A trip to "The City"

We had an adventure this morning, a small one. At the invitation of the State of Minnesota, we hied ourselves into the big city of Minneapolis, to the Convention Center, wherein our aged body received its first COVID-19 vaccine shot. All went well except for the ten minutes or so during which we had misplaced where we parked the Jeep and the brief consternation when we read the sign that said parking validation for the 2nd Street Parking Garage wasn't needed and we read our parking ticket which said we had parked in the Plaza garage. Slight case of mixed nomenclature. Our left arm is a little sore but other than that, we think we're doing ok although we are feeling slightly stressed out.

Minneapolis, "The City," near the Convention Center

Photo by J. Harrington

The other thing we learned this morning is that our ears won't support three masks. Having recently read that double masking has been found to be more effective than a single mask, we had two masks on as we traipsed through the skyway  and Convention Center hallways. Upon arrival at the checkin for the vaccination activities, we were handed another mask and politely instructed to put it on also. The first one we tried promptly broke one of the elastic connections to the mask, thereby freeing our right ear from a third binding. The second try at a third mask lasted until we completed checkin and bent forward to get out temperature taken. At that point the second third mask had an elastic to mask connection failure. We replaced that one and the third third mask did hold together until we were back in the Jeep.

It's possible, maybe even probable, that the mask failures were due, in part, to the amount of space behind our ears occupied by our hearing aids. To the best of our knowledge, no one took our picture while our left ear was bent directly out from our head by three ear straps, making us look like one side of the old Mad Magazine mascot and cover boy, Alfred E. Neuman. All in all, as with many things these days, it could have been worse. Then again, some years it could have been warmer than -17℉ on February 11 and other years vaccines against COVID-19 and its mutations didn't require a trip to the big city. It has changed since we last worked or played there.

We have been neglectful of the fact that Black History Month is continuing. Fortunately, the academy of american poets, of which we've been a long-time member, suggests in "poems to read and share"
 

"to celebrate the rich tradition of Black poetry this month and year-round, browse the following classic and contemporary poems:

“Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou

“Forever” by Paul Laurence Dunbar

“Frederick Douglass” by Robert Hayden

“Let America Be America Again” by Langston Hughes

“Making History” by Marilyn Nelson

“little prayer” by Danez Smith

“This Body II” by Renée Watson

“Declaration” by Tracy K. Smith

“This Is Not a Small Voice” by Sonia Sanchez 

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Please be kind to each other while you can.

Spring songs soon?

We read a report on Twitter sometime within the past couple of days that one or two of the phenologists in Northern Minnesota, up near Grand Rapids?, had heard a chickadee or two beginning to sing a Spring song.  That was encouraging. Finding bright spots in February has became a real challenge. Birds starting to make Spring sounds is a bright spot.

male cardinal on February perch

Photo by J. Harrington

Even brighter, in a literal sense, are glimpses of male cardinals against a snow-covered background. Looking out at the birds going about their business through February's cold and snow, it's obvious that they are better adapted to surviving outside and I am better adapted to staying inside until February's cold claws loosen their grip. May that day come soon.

In case you're wondering, yes, we have intentionally foregone commenting on the Senate trial or local political happenings. We're unlikely to affect the verdict or any Minnesota legislation and, candidly, although we fully support the goals of several bills we're following, we have some reservations about the means proposed to attain those goals. So, since we can't, for the moment, say much of anything good, we'll say nothing for now and hope we soon get inspired to post our own Spring songs when we're in a more cheery mood.

The Red Bird Explains Himself

“Yes, I was the brilliance floating over snow

And I was the song in the summer leaves, but this was only the first trick

I had hold of among my other mythologies,

For I also knew obedience: bringing sticks to the nest,

Food to the young, kisses to my bride.

But don’t stop there, stay with me: listen.

If I was the song that entered your heart

Then I was the music of your heart, that you wanted and needed,

And thus the wilderness bloomed there, with all its

Followers: gardeners, lovers, people who weep

For the death of rivers.

And this was my true task, to be the

Music of the body.  Do you understand?  For truly the body needs

 A song, a spirit, a soul.  And no less, to make this body work,

The soul has need of a body,

And I am both of the earth and I am of the inexplicable

Beauty of heaven

Where I fly so easily, so welcome, yes,

And this is why I have been sent, to teach this to your heart.”

Mary Oliver

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Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.