NOTICING HUGE BIRDS

I can’t properly describe how beautiful this late-arriving fall weather is. The breeze, the taste of the air, the snakeroot flowers with their exotic smells, the light, the morning mist… ugh! It’s captivating. The roadsides pink and purple with native aster. All chores outside feel like a present. I’m reminded of being in Stockholm in September 2017 and having these same fall sensations. I felt so at home I drank it in. My senses positively hurt from noticing. The colors were grey and electric yellow, black-purple and verbena pink. The greens were gothic, I was in heaven. It was such a wonderful place to finish a record and I tried to keep every minute.

It’s easy to take beauty at home for granted is what I learned from Sweden. I’m trying to stay with the intoxication of noticing even in this place filled with distractions; bills, an unbuilt house, animal needs, deadlines, bureaucracy, doctors appointments, obligations of every kind. I keep thinking that if my house gets built it won’t be as hard but I won’t know until I know. 

Yesterday walking dogs with my dear friends at their farm we saw a Northern Harrier. Talk about an underrated bird! They are huge, long hawks with owl-like faces. Their size is always surprising. I see them rarely so this was a real treat. We were all enraptured by the bird (which I think was a large female) cruising low over the grasses and then lightning-fast folding herself into an origami shape to dive for her prey below. We all gasped. What a world. She was magnificent. 

The colors are just starting in the trees and woolly bears are everywhere! Some people try to predict the weather with them, but I think it’s just a thing people tell kids, kinda like woodchucks predicting the weather. The breeze just advertised the coldest, best tasting water of the season. It quenches more than thirst.

What is your favorite delicious, spooky sensation brought on by weather and light?

Spider friends :)