Month: March 2021

Hawklets – Day 850

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Keeping an eye on the feeders – Photo: L. Weikel

Hawklets

Yesterday’s post celebrated my identification of the very vocal and aerobatic presence of Red-shouldered Hawks in our hamlet. (Yes, the cluster of homes on our road was at one time designated a hamlet on old maps.) This evening I’m happy to report that the sky-dancing, shrieking, gift-giving (or so it appeared), and outright over-the-top public displays of affection (read: avian lust) continued today. If vigorous persistence is any barometer of success, we’re going to have some hawklets in the neighborhood this year. Not a real word, but it’ll be my word for the larger chicks hanging out this year.

And if the breeding information provided by Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is accurate, it sounds like this behavior could last until the end of the month (although I can’t fathom why it should take so long – they sure looked like they were getting lucky yesterday and today), with a nest of 3 to 4 eggs being the result. I believe we should have hatchlings sometime in May – but won’t actually see them fledge (if we’re privy to that, of course) until the end of June to mid July.

Even though I knew they were hanging around our house because we provide a post-coital snack bar, they were almost annoyingly obvious about that today. Choosing to mess around on the branch of a tree right by our driveway gave them the added bonus of being able to keep a hawkeye on our feeders. And boy, did those Red-shoulders create anxiety in everybody else.

Cardinal in Flight – Photo: L.Weikel

Other Avian Love

Both yesterday and today the number of cardinals – and their obvious affection for each other – was almost as noticeable as the hawks’ enthusiasm for each other. It appears we may be supporting at least four mating pairs of Cardinals this year, too!

But the lengths all the other birds had to go to in order to avoid being snatched up by lust-fueled starving Hawk beaks were extensive. Hours at a time would go by with only the calls of the Red-shoulders piercing the quiet. But then, gradually, the lookouts would probably advise that the predators were napping or something because all of a sudden the feeders and the branches surrounding the feeders would become a cacophony of chatter.

One Last Spring Exclamation

PEEPERS! Last night we heard a few early birds. The first to hatch in the primordial ooze that is known as swampy field land near High Rocks State Park entered life singing. Tonight, those brave newbies were joined by significantly more buddies. Not yet deafening, they were still making lovely music together this evening.

As I said yesterday, this initial taste of true springtime weather did not disappoint!

(T-261)

Did Not Disappoint – Day 849

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Red-shouldered Hawk – Photo: L. Weikel

Did Not Disappoint

Well, I must admit – the anticipation I was feeling last night over the prospect of a serious taste of spring was not only met but exceeded. In short, today did not disappoint.

The sap – both proverbial and literal – is indeed rising in Mother Nature’s many splendored children. The excitement attendant to simply being alive and having survived a very snowy winter was palpable everywhere I looked (and listened).

It’s this listening part that had the biggest impact upon me today. Early this morning, as Karl and I were having our coffee and picking our cards for the day we heard a very loud and distinct bird call sounding an alarm that neither of us recognized. We both noticed it; the bird’s urgency was clear and unmistakable – and it sounded like it was practically right outside our front door, perhaps sitting in the lanky pine trees across the road.

Slowly opening the front door so I could hear the call more clearly and perhaps get a glimpse of this intriguing new vocalist, the simple warmth of the outside air enveloped my senses. Oh my, such a dramatic change. How is it that even though I knew to expect this lovely shift in the weather it nevertheless stopped me in my tracks and demanded I breathe deeply.

There it was again! That call! My eyes scanned the sky. There! I called to Karl to quickly come and see. At least two hawks were quite literally dancing in the sky just above us. I could see (and hear) another one, maybe two, also darting and swooping in and out of my line of vision. Another was perching in a still bare beech tree a hundred yards down the road.

Raptor ID

I checked my trustee “Raptor ID” app and was quickly able to identify the distinctive cry of these Red-shouldered Hawks. I’m extremely surprised, to be honest, that I’ve never isolated this cry in my mind well enough to identify it as a Red-shoulder. After today, I guarantee I’ll never forget it.

These birds were very clearly in full mating mode, calling and dancing, tumbling and soaring. I’ve honestly never witnessed such a full-on display of pure avian joy and desire to mate and create life. I was surprised to read that they tend to be monogamous and mate for life.

Fascinating.

Photo: L. Weikel

A Message and Realization

While I’m intimately familiar with Hawk in general being a messenger – when they show up it’s often a sign that a message is coming our way or we’re being asked to be a messenger in our own right – I wondered if the Red-shouldered has a particular significance (aside from being the creatures that I suspect snack readily on our smaller birds).

