WISHFUL THINKING

The same behavior happened to me in college when my aging French teacher was about to do a lecture on our assigned readings. This time it was already spring, and I suggested that we have our class OUTSIDE because it was so nice. I rallied the support of the entire class that convinced the professor that the lesson would be more meaningful if we did it outside. Seeing his opportunity for class participation to increase, he agreed. Everyone grabbed their books, papers, etc. and trooped outside to a spot under the huge maple trees for which the campus was famous. There they spread out and waited. Meanwhile, my newest boyfriend went past in his pickup truck. Noticing me with the other students outside, he called to me to come with him instead. I did. After making all the commotion about going outside, I LEFT EVERYONE BEHIND!

Today is the same kind of day that got me into trouble when I was young. The temperature is ridiculously high; the daffodils and hyacinths are up; the mystery white flowering trees are coming into full bloom; and I long to be out gathering up the brush that was left from the winter's storms. Instead I am presently scooter-less which keeps me from venturing out on the lawn. The apple trees are beginning to show tiny green leaves and it won't be long before they show their flowers, too. Now is the time to rake away rotten fallen apples and dead leaves from last season and get rid of offending thorn bushes and foreign weeds. But without a scooter, that cannot happen. I fondly recall days in the past when I could simply grab up a few tools and walk over and do the work. Digging in the dirt was one of my favorite activities, first as a child making mud pies and later as a mother planting fresh vegetables for my own children's meals. I also planted flowers to attract humming birds. Watching them was incredible!

The robins have been busy for weeks now, but the real treat was seeing an American Bluebird on one of the closer evergreen trees. They are quite different from Blue Jays which are common and noisy. The bluebirds stay within certain lower altitudes and are very quiet. The only other time I have seen an American Bluebird was back in New Jersey. But here there are several species that are new. For example when I had bird feeders up, I caught sight of what I suspected was a Rose breasted Grossbeak. When it was done eating, I went inside to check my bird identification books. For some reason I decided that it might be related to Cardinals and sure enough, it was. After that one sighting, the bird never returned. Another stranger that became familiar was the Hawk. They come around during a spell of good weather to ride the thermals in the air. I have counted 3 pairs which fly together. One day they all decided to land on one of the dead trees that line the property. They are BIG BIRDS, and the other resident birds dislike them to the point of chasing them away and pecking while they do it. I was told that the hawks will attack eggs and even baby birds of other types. Not nice! But their primary hunt is for mice which scour the corn fields surrounding our home. The mice are looking for leftover corn to eat and the hawks are looking for unwary mice for the same purpose.