March 5, 2009 3:38

Day 4

 Today I have been busy, so I sat just outside my studio on a pine log that I cut last summer.  I faced the sun, closed my eyes and let the warmth wash over me.  I kept my eyes closed.

 I first noticed the drip, drip percussion of snow melting off my roof. Soon, I noticed the sound of songbirds.  I concentrated on their calls but while familiar, I could not identify species.  I could not count how many.  A tweet came from my far left to be answered by a similar sound across the clearing.  A series of twitters came from the tallest willow on the edge of ‘my’ land.  The caw, caw of a crow interrupted from a distance as I became aware of the far off rumble of a tractor to my right.  I struggled to hear with my left ear, focus on the songs and not hear from my right. But, I am made for stereo.

 When I opened my eyes to the sun, I was momentarily blind – the field of snow featureless through my tearing eyes.  I could not see any of the songbirds, too small and far way.  At last someone flew by – quick – but still revealing the white beneath her black-fringed wings.