The most I could find specifically on the Red-shoulder was in Animal Speak* by Ted Andrews. As with the Red-tailed Hawk, which are found in abundance in our area (but they don’t tend to hang around near our house) was a focus upon its red (ferrous) coloring and the particularly intense vibrancy of energy they may be indicating is arriving in one’s life. They could be considered instigators of new ideas and optimism, hope and creative opportunities.

All I can say is that I was smitten by the intensity of their ardor. They entertained me for hours, even after I successfully identified them and did my best to capture some photos with my phone.

As I re-settled myself on our porch and started focusing upon my own creative endeavors, I realized with a mixture of delight and dismay that these predators are definitely hanging out on every side of our house – and sticking close. This clip captures both their call – and the probable reaction of all our ‘regulars.’

Red-shouldered Hawk – Photo: L. Weikel

*affiliate link

(T-262)

Anticipation – Day 848

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Two short weeks ago – Spartacus – Photo: L. Weikel

Anticipation

I, for one, have thoroughly delighted in all the snow we received this winter. Yeah baby – storm after storm – barely having time to catch our breath. The snowstorms have been so relentless that, here we are, the 9th of March, and there remain piles of snow on the ground beneath the eaves of our garage where blankets of snow, some 18” deep, slumped off. Yet here I am, brimming with anticipation over the change in weather this week.

Exactly two weeks ago, we were reveling in yet another ‘snow event.’ The township didn’t even bother to plow, cinder, or salt for several hours – quite probably because they have little product left and who knows how unpredictable March will be?! The best part about the lack of plowing was the chance to take a walk in the snow silence that only comes when everything is covered in a downy comforter of white stuff.

And yes, I used the word reveling. My only regret has been that I didn’t go sleigh riding even once. (I know, I know. Most people call it sledding. But it’s always been sleigh riding to me.) While I’m sure having to trudge back up the hill would’ve dissuaded me from taking more than one pass down, even a singlet would’ve been fun.

Snow Blanket – Photo: L. Weikel

Here We Are

But here we are, looking forward to at least three days of temperatures soaring into the 60s, with the chance of actually reaching 70 by Thursday. Nothing volatile at all about March weather, amiright?

And I have to say: I’m feelin’ it. Just this morning, with temperatures still briskly hovering in the low 30s, I filled the bird feeders and noticed yellow green shoots just starting to pierce the surface of the garden. Daffodils are on their way!

I’m excited to document the progress of these sprouts over the next few days. When I close my eyes and imagine the life force in these bulbs, I feel a powerful buzz, a pent-up sense of desire wanting to burst forth toward the sun.

Let springtime commence.

Hungry Hawk – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-263)

Spooning – Day 847

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Cletus & Tigger Spooning – Photo: L. Weikel

Spooning

Spooning, cuddling, call it what you will. I venture a guess there are only a few people out there who don’t find immense comfort in the ritual of holding or being held. Or, as in our case, switching off in the middle of the night by mumbling a barely recognizable, “Hold or be held?” and then adjusting ourselves according to the wishes of the one being asked.

At least we take turns giving each other priority preference.

But the pleasures of spooning do not end with homo sapiens in our house. No sir. As can be seen from my photo, above, even two of our three cats were recently caught spooning with each other.

Cletus and Tigger

A few weeks ago I managed to take this photo of Cletus and Spartacus sleeping sort of adjacent to each other (more sharing a pillow than cuddling – with Tigger  hanging out on the periphery). Precious, of course, was nowhere to be seen. She tends to sleep by her self, often choosing to perch on the back of a couch and snoring so loudly you’d swear it was another human.

Cletus, Spartacus, Tigger – Photo: L. Weikel

While the animals definitely have affection for each other that genuinely seems to be more than mere tolerance, it is nevertheless rare to have two male cats (albeit neutered) who are completely unrelated to each other actually cuddle up.

But then you give the whole scenario some perspective and you realize just how potentially stereotype-shattering this whole ‘spooning’ exercise really is in our household.

Perspective

Ah yes, there it is again: perspective. It really is fascinating just how much of a role our perspective plays on everything we perceive. Our perspective – or the overall context in which we perceive creatures or anything, shapes and colors our entire experience.

It was with this truth in mind that I pulled back from my closeup of Cletus and Tigger spooning in order to give a wider view of the potential sleeping arrangements available to our pets.

Many rooms at the Inn – Photo: L. Weikel

Clearly, there was a deliberate choice to share a deluxe pillow together, as there were a plethora of beds available for them to sleep independently.

I’m left to wonder, in all honestly, just how much comfort and reassurance our cats require in these strange times. How similar are they to us when it comes right down to it?

No matter how you look at it, it’s pretty adorable.

