Weathering A Storm

Every storm runs out of rain, just like every dark night turns into day.

Gary Allan

Feathers blown and wet

A mockingbird stopped to rest

Safe - from one more storm.

There is no fundamental difference between man and animals in their ability to feel pleasure and pain, happiness, and misery.

Charles Darwin

The mockingbird is the state bird of Florida (where I am now). I hear them singing whenever I go for a walk. Their songs are beautiful- some borrowed from other birds or animals (and even occasionally, car horns and alarms), some their own. They’re known for singing pretty much all day long and even sometimes into the night if they’re looking for a mate.

Usually, they are very neat and orderly in appearance, but we had a violent wind and rainstorm one afternoon this week, and when it was over, I saw this one little rain-drenched bird on the wooden pole next to my apartment building. He looked cold, and was breathing heavily. I thought of the times I’ve been caught in a rainstorm unexpectedly and gotten soaked through my clothes to the skin. The bone deep shivering. The goosebumps. At least I have a place to come in out of the wind and rain -and dry things to change into. He just had to wait for his feathers to dry - out there on that pole in the wind. Brr. But I’m really glad he made it through the storm.

Thank you so much for being here. See you next week!

Two days before the storm, I took a picture of a dry mockingbird standing on a post near the beach. This is how they’re supposed to look.

Seagulls at Sunrise - a pictorial haiku

The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.

Richard Bach

Two lonely seagulls

landing at sunrise, stand, gazing-

and find - each other.

In the end there is no desire so deep as the simple desire for companionship.

Graham Greene

I saw one seagull standing alone first and took out my camera, liking the way the sun was illuminating his feathers. Then another one approached and began grooming itself. They both lifted their heads, turned in the same direction, and walked off together. It was an unexpectedly sweet moment, only caught because my camera was in continuous shooting mode. I use that a lot when I’m trying to capture animals, because unexpected things do happen, and I would hate to miss it just because I’m not fast enough to take the next few shots manually. Even if you aren’t taking a picture, it can be fun to watch individual animals for more than just a moment. Sometimes they do surprising things.

I have decided to continue blogging regularly - some may be a little shorter, but I really enjoy connecting with you this way, so I’m sticking with it. Thank you so much for being here. I will see you next week!

Scenes from a Long Walk

Walking sometimes means undertaking an inner voyage of discovery. You are shaped by buildings, faces, signs, weather and the atmosphere…Walking as a combination of movement, humility, balance, curiosity, smell, sound, light and - if you walk far enough - longing. A feeling which reaches for something, without finding it.

Erling Kagge, from Walking

A seagull flying into the sunrise over the Atlantic

fighting for scraps of food in the air

lizard basking in sunshine on the rocks at the marina

Fish crow gazing into the water of the shipping channel

rock dove perching on a ledge above a small local grocery store

egret fishing in a public fountain.

a single white flower floats on the surface of a pond

Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time.

Steven Wright

This was not just a single walk, or even a single day, but in hindsight it felt like one continuous experience. I am on the cusp of a change, trying to decide how and where to focus my time in the near future. I may begin blogging a little less frequently to make space for other work. Decision making is hard. Walking helps.

Thank you for being here.