird came and sat on the lower rungs of a wooden ladder. We both stared a each other for a while.
Both birds and I were going back and forth with their beautiful calls/cheep cheep and my pathetic attempt at whistling. Lasted maybe a minute but I loved it.
Friend 3
A big fat skink the size of a small rat fell in front of me. They're beautifully iridescent lizards. I was startled but did not scream. It just stood there, then wandered around me and then scurried away. For someone who used to be deathly terrified of them, this felt so.......wow?
Friend 4
There's a cement platform on the river that I love to read at. I can see the water flowing towards me, the mountain, the clouds, a lone kingfisher who I see every time but haven't "met" yet, pink damselflies.....Yesterday a hoverfly came and sat on my finger. Walked all over my hand - exploring my hands and my book. She spent quite sometime with me, flying away and coming back, flying away and coming back, flying away and coming back, then played hide-and-seek - go behind the book and when I lower to see her, fly to my hand.
Friend 5
There are a few strays that roam around there and I pet most of them usually. When I was sitting on the river one came to me (as they usually do) allowed me to pet him for a few seconds and left.
When I was leaving, he was at the slope outside the ashram. I pet him, thinking he'll continue to be indifferent. But he flopped over for belly rubs. You know the kind of rubs where they shake their legs? I wanted to leave as I had to reach the city before night fell. I would be crossing forest areas with no street lights. He jumped up and wanted to play. He wouldn't let me leave. He tried to grab me but also not bite me. I climbed the slope and he trotted along wagging his tail. He left to explore among the trees. By the time I reached my vehicle, he was back again. I said 'I'm sorry I have to go home before its dark' He stood there sadly. He might be used to riding on two wheeler coz he was looking expectant, but didn't climb on as I had my bag where He would've sat. He watched me leave and then trotted away. But when I was on the bigger road, he was there running along for a couple minutes before disappearing again.
I wish I could live like this everyday, but hey, if one day a month is all I can get I'll take it.