Temporal Delineation

 Six hours from now, the new year begins. It's this arbitrary thing we humans do to mark time, and in the long run, it means very little. Still, if there ever was a year that needs to be mentally put in a box labeled "history" and shoved to the back of a drawer somewhere, it is 2020. Generally speaking, being a hopeful species, we expect 2021 to be better. Odds are it will be. The petulant child we've been saddled with as president for four long years is set to leave the White House in three weeks. Vaccines are starting to be distributed. Life continues for most of us. 

My list of personal grievances this year is shorter than it might have been. There has been uncertainty, a collapse of a bathroom wall, and the usual litany of deaths and disasters that accompany our lives. I miss my daughter, who I haven't seen much lately due to us taking this pandemic seriously, but as they say, this too shall pass. 

Happy New Year. May we continue to find inspiration. 

The Holidays, Covid Style

 Being inclined to take such things seriously, we hid the welcome mat and hunkered down for the holidays this year. Greg stayed up north, and Willow stayed at her mom's. Jeanine, Eva, and I exchanged gifts mid-morning while the sky darkened and the wind picked up. I had planned to go out in the afternoon to look for Wood Ducks along Coyote Creek, but decided to stay in due to rain. I've leveled up my bird nerdiness to the point where my outings are sometimes determined by posts to a birding e-mail group. So far, these e-mails have paid off in the form of a Phainopepla and a pair of Ferruginous Hawks, although disappointingly, not a Northern Pygmy Owl. 

The day flew by, and now my reflection stares back at me as I look out the window, ghostlike in the light of my laptop screen. The house is a bit of a mess, but I have new coffee and chocolate to look forward to, plus a slew of practical gifts to subtly make the coming days happier ones.

Despite my intentions, posts here have slowed to a strangled trickle. I wouldn't say work has been busy, since for much of autumn we've been in a holding pattern preparing for a winter of virtual camp with a spattering of actual day camp, not to mention some Covid test proctoring. It's funny how quickly things become the new normal. I've spent more time that I should have photographing wildlife around camp, but we've managed to put together a pretty respectable project on iNaturalist using the photos, so I can justify my actions. 

I have another week off before diving back in to what is sure to be an interesting January.