Marty's Hawk

Sunday morning. Standing at the kitchen sink, absorbed in the mindfulness of washing dishes, I glanced out the window and knew immediately what it was.

Click to enlarge

How utterly unexpected and delightful to be presented with such a curious vision! A sign, an omen, perhaps? Good fortune? Something that Marty, our first winter guest, brought with her? Who can explain such things? 

Did this Harrier Hawk come to pray with us? for us?

There is something in the brain of modern, urban man that demands a logical, cause-and-effect answer to every curiosity. We shuffled through Google seeking the reasonable answer for this creature's prayerful posture on the electric power line.

A half-hour passed for the inverted hawk with very little movement, a slight relaxing of wings, a few wind-rustled tail feathers. 

Petersons Field Guide identified this creature as a female Harrier (marsh) Hawk. Google told us, furthermore, that sometimes young birds attempting to grasp a branch (or electric power line) will over- or under-compensate, lose balance, and fall like the hanged man of the Tarot clinging onto their perch. 

This beautiful creature finally uprighted herself and, unseen, flew away. Marty and her Jim left this morning for their home in the frozen tundra of Ohio. It's Monday. Another marvelous weekend is behind us, leaving only an expectation of more beautiful moments during the week to come.

~ ~ ~

First Guests ~ Last Guests

A suspicious soul might think we planned it; we didn't. Three years ago it was our dumb luck to be the last guests at Otter Cove; this year we enjoyed more dumb luck being the first guests at Trail's End.  Pam and I won't eschew our good fortune to be with cousin Linda and Mike during their transition from one home to another.

I'll start with dessert, if you please. The first dessert served in the new digs. Nummy!

Mike, a modest chef served salmon, broccoli, and potatoes.

During the early morning hours when the fog was rolling in I awoke to the smell of bacon cooking. Such awake dreams this old man enjoyed! The smell was determined to be the last of the wood that was slowly burning in the stove (Nonetheless, a great idea for product development: bacon fagots?).  The edible bacon came later with our sumptuous breakfast.

Cousin Linda. You are a jewel.