A Clean Fridge, Crested Berry Eater and a Long Tail in Everyday Ramblings

We did get out to the island on Sunday to sneak in a little birding. It was very relaxing. We were a little frustrated because we weren’t seeing much and then we went to this one spot where there was an older couple on what seemed like a date and a middle aged woman on a bicycle and they all asked us questions as we were geared up with our binoculars on harnesses, which are so much easier on one’s neck.

Yes those are Sandhill cranes making that distinct goose but not goose sound. Yes we think those are two dark morph red tail hawks, maybe an adult female and a juvenile flying together. No they are not eagles. Yes there is a gorgeous Cedar Waxwing with a crest over there in that bush with the berries. Be careful, there are hunters out shooting today.

We were chuffed we could answer basic birdy question. It was hard to see much as you can tell by the picture there was intense glare off the clouds. We did see a gorgeous female Kestrel dive for an insect and another unidentified falcon make a spectacular swoop all aerodynamic wings back.

And robins and starlings and crows and sparrows and…

After getting a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours (Sound familiar? This seems to be happening all over the world) it is relatively mild and stunningly beautiful out now. The crescent moon set into the blue blue twilight while I walked home from the studio last night.

The fall colors continue going on in pockets and there are still a lot of leaves on the trees. The wind is trying to do something about that.

And I continue to plow through my To Do list so that I can totally chill once I get on the bus going south on Thursday. I am not going to try to accomplish anything during our little four-day getaway.

The massage therapist did Gua Sha on my back where I developed the mild scoliosis and it still is a little tender. Overall the massage was very helpful and I felt a lot better yesterday teaching two classes and working than I did the week before but I am not sure I am a total believer in this healing methodology.

One of the many good things about going away for a few days is that one is forced to clean out one’s refrigerator. I have the bulk of that done now. I don’t mind it as much as I have heard others do but still it is a heck of a challenge as a single person to buy just enough and not more and so sad to throw anything out.

Speaking of challenges, because I have been so tired lately I have been struggling to keep my food intake within my points available even though I don’t have that far to go to get back to goal and my clothes fitting in a way that is relatively attractive and comfortable.

The siren song of sugar…

When I get some of my energy back I hope to explore other non-gluten food options. I have fallen into a nut heavy groove since I made the change. Not that I am eating handfuls of nuts like I oh so blissfully used to do 40 lbs. ago.

Just after work today I walked up to the closest ATM machine to make a deposit and I noticed a number of people were running red lights. One truly has to be an aware pedestrian to stay safe out and about these days.

I wonder if the fact that telling the truth doesn’t seem to matter anymore in public life has some impact on how people relate to the rules of the road when driving?

But I may be making connections in my head that are not, in fact, connected in the real world.

My experience in Paris was that the rules of the road are more suggestions than imperatives and I don’t believe at the time they had a President that was leading the country by picking fights with widows while quietly dismantling protections for clean air, water, toxic chemicals and pretending he has anyone’s interests in mind but his own…

I apologize. I find it extremely difficult these days to not talk about what is going on in Washington.

Last night in class I was trying to get my students to completely relax their bellies and I came up with an imaginary scenario, you are home in comfy loose pajamas watching Netflix and eating popcorn and as the class went on, folks would call out, oh and having a hot chocolate….

It was funny. And then I asked them to pretend they were dinosaurs…

No, I am not losing my mind… it is a useful technique for body awareness and knowing if your deep supportive abdominal muscles are engaged.

But still, I bet no one else has asked you to pretend to be a Leaellynasaura today. :)

Last updated October 25, 2017