(T-264)

A Donkey On the Edge – Day 846

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Photo: L. Weikel

A Donkey On the Edge

One phrase from the movie Shrek, uttered by the inimitable Eddie Murphy as Donkey himself, resonated so profoundly with me when I heard it that it became a permanent part of my personal lexicon of go-to phrases. Yes. It’s true. Referring to myself as a ‘donkey on the edge’ whenever I’m stressed out to the max could not be a more spot-on description.

I have to say, I think the animated movies that came out when my youngest sons were little were the very best of the best. We’re talking through the middle and late 90’s: Toy Story, The Lion King, Shrek, just to name a few. Another one that belongs in that lineup, albeit a completely different cup of tea than the first three mentioned, would be The Snowman.

It’s possible that these favorites hold their special place in my heart precisely because we enjoyed watching them together. Nevertheless, they’re also classics in themselves, conveying themes that resonate with our shared humanity and the values we want our kids and each other to hold.

Laughter – the Ultimate Tension Breaker

That said, and as much as I am inevitably reduced to tears watching Toy Story and The Lion King (or just hearing the musical theme of The Snowman), when I watch Shrek, I laugh. And the character that makes me laugh the most is, of course, Donkey.

Donkeys (in real life) and I go way back. Probably the most notorious instances of my relationship with donkeys harkens back to some shamanic training I did in Ireland 12 or 13 years ago. The estate where we gathered for the weeklong sacred work had some resident donkeys among a cadre of other wild and not-so-wild life, including two dogs that were as big as ponies.

But the donkeys captivated me. (There’s more to the story but not for tonight.)

As I sit here this evening thinking about these movies, I’m basically talking myself into watching at least Shrek tomorrow. I need a laugh.

I’ve been a ‘donkey on the edge’ lately, as have some other people in my psychic space.

Laughter is definitely what we all could use – in abundance.

(T-265)

Success – Day 845

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Success – Photo: L. Weikel

Success!

Well look at that. I ended yesterday’s post with a dream – a vision – of my Dell laptop being in pristine fettle when I awoke. And yes, ladies and gentlemen, I met with success! It was a gamble; the update and attendant restarts were glacially slow. But I am here to bear witness that every once in a while even I can manage to update a system. And this time, miraculously, without S.T. (Son Technology)!

It’s life’s little victories. We need to celebrate them. I felt a huge sense of relief wash over me when I took my first look at the Dell this morning.

If I’d looked at that laptop screen this morning and the progress reported on the updating process had only moved a few percentage points since when I went to bed, I would’ve been devastated. Heck, even if it had moved a bunch – I still would’ve been on the edge of despair had it not completed its process by this morning.

So, yeah. I’m celebrating this ‘win.’ It’s sort of like the feeling I get when I hit <<send>> every night. It’s another post in my pocket. No matter how small, no matter how benign the topic or banal the observations…boom. An internal smile generator.

Emboldened to Move Forward

All this effort to backup my laptop and then update the Windows system was aggravation with a purpose. Beyond being a wise caretaker of my equipment (which I’ll admit is not my forté), I’m laying the groundwork so I can work with other, newer, technologies that are coming into my orbit. It just seemed to be a smart move to have everything working at its highest caliber before taking on something new.

So yes. I was trying to be a responsible caretaker but also setting a secure foundation for future exploration and experimentation.

For now, I’ll take this seemingly small win. It’s only going to lead to greater things.

(T-266)

Aggravation – Day 844

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My Dell’s Computer Screen (at the moment) – Photo: L. Weikel

Aggravation

If you take a look at the photo that’s leading this post, you probably won’t need me to write many words to convey to you the source of my aggravation. Thank you, Windows.

Higher Being help me, it seems like every time I try to ‘do the right thing’ and either backup or update one of my devices, it is rarely a benign event.

All My Fault

It’s probably all my fault. (I know; hard to believe, given some of the travails I’ve written about in times gone by.) Specifically though, yesterday I had the brilliant idea that I should do a global backup on the external hard drive I bought back in June for just that purpose. I don’t know what made me look at it, but the box in which I keep the hard drive crossed my path and I realized I’d only backed everything up once – the day I bought the hard drive. In June.

I must’ve been delirious with spring fever because I jumped right in and clicked on something that ended up backing up the entire laptop again, instead of just the documents and programs that had changed since June. Ugh. Imagine my internal freak-out when the screen informed me that the process would take four days. FOUR DAYS?

That’s what it said, but it only took – in actuality – about nine hours. Yea!

Lulled Into Trusting My PC

I will admit, I was feeling pretty badass. Undeservedly, as it turns out. But hey, it felt great while it lasted. I woke up this morning and that baby was backed up. Sweet.

