Junco Pardner

sings away the winter blues

I went for another snow slog on the bike today, it was a good leg workout and it was nice to hear how excited the birds are that it’s warming up and the snow is melting.

Winter would be a lot harder to bear without these little black and white puffballs showing us not to be afraid of the snow, and to just get out there.

I was remiss in filling the Bird Buddy feeder this year because I wanted them to eat the bugs, as we had a lot of ticks in the yard. Because I didn’t fill it in the autumn, I didn’t fill it in winter, especially after the two big snowstorms we had back to back. (My neighbor seems to have suet feeders out all year round and I ride on her coattails.)

When the snow melted today, I filled it up with seeds and peanuts, and then checked the video. It seems like it was being checked out all winter… I’m glad they didn’t give up on me.

I saw my first Eastern Goldfinch of the year this morning. The Grackles have returned, and a Cooper’s Hawk chased someone into the back yard the other day. The Blue Jays are still mimicking Red-Tailed Hawks to get first dibs. The Robins stay all year, and I say good morning to them. I’ve mentioned before that I decided to never take them for granted, because I appreciate their scolding in the morning and their songs at sundown.

Normally I am outside all winter, but the heavy snow that turned to ice kept me inside and mopey. I read a lot of books, including The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie, which didn’t do much for me—it’s a fun, but ultimately depressing read about corruption being inevitable. I can read the news for that. Much more enjoyable was the Xenogenesis trilogy by Octavia E. Butler, which takes a similar, depressing premise—that humanity’s genetic disposition for hierarchy will always ultimately lead to our self-destruction—and sees us reborn after a devil’s bargain with a species of alien “genetic traders” that exist by merging with others and creating new life. Butler remains one of my favorite writers, and this series tells a story both wonderful and disturbing, that only she could tell.

Now I’m halfway through A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters by Julian Barnes, since the old codger has written a new book, and I liked Before She Met Me, and I had this one lying on a shelf. Published in 1989, it definitely has the feel of the ‘90s to it, and that’s a good feeling compare to these days. It begins with a cheeky retelling of Noah’s Ark, from the point of view of a stowaway, who remains a minor figure in the other chapters. Another retelling is the Wreck of the Medusa, and how the painting of the raft of survivors immortalized their infamous ordeal.

Books, like birds, keep me going.

I’m planning a big move from the house near the Pine Barrens this year, which will mean selling most of my things and storing the rest. This is the first house I’ve lived in since I was six years old, and while I like the room and amenities, I feel bound to a place in a way I haven’t before. I want to try a somewhat more nomadic lifestyle, with fewer things, so that we can pack a car and a small trailer and move more often. I’ll miss being able to dig through my collection for a book, but there’s always libraries and bookstores for that.