Winter days can seem so desolate; I sometimes imagine there are no living beings outside. Thanks to the ducks, for showing the world that freezing Winter days can be full of life and diversity. I’m lucky enough to live within a bike ride of the Muddy River; a shallow river surrounded by city streets, but none the less… Today the Mallards, Black Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks and Hooded Mergansers were all there. It was only because I was taking a photo of a Great Blue Heron that I saw the Wood Ducks. With open eyes and an open mind, we never know what we might see or where it might lead us. As Stevie Wonder says, “When you’re moving in the positive, your destination is the brightest star”. Cold dark days may feel a bit like hibernation time for us, but there’s a party going on if you’re a duck.

I have no photo of what I saw today. I made a painting long ago, that may give a bit of the feeling I had this morning when I saw it. During my urbanish backyard yoga practice, I watched a few snowflakes slowly drift toward the frozen ground. Then I saw it. A black feathered being soared gracefully across the yard. The huge dark shape and expansive wings grew larger until suddenly the bird was just above me. Alighting on the lowest branch of a maple tree I sat below, like a magician the bird grabbed a chunk of bread from the branch- left by a squirrel? Or by this same bird? We looked at each other for a moment Then the crows came calling, defending the neighborhood from this majestic and threatening wanderer, expander of territory. The raven flew off with a deep nasal croak, sounding out of place between houses and buildings, “corax”. Later pouring a cup of tea, I looked at the fortune on its label, “let things come to you”. Thank you raven, thank you world. (note: my friend from china says the raven is called “wu-ya” in mandarin. This also means crow. “Cuervo” in Spanish refers to both, as does “Corbeau” in French. These birds may seem similar, but they don’t seem to feel the bond, judging from their behavior towards one another. Maybe in this way they are like people of closely related ethinicities and cultures who war with one another; Or siblings who do not speak to one another for years. If you know the name for raven in another language, please add it to this list!)

Gratitude for birds of all feathers!

Meleagris gallopavo- Wild Turkey

Years ago I discovered a Cuban Chinese Restaurant. I was happy to have what seemed like an unusual combination of foods, and thought, “Only in NYC.” But it’s not only in New York. In this global world of ours it is not so unusual to blend cultures in the kitchen; we eat Cuban Chinese food, perhaps prepared by people from South America, wearing clothes made in Vietnam. Last week I looked up and saw the same diversity in the natural world; a European Starling eating the fruit of Sophora japonica, an Asian tree, here in North America. All of the migration, immigration and importation means change; change that is sometimes feared, change that is sometimes harmful to some. In the natural world, unfortunately some plants and animals don’t survive the challenge. Often it’s not really that newcomers push others out; the change of habitat created by development makes it possible for only the newcomers to thrive. The change creates a dynamic cultural and natural world. Change can be scary, but change is life.Thank you to all of the plants, animals, and people that come from afar.

Yesterday was Tu’b’shvat: The Jewish birthday of the trees. Besides eating, drinking, breathing, reading, and being sheltered by the products of trees, I also spent time outdoors looking at trees. I looked at the diversity of patterns of branching between different tree species. Trees are functional artists. They create patterns of line, texture and form, and even collaborate artistically with their neighbors, all using only their own form. Thank you for the food, shelter, O2, education, entertainment and art Trees! All I’ve got for you for now is this blog post.Happy Belated Birthday!

happy belated tu’b’shvat!

Today Revere Beach was covered with surf clam shells. Hundreds of thousands of surf clam shells are up on the beach, and by the water, hundreds of gulls of all ages are enjoying the meal. Many of the animals we love to hate, the ones that thrive in our cities and suburbs are opportunists. Ecologically speaking, at least as I see it, what wonderful creatures opportunists are. They thrive in environments others aren’t able to survive in, and use up what ever surplus comes along. If it wasn’t for the gulls, Revere Beach would be full of decaying mollusk bodies. Instead, it’s full of empty shells, and walking, flying, swimming, and most of all, eating gulls. Death to life. Can I learn to do the same? Create new life from the discards, surplus, unneeded? I’m trying, but I have a lot to learn from the gulls.

Ringed-billed, Herring, and a few Black-backed gulls eating up the surf clams at Revere Beach.

What nourishment do we find in times of scarcity? Where does our sustenance come from when all seems bare? Who and what keeps us alive?

Thanksgiving transformation: A Turkey Tail fungus grows on a fallen tree; one life becoming another. Thanksgiving turkeys will become part of those sitting around the dinner table. Thank you to all of the lives (carrot, chard, rice, turkey, cucumber) that have become part of me. Next year, I may just eat some extra turnips! Happy Thanksgiving!

“Turkey Tail” fungi growing on a fallen tree.

Big breathing Fall air relaxed face soft jaw, wind in the trees energy my heart, yellow leaves eyes smile, grey squirrels preening leaping climbing and juncos chirping flying. White November sky; The rain and even the first snowflakes of the year come to us all.

Sunlight, yellow and orange. It seems so warm as it begins to get cold. Warm colors, faces, words, body, clothes, food, home, blood flow, breath… Do you feel it too? Maybe we are extra aware and appreciative of warmth in the cool air.

Fall mornings of sunlight, yellow and orange trees, it seems so warm as it begins to get cold. Warm colors, eyes, smiles, body, clothes, home, blood flow, breath, words… Is Fall the warmest time of year? Maybe it’s just extra awareness of and appreciation for warmth in the cool air.