Real, S1E2

Happy Birthday Lorena June!

Seventy degrees yesterday, plenty of warm sunshine, spring bursting out everywhere.

As I was driving down the county road I heard the delightful sound of a Western Meadowlark singing his springtime song. I caught a glimpse of the handsome bird perched atop a stack of straw bales, no more than 30 yards from the road.

It was just a fleeting experience and lasted no more than a second. But a lot of wonder can happen in a second. It's the kind of experience I'd like to be able to share, but the only way that could happen is if you readers were with me or if I could somehow transmit the full sensory experience to you. There's simply no way to stop and unlimber a camera or phone to capture the sight and sound of a momentary jewel like that. No recording device can capture the feel of the moment either. It's fun to share moving pictures with sound, and many folks have commented about enjoying them, but they're a pale imitation of the actual experience.

This morning dawned with stinging cold, a pesky and uncomfortable north wind, and freezing fog as far as the eye can see, which is a few hundred yards and a far cry from yesterday's unlimited viz.





Spring!

Over at the Dollar General I noticed a dozen or so folks frantically shoving carts filled with toilet paper to their cars. The first shipment to reach Kimball in three weeks! I shot a little bit of video, but only of the shelves and partly unpacked boxes. I think it's amusing how some people get caught up in the whole reflexive hoarding thing, but I'd feel bad about showcasing my friends and neighbors in that light. It's actually better and funnier to let your imagination supply the moving pictures.



I stopped back by two hours later and the shelves were bare. "Maybe Tuesday," said the manager.

I shot some phone video of the chickens but I kept hitting the wrong "button." Couldn't pull it off. I took a few pictures too.

The leghorn hen was proud of her efforts.

She had a small but vocal cheering section.

The rest of the birds were more focused on eating.

It was icy out.

Very icy.

And cold.

Despite the cold and ice, the day still has a feel of spring to it. Maybe it's the sun angle, or maybe the cold but present smell of growing things, or maybe it's all in my mind.

Be well and embrace the blessings of liberty.