Thumbelina
Wendy Chen
Dear Diary,
Fear not for the future, weep not for the past.
Percy Bysshe Shelley
The sun is (sometimes) out today so I am feeling a little brighter and a trifle warmer too. However the road became frozen overnight after quite a bit of rain which had fallen earlier and in the early hours of this morning we heard vehicles struggling to get along, including a lorry. The council are usually excellent at gritting our road but I think this icy spell must have taken them by surprise.
As I sit and type I can see two dippers by the river, they are always a joy to see, all year round. Time for a poem by one of my much-loved poets.
The Dipper
It was winter, near freezing,
I'd walked through a forest of firs
when I saw issue out of the waterfall
a solitary bird.
It lit on a damp rock,
and, as water swept stupidly on,
wrung from its own throat
supple, undammable song.
It isn't mine to give.
I can't coax this bird to my hand
that knows the depth of the river
yet sings of it on land.
Kathleen Jamie
I am spending a fortune on bird food now, on both peanuts and seed; I had decided to cut back and just buy cheap old plastic bread for them in a bid to save money but I couldn't bear to see them so hungry and obviously not satisfied by such rubbish! But the rate they are getting through it is amazing. Never mind, I balance that with the joy I get from watching them. My own diet is very sparse at the moment while I stay off fats prior to my gallbladder operation and I reckon I am saving money there which will be spent on my dear feathered friends.
I was wondering what to write about this morning and decided to look back one year to the piece I posted on the 18th December 2010 to see what was happening then. - sometimes this is quite fun to do and can be quite revealing. So that is my gift to you today, a glimpse into the past. I cannot give you a voyage into the future but perhaps it's just as well.
One Year Ago
Have a good Sunday,
Go mbeannai Dia duit,
Cait
10 comments:
I've found that of all the bird foods I can buy the birds like Wilkos best, which is one of the cheaper brands, So a bag of their mixed seed with a bag of sunflower seeds keeps those birds happy. Never seen a dipper, but do have a nuthatch as a regular visitor in my garden. And walking on Wednesday saw loads of winchats, never seen those either before.
Snow still here, looking forward to tomorrows rain to wash it all away!
Heavens yes, the birds are eating me out of house and hearth too. Luckily, we are still in a comparatively mild spell and there must still be some food around for them in the wild.
Wasn't it different last year, we had already been cut off for several weeks by now. I am quite glad that we have been spared conditions like last year's.
Have a very happy Christmas, dear Cait.
(I am amazed at your dog, my 11yr old Benno is feeling his age.)
Our birds are ravenous as well. (Perfect word to describe them, come to think of it!) But such a joy to have them around.
No snow here, yet, and the only birds are the ravens - the squirrels eat all the bird seed!
I remember reading about all the snow you had last year at this time - I hope you'll have milder weather this year!
Yes, feeding the birds can become an expensive business. The poem is a stunner.
Hello Cait
The quote at the begining of your post has made me think.
I do not fear the future, but yes, I still weep the past. My mom suffered a stroke about 8 months ago and my dear papa is fighting cancer(2 types)~~I can only hope the future will be better for them.
I love your pictures from "one year" ago. Is that your cottage?
Have a great day.
Best
Tracy :)
The birds must thank you with their dances and songs and flutterings. It must warm the soul to know that you are responsible for their well being for this period of time at least. If you must give them plastic bread, they will find nourishment for their Heavenly Father watches over them, too.
I remember well the piece from a year ago. The walk in the snow to the river with your faithful companion. It was lovely then and it's lovely still.
Merry Christmas dear Cait. I found Shelley's quotation soothing. I think we need to be reminded of these words when we get caught up in things. Happy festive season to you - I hope the weather is not too fierce for either you or the dear creatures.
I always love to feed the birds Cait, they seem to be so hungry at the moment even though I keep them well supplied, it can as you say be costly with the bird foods from shops.
My son's partner bought me a sweet little painted duck egg-blue bird house to hang outside the cottage for Christmas.
I have read and re-read Shelley's poem, I can so identify with this, the words will now comfort me.
Do hope the strong winds are not causing too much damage to your pretty cottage Cait at the moment. Severe gales here in Norfolk.
I always love to feed the birds Cait, they seem to be so hungry at the moment even though I keep them well supplied, it can as you say be costly with the bird foods from shops.
My son's partner bought me a sweet little painted duck egg-blue bird house to hang outside the cottage for Christmas.
I have read and re-read Shelley's poem, I can so identify with this, the words will now comfort me.
Do hope the strong winds are not causing too much damage to your pretty cottage Cait at the moment. Severe gales here in Norfolk.
Post a Comment