Tuesday, November 15, 2011

RAIN AND AN UNIDENTIFIED SINGER


The cloudy, rainy, mild weather which began Sunday continues. Except for an overnight rise of the river of perhaps two feet, due mainly to a single hard shower which began about 7:00 p.m. and drummed on the roof for a good 45 minutes, there's not much to see in the way of seasonal change here along the river. 

The yard is fairly covered in leaves, mostly from the many sycamores. I still have roses in bloom. The little weeping willow's narrow leaves are just now turning a cheerful lemon yellow.

Every once in a while, the sun pops out through a hole in the gray canopy. It never stays long, just a quick appearance sufficient to add a greenish hint to the river, brighten the rusty leaves which lie in heaps on the island across from the cottage, and add a dramatic glow to the whitewashed trunks of the big sycamores along the banks. 
  
Feeder birds are, so far as I've witnessed, the usual gang…various sparrows, house finches, gold finches, titmice, chickadees, doves, downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpeckers, cardinals, robins, Carolina wrens, nuthatches, blue jays. Oh, and the pair of pileateds which, every so often, flap in like pterodactyls to hang and hammer awhile at the suet block.

I did hear a bird singing yesterday morning which I didn't recognize, though it seemed vaguely familiar, making me believe that I should have been able to name the songster. Try as I might, I couldn't catch a glimpse of the mystery performer. Whatever the bird, it's song was loud and musical, as brightly swinging as a robin's, and much appreciated on such a dreary day. 
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12 comments:

Gail said...

Hi Grizz-

surrounded by such simple beauty - the changes subtle and yet despite mild temps Winter is on the way. Here too, it is mild and still. The trees are slowly shedding their leaves. Our pond is clearer and our brook is running full speed. We are going to clean our bird feeders today and refilling them with a nice berry and nut mix. There are tree crews around clearing some of the trees that fell during that Nor'Easter we had a couple of weeks ago. The sound of saws buzzing is filling the air.

I am making some Swedish meatballs for dinner to be served in a mushroom gravy over home made egg noodles and applesauce on the side. Rain is on the way for tonight and Wednesday and then a big dip in the temperature. Sunday we will shop for our Thanksgiving meal - and do prep stuff Mon-Tue-Wed. Dolan will be home Wednesday night. :-)

I am working on my Thanksgiving letters, always a joy, a challenge and a blessing.

Well, time to mosey - enjoy your river and all it offers - your world is precious and I am honored to know of it, to know you.
Love Gail
peace.....

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Today is Myladylove's half day at work, so in just a few minutes she'll be on the way home. She's feeling better today than the last several days, and I expect we'll head somewhere for lunch and to do some shopping afterwards. I know we have to go to Sam's for a few grocery items, prescriptions, and to check for gift items for three or four family members who are having birthdays in the next couple of weeks. Don't know what other running around around there is to do.

I haven't even given a thought to Thanksgiving. I know my daughter and son-in-law will be in Florida, but have no idea about any of the other family at this point. It may be just the two of us. No matter, though, we'll still have the same dishes, I expect, just maybe in slightly smaller quantities—say a 20 pound turkey instead of a 28 pounder, two different pies instead of three.

I love how you always do those letters—such a wonderful tradition and so in keeping with the true spirit of the holiday, from breaking bread with friends and family, to recognizing and being grateful for all your many blessings. Thanksgiving is a time for honoring life and our own personal lives, and all the things and people around who make it rich and joyous and possible.

It is my honor—my gift—to know you, Gail, to be able to call you a friend. Be well, be at peace, and may your heart always overflow with happiness.

Carolyn H said...

Griz:

Winter wren for your mystery bird??

The gray fog and rain that settled over your valley has now arrived on Roundtop Mtn. When it leaves, I suspect winter will be on its heels, and the temperature will be yet another 10 degrees cooler (and will stay that way).

The Weaver of Grass said...

Grizz, your photos and posts are so lovely that I really think you should publish a book of 'A Year on the River' - every time I come to your site I just know I am going to see that river in another of its moods.

George said...

Travel and travel preparations have left me with little time in the past couple of weeks to stay up to speed on my blogging activities. Having now looked over your past four or five blogs, I want to tell you that I continue to be impressed by the quality of photos you are finding in your own back yard. The pileated woodpecker is sensational, but the one that takes my breath away is your header photo of the river and sky in the November 2 posting. This looks like one of those very special situations in which the light and colors are perfect for a brief moment and then are gone.

Grizz………… said...

Carolyn H…

No, not a winter winter wren, though I appreciate the suggestion. The song was slower, more "swinging" or musical, loud, slightly lower in pitch, a long, fairly complex song. I'm almost sure I've heard it somewhere in the past, not recently or often, and it's driving me a bit nuts trying to place it. As good a singer as it was, you'd think it would be easy…

It's been cooler here these last few days, though is supposed to warm up over the next few days.

Grizz………… said...

Weaver…

Who knows…but don't bet the farm. I'm pleased you like the shots, though. And should that book ever materialize, I know at least one copy will be snapped up.

Grizz………… said...

George…

Thank you. And again let me say how much I liked your books and workroom post yesterday.

You're right on the sky shot—it changed almost from second to second. I made several different shots over the course of maybe two minutes—which was pretty much the event's entire duration—and in no two are the sky alike. One of those blink-and-you'll-miss-it situations, which is often the case with spectacular skies.

KGMom said...

I love the photo of the dove...such gentle simple birds. I miss the doves who nested in our arbor vitae--of course, the arbor vitae was taken down a year ago...overgrown.

Happy Thanksgiving--in advance.

Grizz………… said...

KGMom…

Doves love arbor vitae. In another place where I used to live, I kept a series of arbor vitae bushes along the south wall of the house, overgrown to the point of being trees, because the doves and cardinals and any number of other low nesting species adored their green tangles for homemaking. Those arbor vitae were so big they covered the side of the building, stretching above the lower edge of the roof—but I didn't care. There was no danger of me winning a Better Homes and Gardens award anyway.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, too—leftovers and all!

AfromTO said...

hey are you struck speachless by my work?

Grizz………… said...

AfromTO…

No…just sloooooooooow and contrite.