2/14/09

Birds on a Saturday





I love waking up to the chattering of Birds on a Saturday morning. Their songs let me believe Spring is here. Without looking out my window, I see the sun shining on each blade of dark green grass, casting spiky shadows on the heated sidewalk. I hear a plane fly over head, and see its tiny frame surging in the cloudless sky, leaving a string of puffy white behind it.

Then I hear some loud commercial downstairs and wonder why my grandparents are watching TV instead of enjoying the weather outside.

I then relapse into the present, realizing with a certain sadness that snow is everywhere. Icicles are clinging to rooftops and hanging under the frames of cars. The sun is hidden by a dull white—there’s a lifeless mist everywhere, matching the ground, stretching over the whole town. I don’t know if it’s the sky or clouds. But I can’t see the sun.

So I listen to the Birds, and they give me hope for Spring.

13 comments:

Katie said...

I mostly just wanted to put those pictures up. They went with a previous post I had written, but I never got the pictures on there. This post is still true, though.

Chan said...

Wah! It makes me happy to see pictures of birds on here. One of my very favorite, favorite Rexburg memories is waking up on a spring morning and looking out the window at the head of my bed and seeing a Western Tanager right outside my window hopping around a bunch of trees. They're a pretty exotic looking bird in the spring, with a bright red head and bright yellow body with black and white wings. Google it. Anyhow, it was such a spring moment with the cool morning air coming in through the window and spring sun filtering through new-green leaves and this bird decked out in its brightest plumage. Sigh.

I was sitting in the foyer of the library this week and I felt spring-y inside. That's abstract. I felt new leaves and more sun and lengthening days, but inside. You know, like you do in spring when everything is growing you remember winter enough to love it all. I say this sincerely, if a little melodramatically.

Anyhow, I think I was feeling like that because a few patches of blue sky had broken through the cloud cover that had hung around all morning. Then I reminded myself that in spite of said sky, winter was in it's prime, and that I shouldn't get my hopes up too much. However, that was more of a practical reminder than anything, and I think I've reserved a bit of spring in me since then.

iBo said...

I'm not much of a bird watcher, but i do like eating them. Happy thanksgiving everyone! :p

Chan said...

Ivor: Fired.

Dan: Fired. (Dan contributed)

Britt said...

I know this is semi-off topic but I have a sincere question that is related to birds. Does anyone know what kind of birds those are that hop around in parking lot puddles and are really small and brown and speckled? I love those birds. I really love those birds. I sometimes want to catch one and keep it in a cage and watch it hop around all day but then I think that it would get sad and it probably wouldn't hop at all. I've rambled. I'm sorry. But what kind of birds are those?

Chan said...

I'm guessing house finches or house sparrows, but probably house sparrows.

Natorade said...

I love those birds too, with their short beaks and their cuteness radiating through me. Ok, I don't love them that much, but still. I work in retail and it kills me after every shift of people getting floral prints and flip flops that I walk through snow and ice to get back to my car. I feel your pain.

Britt said...

If they're house anything does that mean I can keep one?

S.Morgan said...

You can't "keep" birds, Brit. That means a cage, which sort of defeats their whole reason for being here. How 'bout a hamster? A kitten maybe? I know where you can buy a cheap Chimpanzee this week.

Chan said...

Where on earth can one buy a cheap chimpanzee this week?

And the "only this week" part...does that mean that it's cheap only this week, and the price rises next week, or that the chimp is only available this week? Or that your knowledge of the whole affair will hold out only through this week, and next week you will have forgotten?

S.Morgan said...

Ha. OK, ChantheMan, here's the scoop on this: In morning news, I heard that a 200 lbs Chimp attacked a woman and beat the heck out of her. Or...the Chimp attacked a 200 lbs woman--I can't remember all the details--I just know for sure this pet chimpanzee will be shot before the weeks out and was telling Brit to jump in quick to get a good deal on him (or her). And Don't mention it, Brit; Anything to help out a friend.

Britt said...

Ha! I'm not sure if the aesthetic beauty of a little bird hoping around is quite like a chimpanzee that could kill me but thanks anyway; you're definitely resourceful.

iBo said...

I think we should adopt the chimp as the new Writing Center mascot. All in favor?