So after working a few hours this morning and into the afternoon, something rather large and prominent appeared on my computer advising that Windows reeeeaaalllly needed to update either to Windows 10 or make changes to Windows 10. I don’t know. I forget, honestly. All I know is, it was telling me I didn’t have enough free space on my device to properly install these updates. But – and here’s where I got lulled into believing I could do this – it specifically said that if I connected an external hard drive to the laptop that had ‘x’ amount of free space (which I knew my hard drive had) it could get the job done all by itself.

Hell yeah!

I was totally stoked that I actually knew how to do this (ya know – plug the hard drive into the laptop via a USB cord – high stakes technological know-how) and would be able to avail myself of the latest improvements to my operating system.

A Fool and Her Laptop

And so I blissfully followed the Windows update instructions, connected the external hard drive, and crossed my fingers that I wasn’t going to mess up all my applications and programs and everything else I’ve worked so hard at becoming haltingly familiar with using.

Imagine my horror when I left the laptop to work in another room, only to come back two hours later with the assessment pictured above – but instead of 18% it said 0%.  0%! After two hours!

The photo accompanying this was just taken by me close to midnight. It’s been ten hours. It’s at 18%. And if that weren’t bad enough – it’s been at 18% since 8:30 this evening. It hasn’t budged a single percentage point in (looking at my watch now) over four hours. Good grief.

So aggravation is my word for the day. Aggravation with a dash of terror around the edges.

Here’s hoping I wake up tomorrow with a laptop that’s zipping along with a whole new lease on life.

A girl can dream.

(T-267)

A Taste – Day 843

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Snowmelt Cataract – Photo: L. Weikel

A Taste

If you’re a person who pays even the slightest attention to weather predictions, you couldn’t escape the exhortations to get outside and enjoy today’s balmy temperatures. Spartacus was especially eager to supervise the filling of the birdfeeders if it meant he could sit on the porch and bask in the sun. Aaah, a taste of the season when we shift our ‘office’ outside.

Spart was ready to make the move today. And I can’t say I was far behind. The opportunity to lift my face to the sun and actually feel warmth was delicious.

I made a point of getting outside today because the temperatures are supposed to drop again for the next several days. Not that it’ll be ultra frigid or anything. But it’ll go back to 30s and 40s.

The yearning for spring is growing in all of us, I suspect. It’s as if we’re all a bunch of maple trees with our sap rising or daffodil bulbs defiantly poking our heads out of the still snow-covered ground.

Photo: L. Weikel

Walkabout

In celebration of this first whiff of spring, Karl and I did our first ‘walkabout’ in what feels like many – too many – months. A walkabout is what I call our four mile trek, leading us past wolfhounds and through horse farms, to name a few of the highlights.

It almost felt like a homecoming, it’s been so long since we took that route.

Snowmelt Waterfalls

The gradual way spring has been poking her toe in on us has made the melting of this winter’s copious snows less of a flooding nightmare than in other years. Nevertheless, the roadside streams and field runoffs were flowing copiously this afternoon – and the cacophony of their voices almost as much a harbinger of spring as my beloved peepers.

Next week the temperatures are supposed to reach into the low 60s. I’m ready.

Photo: L. Weikel

(T-268)

It’s Been a While – Day 842

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The Ocean Oracle by Susan Marte – 12 – Shark – Opportunities

It’s Been a While

It’s been a while since I chose an Ocean Oracle card for us to contemplate. While there is the possibility that in a couple of days we may have to deal with some weird hangover stuff still lurking in some people’s minds following the insurrection attempt on January 6th, I’m holding out hope that it’ll all blow over. Maybe that’s what that wild wind last night was trying to sweep away.

We can hope.

New Card

I cleared my mind and shuffled the deck. If I held anything in my mind, I guess I’d describe it as mostly a feeling, a sort of ‘holding’ the idea of March in my consciousness and just asking for a word or an idea that could be our collective March ‘watchword.’

12 ~ Shark ~ Opportunity

The Story:

“Once upon a time in the watery depths of a great ocean long ago forgotten, there lived a community of sea creatures. They lived together in peaceful harmony. Their community was abundant and prosperous and provided for all their needs. One day a neighbouring shark came by, telling them of an opportunity that would enhance their lives even more. Since the community could not fathom what else they may need, they let the opportunity pass them by. The shark swam away. Time passed and the community started to hear about other communities, who had taken a chance with the opportunities the shark offered them, and how their communities had become even more abundant and prosperous. The shark came again to the community, and again offered them an opportunity to enhance their lives. They were hesitant. They knew what they had and they were happy. Could there really be more out there? When the shark came for the third time the community decided to take the opportunity presented to them, this time not letting their fear stop them. Although at first it was scary and there was some hesitation, when the community whole-heartedly embraced the opportunity, they found their community grew and expanded in ways they never dreamed possible.

