Encountering Earth

  Sunday was a glorious ski on the Foxy Brown Trail in Piseco. The day brought a bright blue sky and bone-chilling temperatures of zero degrees. The winter woods is a mystic place. Snow and ice crystals clung to the trees and were dazzling in the sunlight.The earth is blanketed and slumbering.  Animal tracks tell stories in the snow. I got to see some otter tracks - a first! The creature walked a bit, dragging its tail, then slid in the snow. Otters are so playful! There were also tracks of mice and rabbits. It feels like you can enter their world and walk with them on their journeys.                                                             Silent stories in the snow of mice and men and creatures in between. Common tales of tiny prints, seeking shelter, seeking food. Long shadows cast: tree and...

I spent time with my family in South Jersey over Christmas week. We were greeted every day with huge flocks of "blackbirds" mostly grackles. When I googled this phenomenon I found that this massing of the birds happens regularly. The birds are on their way south but stay around until snow cover prevents them from feeding. The grackles did make a din. Their wing beats and movements created a constant swishing sound. They chattered and then fell silent. Thousands of them. They moved to the oaks in my sister's woods, to the cornfield behind my other sister's house. The black cloud rose in a swarm depositing birdie "gifts" as they flew. People were amazed, but also fearful. There was real annoyance over the droppings on cars and decks and steps. Folks said it was eerie and reminiscent of the movie, The Birds.  Some folks shot off guns to scare the birds away. I enjoyed the movement, the murmurations. I enjoyed seeing a huge flock of wildlife, perhaps like thin...