Isabella Bird Miscellany

Writing and daydreaming ... I stared out the window this morning Three Crows...and a Squirrel  It happens to be what I consider a very “fall” day.  Most of the leaves have fallen from the grape vines that hang over our patio, revealing the gnarly, twisted vines.  The big cedar tree has left a carpet of bronze foliage which contrasts so magnificently against the iconic grass-green grass.  There was a light shower so everything appears moist and glistening in the rays of sun that peak through the overcast sky, and it is relatively mild temp wise.  It just seems like you should be walking through an apple orchard pulling a wagon full of pumpkins...or you can be caught up in the amusing scene set before you; which is what happened to me. Squirrel ran up the tree as Crow swept in Right in the middle of this bucolic-ness, I see our backyard covered in a flock of crows.  Do crows move in flocks?  Actually, no; a group of crows is called a murd...

What do squirrels, PBJs and a few friends and relatives (I won’t mention names) have in common?   Ah nuts! It’s National Nut Day Who knew?  There is a holiday of some obscure sort every day.  October 24 th celebrates bologna.  I guess that means we break out the white, squishy bread and a jar of Miracle Whip to slather on slabs of chopped seasoned-meat goodness.  Lumpy Rug Day occurs on May 3 rd .  Take time to reminisce about old, worn out lumpy-bumpy floor coverings while searching out a new cozy rug to lounge on while you continue to wax on about its predecessor. Those thoughts have their place; today’s attention is reveling in nuts.  The way I see it, you can take this a couple of directions; be very squirrel-like and nibble away on the likes of toasted Levian smeared with almond butter and apricot jam, or crack open handfuls of hazelnuts and pop them into your mouth.   Delicious and nutritious; maybe those wacky sq...

Fall apple crop

Leaves tumbling down a tiny stream   Today is one of those most gorgeous of fall days; sunny, the air slightly warm with more than a hint of crispness and the colors in the trees are simply amazing!   Did I mention this is my favorite time of year? I remember as a child we lived on a small farm that had some really big trees - at least that was my perception, I was little.  We would rake all of the leaves into a pile and my sister and I would get to jump into the mound of vegetation hued in russet and crimson and gold.  Eventually, they would be burned, a fragrance both earthy and pungent.  The aroma still evokes pleasant memories. Gilded Maple Leaves If there is a blanket of leaves on a path or sidewalk, I’m somehow forced to walk and crunch through them, while stopping to collect a few to carry along and press.  These gilded treasures are kept for a while, and then added to the compost.  Fleeting possessions. Words of great in...

I’ve been walking in the desert, literally and figuratively.  Having lived in the Southwest several years ago, I used to view the landscape as void, arid; a desolate, lonely place.  Since then, my viewpoint has changed, having unearthed a few things about the scorched region. Craggy rocks and spine-filled cactus The desert is a parched place, which causes us to seek quenching nourishment.  Life-sustaining water is essential and found in the most unusual places; the tiny crevice of a rock which has collected morning dew, or hidden in the innermost part of a barrel cactus. Ambling on, I’ve found exquisite, subtle, rough beauty; catching a glimpse of a hummingbird gleaning nectar from a cactus bloom or the cloud play on the ground as fair weather cumulus float overhead; rock outcroppings and elusive wildflowers after a cloud burst.  With a close look you discover the desert is teeming with wild life such as burros, mountain goats, scaly lizards and gos...