The Messages:

Is opportunity knocking? Be aware it doesn’t not knock forever. If you do not take the opportunity it could pass you by. Is this an acceptable option? This card could be a reminder that there are opportunities and you need to grab hold and shape what comes your way and make it yours and make what you will of it. Opportunities may or may not be straightforward. They may be in the murky depths. They may come at dawn or dusk or be just out of vision or tangible reach. Opportunities about. Take the fullness of the possibility and open up to the potential it holds.”

At the Foundation

Underneath (on the bottom of the deck) when I chose the Shark card was – surprise surprise – the same card we’ve had sitting in counsel with us for months now: Sea Heather – Resilience.

As it has indeed shown up before, you can read about Resilience here.

My Take

While I provided the link to the specific description of Resilience in the Ocean Oracle from when I chose it for us last time, I have to admit, I wasn’t at all surprised for the concept to be underneath and holding up everything around us. Resilience is essential if we are going to survive.

In many ways, I think most of us hoped that we would be able to let our guards down at least a little once President Biden was elected. That’s because we knew, among other changes, a serious fight would begin to be waged on the Covid-19 pandemic and its pernicious threat to our health, lives, and livelihoods. In some ways, our internal holding ourselves at ‘defcon 5’ all the time has subsided at least a little bit.

But the truth is that – above all else, or fundamentally (underpinning all else) – we know and are being shown every day that there are a tremendous amount of threats facing us at the moment. With the Opportunities Shark is telling us to look around for and consider embracing, we must always hold fast to what is true. We must stay strong in ourselves and remain open-minded; if we do, we just may see opportunity in a whole lot more situations than we ever might have imagined just a month or two or six ago.

There’s a lot of upheaval still simmering just under the surface. Unexpected opportunities to make a difference will come and go, especially this month. We need to consider them. Entertain them. Quite possibly seize them. But throughout it all, we must keep our roots planted deep enough to foster our resilience.

(T-269)

No Lamb Today – Day 841

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Wild Afternoon Sky – Photo: L. Weikel

No Lamb Today

Without even going outside this morning, I could hear the runoff of melted snow coursing along the side of our road. Water rushed through a tunnel of compacted snow, amplifying the sound of its frenzied quest to join either the Tohickon or the Delaware, whichever was quickest and easiest to access. The sky was gray but the air was mild, content to simply do the job of melting winter’s whites. I truly thought I had this ‘first day’ pegged; but alas, March was no lamb today.

Oh sure, every once in a while the sun tried to push through and shake things up, but it was a heavy lift. The day just felt sort of blah.

Only when I had to run out to the post office in the late afternoon did I start rethinking my assessment. Snarling clouds were building in the west and I sensed a growing energy that felt distinctly leonine. I stopped by the creek to pay my respects and everything just felt dismal and swollen.

Swollen Tohickon – Photo: L. Weikel

 

Overflowing her banks – Photo: L. Weikel

Transformation

An hour later, Karl and I were heading out with Spartacus. The weather transformed before our very eyes. There was the barest hint that change was coming as we rounded the first corner. Those dark billowing layers of slate gray clouds had almost magically given way to a speckled sky of marshmallow puffs.

The longer we walked, the more dramatically everything shifted. Another mile under our belts and overhead the puffs poofed and their background of blue became the main event.

As we crested the final hill, the power behind the shift made itself known. We kept looking behind ourselves, thinking the whooshing sound we heard was an approaching car. But no, it was the wind, and that wind started buffeting us, moving us along, and most definitely ‘blowing the dust off’ our attitudes.

Speckled Sky of Puffs – Photo: L. Weikel

This Evening

As I sit here writing the title of this post, ‘No Lamb Today,’ the catalyzing wind has only become wilder and is making our normally melodious wind chimes clang vociferously. (I should probably bring them in.)  The lights have dimmed at least four times this evening, but we’ve mercifully been spared a complete loss of electricity. So far, anyway. It’s a wonder.

At the moment, it feels like the wind is angry and determined to root out and whisk away anything that isn’t grounded and in it for the long haul. Its roar is unmistakably declaring that March 2021 is coming in like a lion.

May it clear away the Covid! Help us all start fresh. It’s a new month – a month of new growth, of hope, of life returning to the surface of our consciousness. The month that brings us spring.

All in the span of two hours – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-270)