Our Friend Flicker

In honor of the scarlet flash on either cheek of our latest wildlife friend, I write this in bright red. He/she is a Red-Shafted Flicker (a songbird), whom I found today being used as an unwilling toy by Folly-dog. Presumably the bird was wounded before (although no blood evident)because I can't imagine how else Folly could've gotten to her other than on the ground. Folly was most intrigued: is it a rodent with feathers that feel weird in my mouth? Fortunately, she's pretty gentle and obedient, so she left it when I told her to, and I could then pick it up. Flicker then was gently boxed and taken to the Wildlife Center about 20 minutes north, where they were most grateful and promised to do their best to heal her/him.
And just yesterday Twist had a little adventure next door, where he managed to squeeze his determined little self under a spot in the fence we weren't aware existed and proceed to ignore our calls for 45 minutes while he worried some poor creature deep in the neighbors' woodpile. Darn terriers. Once we located him (I'm considering belling him.), we extricated him with a firm grip on his tail, which is exactly what Patterdale tails are designed for. Finally put one part of him to good use.
The fence has been reccyed but good today and all even theoretical escape hatches plugged solidly.

Back In Time

Today I drove a horse for the first time ever. She is a sorrel mustang with excellent manners, who was rescued as a yearling from the abbatoir. Of course her name is Lady. (Just like one of Almanzo Wilder's pair: Prince & Lady) My teacher is named Mike and is quite elegant. We drove down a dirt road, then onto the macadam, in a little two-seat cart. The harnessing is elaborate --- I have homework to do before my next lesson a week from tomorrow.
It's so odd using only nuanced hands and gentle taps of the whip to send signals to the horse. For obvious reasons, there is no leg or one's own weight to communicate with. I also have to remember that it is indeed a vehicle with the original horsepower and that I have to watch where I position it on the road. It's almost like I'm 15 again and learning to coordinate a car. Learning this, however, completes my personal concept of a horsewoman: the ability to harness and drive a horse as well as ride astride. Yes, I wore a helmet. Even in NM we're careful. And I have to go buy my requisite brown driving gloves. Have to be brown.

Parallel Play

Here's a snapshot of a typical Sunday evening here in New House in SFe. One person is tucked into a large armchair in the living room, surrounded by dogs in various stages of repose. She has her laptop out, her earphones in, a 1/2-empty bottle of Gruet by her side, and is laughing & crying to multiple episodes of "Mad TV." The other person is in the kitchen making cauliflower soup. Her entertainment is a CD of Jane Eyre, read by Emma Fielding in a perfect Midlands accent. During occasional lulls in preparation she also pulls out her knitting while listening closely to Jane's thoughts on Mr. Rochester.
The soup is praised during dinner. One person is admonished for settling for an ordinary Chardonnay when she could be drinking tequila. Then there is post-prandial dog exercise in the front yard. The equipment consists of a tennis racket & pink tennis ball as well as a practice polo mallet. An overly enthusiastic dog narrowly misses being brained by the mallet. Polo ponies have a lot to put up with.
So the sun descends on a satisfactory Sunday in Santa Fe. Monday looms, but it will have its moments, too.

Living Well

Hints of fall today, both in light and in air movement and temperature. I started re-reading, again, Sara & Gerald, about my favorite Americans abroad in the '20s. Perhaps I feel something like a San Franciscan abroad these days. Sara and Gerald lived in Europe for quite some time, yet always remained Americans, in the best sense. I hope I remain a San Franciscan in the best sense, wherever we live.
Gerald talked about the invented part of life being the only part of real lasting value. He meant the creative part, the part one has jurisdiction over, not the parts of life that bowl one over, haunt and disappoint. Active creation and invention for not just oneself but for those one loves and respects is the lasting satisfaction in our brief existence.
Invention, however, is not an escape. It is taking the power and transcending.
Remember I jokingly threatened philosophizing in the last posting?

Yet More Storms

We're into August now, with some pretty bang-up storms. Yesterday, Sunday, we drove back from a day north swimming in the Chama River and headed directly -- quite visibly -- into a massive downpour, replete with lightning that looked to be just yards in front of us. Twice we had to pull over to the roadside. This was perhaps a good 20 min. of storm, then -- nothing. Dry. Blue sky with a few white clouds. Driving out a storm --- pretty exciting for the girls from California.

Lest you think that all I do is report on weather that is bowling over the newbies, there is also lots of philosophizing, recipes, fortune-telling, and travel tips headed your way. Just kidding.

In and out of storms, literally and figuratively. Here's the figurative part:
I do think we are now in the Storm of Transition from parents with children who live with us to parents of children who are off in the world, somewhere. And we have compounded this storm by moving to another place, another state, another world. Transition in Spades for the whole family. But of course this transition was destined, no matter where we lived or stayed. They grow up and they go away, and then you especially realize you're mortal because little people don't need you every minute. And it's not just the needing; it's also the wanting and loving and tolerating. Not to mention the bathing and transporting.
But I'm happy to ride out the current storm into the next dry spell. It's a ride we love & appreciate, no matter what.