The cedar waxwings are back! This is the third year that they returned on or about this date in April. I saw six today--man, are they beautiful. I'd post a photo if I knew how to do that, but do a search and see for yourself.

The white-throated sparrows are back and singing all the time ("Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody"). They are gorgeous little birds. I'm amazed by the migrant birds that I have seen outside my bedroom window here. I've seen juncos, brown thrashers, yellow warblers, baltimore orioles, catbirds, tree swallows, cedar waxwings, ruby-throated ( Read more... )

The damn carpenter ants are back. These guys freak me the hell out. They are huge, no, 'UGE, and take about five smashes to kill. I don't normally kill bugs, but the catch and release method is not an option for these clowns. I'm not sure where the colony is on the block, but it must be found! I have a feeling that the rickety deck off my bedroom ( Read more... )

I took Devlin out for a stroll on Broadway. It's not much for scenery, but I like poking around the stores. We stopped into John's (a "health-food store" and local institution for pasty hippies and old people hoping to prevent death). The smell of that place (mostly eucalyptus) reminds me of Liz's shore house, so I love going in for that alone. ( Read more... )

Ugh. Pedro was amazing, and Benitez, I mean, Looper blew it, just blew it. It was so, so disheartening. Anyway, here are my picks for the season ( Read more... )

For many reasons, I am really sad that The Pope is dead.

I was inspired by Mel's post on this. . . . I believe that a person should have as much choice in death as in life, but wishes need to be made clear. Unlike life, death is not open to interpretation. Did this woman want to be a mummy in a party hat? I don't know. Would she want to have done whatever comforts her family? Her husband? I don't know. I ( Read more... )

Devlin cut his first two teeth (bottom, front)! I just found them as he was gumming the hell out of my hand. Oh my!

Yesterday was an especially wistful day. I'm not sure why, but I even made a dinner that reminded me of being a kid--mixed vegetables, boxed macaroni and cheese, and burgers. Not exactly madelins, but I'm not exactly Proust. It is overwhelming how certain meals or certain songs or certain ways the sun feels or the air smells can make you take ( Read more... )

I saw my first robin of (not quite) spring and made all kinds of wishes (my friend Ms.E told me to do that). I realize that there are robins that hang around all winter, but those guys don't count until they are running on the ground and probing the earth. The first guy you see do that is your first robin of spring.

Giddy, giddy, giddy. . .