Winter Joys

Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars-and if you have eyes you will be able to see that the whole existence is joyful.

Rajneesh

A tree standing alone on the edge of a dormant field of tall grass

A red bellied woodpecker hanging on the feeder

Give food to the birds, you will then be surrounded by the wings of love, you will be encompassed by the joys of little silent hearts!

Mehmet Murat Ildan

a tufted titmouse holds a seed

Robins wintering in an old apple orchard

I caught a glimpse of happiness, and saw it was a bird on a branch, fixing to take wing.

Richard Peck

Crows chatting and cawing in the treetops

The perfection of an empty nest

I spent my last week in Michigan (for a few months) feeling sad that I had to leave. I had some major technical problems this week, but I still wanted to share some of the pictures I took at home and in my neighborhood before I left for Miami.

Hope you had a wonderful week. Thank you for being here.

A Moment of Connection

This is what the things can teach us: to fall, patiently to trust our heaviness. Even a bird has to do that before he can fly.

Rainer Maria Rilke

A yellow breasted bird,

smaller than my hand,

sat outside my door,

unmoving, on the hot cement.

I sat with him -

close enough

to see his tiny brown eyes,

close enough

to see his chest rise

and fall.

How long we sat

I couldn’t say,

So long I began to worry

that he was hurt-

I got up to see -

and he flew away.

Sunday, February 12, 2023. Northern Parula sitting in the sun on our balcony.