I got up and went into the kitchen. It was snowing. Just a little bit at that point. Just a dusting — a rather wet dusting. I figured it was going to stop any minute, but it kept on snowing for most of the day. For all I know, it still is snowing, but it’s dark.

Flying Squirrel in a fast glide while another is eating.

There are probably a few raccoons outside and no doubt a handful of the bandits who’ve been hitting the feeders with a vengeance every night. As well as Flying Squirrels. Our nighttime visitors.

Chipping Sparrow

Downy Woodpecker

Today, there were the usual birds at the feeders. Goldfinches, older, younger and a few adolescents. Titmouses. Nuthatches.  On one branch of our tree, there were half a dozen Mourning Doves lined up, one after the other. Hunkered down because it was colder than most of the winter.

It’s supposed to be 60 degrees tomorrow and there are early buds on the trees. At least a month early and in some cases, more than two. The weather has been zephyr breeze-like from late Autumn until winter was officially past and Spring has technically come.  So we got our first snow for the season today and it will all melt tomorrow.

Goldfinch in snow

I wonder how much of our current plague has to do with how badly we’ve treated the earth? No one has said anything about it, but the world is very different than it was merely ten years ago. The changes are deep, profound, and every bit as worrying as the current plague. As soon as we stop sheltering in our homes (those of us who are lucky enough to have homes in which to shelter) will be instantly sideswiped into the planetary crisis.

And just look at the heft of those raccoons!

When we stop dying of plague and we have something resembling an economy, we will be back to the upcoming and not far-off death of our (human) position as the dominant species on planet Earth.

What is this world I am living in? I know how we got here — but I also don’t understand how so many of us let it go. Tomorrow was always another day while we were busy dealing with today’s issues.

Snowy Goldfinch

Junco with the Toad

We don’t seem able to plan ahead. Individually maybe, but collectively we are failures. Despite our upgraded brains, we aren’t that much ahead of our dogs and cats. We live in the moment because tomorrow, much less the year after, is far too complicated. Now is too complex for most of us to manage. You have no idea how often I want to throw my arms into the air and say to the universe: “You win. I give up. I have nothing left with which to fight.”

Three Goldfinches on the little feeder

But, I have this blog. I can write. That’s something. I can take pictures and hopefully do my best to make people feel better. I also try to tell them (to the degree that I have the correct information) what’s going on. I try to make people laugh, though laughs are harder to find than they used to be.

I feel a bit lost. I see what’s happened and can only imagine what will happen next … and so much of the things I’d hope would happen are going to get lost in the hysteria of a collapsed economy, an election … and all those Coronavirus deaths.

Categories: Blogging, climate change, Coronavirus - Covid 19, Ecology, Health, Humor, Marilyn Armstrong, Photography

Tags: Coronavirus - Covid 19, Health, Marilyn Armstrong, Photography