Hooray! The crocuses are right on time. They survived the bitter cold and crush of snow and ice. It’s great to see their yellow petals reaching for the Sun.
Right on time
Category Archives: nature is awe inspiring
New Day in the Park
Finally the weather is giving us a break. Bright sunshine streams onto the pond. I am watching a small flock of diving ducks. They always make me smile when I see their oversize Mohawk shaped heads.
I see a few joggers and others strolling around the pond. Of course the “bird lady” is there. She is a hefty older woman who lugs a big shiny camera around the park. She is there most days taking endless photos of the birds, the pond and the water.
There he goes! Walking the power line like a tightrope walker. He follows an intricate path of wires and trees limbs to cross the busy street in front of my house. I’m amazed at how clever the grey squirrels are.
The leaves still cover the lawn. They’ve been flattened and crushed by the weight of ice and snow. I’m confident that the grass will fight its way through eventually although maybe that is just a way of avoiding the hours of raking that I know I should do.
The old retiree stops at the fire hydrant across the street with his two French bulldogs. Why the fascination with fire hydrants I wonder? His thin grey haired wife starts her brisk walk around the park leaving him with his two portly companions. They are back at the fire hydrant again. There must be something about the shape that is inviting to canines.
Dream
I stood next to the edge the water and saw a tail fin flip above the surface. The waves lapped on the shore and a glimpse of an arched grey blue body appeared. Soon other tails and curves took their turns to rise out of the water.
Suddenly a large smooth animal, a porpoise, or maybe a Beluga whale, surfaced inches away from the shore. I hesitated, reached forward and stroked its skin. It didn’t recoil and seemed to enjoy the touch. It stared right back at me. Oohs and ahhs came from the crowd on the shore. The whale dove under the water and emerged a few feet away. Until my dying day I will remember how that whale smiled at me.
Back in action
I’m back from my battle with a cold and flu. It looks like winter is clawing at us, trying to hold on. Fortunately, spring is inevitable.
There is still a carpet of snow on the ground despite the massive melt that has occurred. It’s ironic that in spite of all the control that humans have exerted over nature, we are still at the mercy of the weather. That may be one of the unreachable frontiers for science and maybe that is a good thing.
Just imagine if we could control the weather. Would we be like children tugging and pulling at clouds or would it be a peaceful cooperative enterprise?
Good job Rosetta
Humans are amazing.
Scientists have flung a spacecraft 800 million kilometers at a comet. Because of low power the spacecraft was put to sleep for three years. Now, they have successfully reactivated it and soon it will dance around Comet 67P before sending a lander to the surface.
Talk about unbelievable…
Just think about how hard it is for a pitcher to throw a strike, or a quarterback to connect with a tight end.
It might be good to remember Rosetta the next time we come up against a difficult problem.
Early times
Can you imagine what it was like for early humans? Pitch black night, so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face. Frost or even ice and snow on the ground. Predators lurking. How did they possibly survive until the next day?
They must have slept fitfully. Waking in the morning, they went out to seek food and water. They solved problems that would stump contemporary humans. In the end, the unbroken chains they forged stretch across millenniums, from mitochondrial “Eve” to our mothers and sisters.