Birds are everywhere here. I suspect I notice them more now because there are so few other creatures out and about in this grey and snow-scabbed landscape. Some days ago, in the space of a short while, birds made their presence known to me in various ways. We were in the car, driving to the home of a couple that live far out in the country, who had promised the kids good sledding in the company of their son.<\/p>\n
I saw: a fat black-and-white magpie sitting alone in the black branches of a skeletal tree, his shape silhouetted against the snow. I saw: a red-tailed hawk hovering over the edge of the road and another wheeling only a short distance away. I saw a small riverside field edged with reeds, and dotted here and there several beige and brown hawks, bigger than red-taileds. What were they doing, all together yet separate in that field? I saw: yet another hawk perched solemnly on the top of a weatherbeaten log which was serving as a fencepost. He didn’t move a feather as the car passed. I saw: rooks as big as small dogs hopping nonchalantly to the shoulder as we approached and busily back after the car had gone by. And I saw: on the shallow nearly-iced surface of a silver pond, 2 swans. One was standing up, lifting his head and dropping it repeatedly and then reaching back over his shoulder in some kind of strange swan yoga. The other was a motionless and featureless ball of bright pure white feathers. The snow looked smudgy and stained in comparison, though it was white as well.<\/p>\n
This has been a good, albeit busy, week. An enlivening set of AWC meetings on Monday with inspiring guest speakers and sushi beforehand, and the satisfaction of finalizing the website afterwards. A massage and then a huge pat on the back for myself on Tuesday with the discovery that I’ve lost 5 kilos (11 pounds!) in the last 4 weeks. A major affirmation at work. A new and swinging calypso song at choir practice yesterday. A nap today and another 2 pages down on the translation project and the knowledge that February is finally in the rearview mirror. The sky was light and high and pink behind me as I drove home, after having left work early for a doctor’s appointment and a stop at the grocery store.<\/p>\n
And my dinner tonight was scrumptious: bouyantly green leaf salad, crisp scalloped romaine, tasty and mouthwatering artichoke hearts, delicious little plum tomatoes, thinly-sliced crunchy cucumbers, a sprinkle of toscana seasonings with tiny herbed croutons and pistachio nuts, julienned ham and a small dollop of creamy garlic caesar dressing. Yum! I savored every bite.<\/p>\n
The one little fly in my ointment was the horrible drooling nostalgia hunger that attacked me late the other night as I lay in bed thinking of all the foods I want to eat while I’m in America. Oh dear! The road to hell is apparently paved with Cinnabon and Fritos.<\/p>\n
Really Great Writing Out There Right Now<\/b>: HulaLand is NOT Dollywood<\/a><\/p>\n More Really Great Writing Out There Right Now<\/b>: I Carry Your Heart With Me
\n(I Carry It In My Heart)<\/a><\/p>\n