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| ruby-throated hummingbird male
Photo by J. Harrington
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The Daughter Person and Son-In-Law report that a female ruffed grouse flew into a window pane in their house and broke its neck. I thought this only happened in Autumn, during "crazy flight" time. Obviously, grouse and I don't read the same field guides or natural history essays. While the Better Half was off supervising the dismemberment of the unfortunate bird I managed to accomplish a few more transitional season chores. I'm hoping I wasn't overly optimistic taking the back blade off of the tractor and that any additional snow events will promptly melt away, at least until next November.
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| pear tree in bloom
Photo by J. Harrington
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The pear tree has started to leaf out. No signs of blossoms yet. As I recall, last year we were hit with a strong storm or two almost immediately after the pear tree bloomed. The flowers were mostly destroyed and we had a poor fruit crop come Autumn. Maybe this year will be an improvement.
Hummingbird
by Mark Roper
Not just how
it hung so still
in the quick of its wings,
all gem and temper
anchored in air;
not just the way
it moved from shelf
to shelf of air,
up down, here there,
without moving;
not just how it flicked
its tongue's thread
through each butter-yellow
foxglove flower
for its fix of sugar;
not just the vest's
electric emerald,
the scarf's scarlet,
not just the fury
of its berry-sized heart,
but also how the bird
would soon be found
in a tree nearby,
quiet as moss at the end
of a bare branch,
wings closed around
its sweetening being,
and then how light
might touch its throat
and make it glow,
as if it were the tip
of a cigarette
smouldering
on the lip of a world,
whose face,
in the lake's hush
and the stir of leaves,
might appear
for a moment
composed.
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