Sunday, May 07, 2006

Springtime is just too much

Too much happening. Too much bursting forth into new life. Too much to be done, and not enough time in these precious days.

I actually broke down yesterday, broke down because there was so much I wanted to get done but my human self was lagging and wanting to just savor the moment. Guess which side won.

But this morning I awoke, feeling strangely disoriented. Hung over, maybe, if I had drunk more than normal, which I hadn't. I felt as if I had no compass, and the world was spinning wildly, a whirligig of birdsong, sunshine, and strong coffee. Another day of too many possibilities looming before me.

After breakfast, scrambled eggs and ham (all local- woohoo!!!) I wandered out to my garden, trying to put off the inevitable task of washing the dishes. I thought about planting the few potatoes left over from yesterday, the ones I had cut up because I didn't have enough Yukon Golds to plant them whole. Then I saw them. Actually, saw him first, flying overhead, gracefully diving and dipping in a flight I had never seen before, like a visitor from afar, giving a slight chuckle as he swooped on wings that defied gravity.

"What in the hell was THAT!" I found myself exclaiming out loud. The flight pattern, the white and black of the bird, seemed totally foreign to me. It had to be a new bird, a life-lister, something I had never seen before. I found myself wanting to believe that, that it was not just another ordinary bird, as if there is such a thing.

It turned out to be an extraordinary bird, and one I had seen before, a male Northern Harrier, quite common around here. But the way it flew was something I had never seen before, and soon I was to know why. This was no ordinary flight, but a dance. A mating dance. I saw him retun, soaring, with a female harrier, and they soared and swooped around each other like poetry. The dishes waited while I watched as they soared and called together, then landed just across the swamp. I waited and watched.

As I waited, I observed a pair of song sparrows, first calling to each other, then mating in one brief moment.

I saw the harriers several more times throughout the day, each time heralded by the high, thin "Keeeiiir! Keeeiiir!" call of the female. The pair seemed to be enjoying just soaring, flying together.

Springtime is just too much. Everything bursts forth, in flowering, mating, growing, and soon it will be overgrown in the vines of summer. But for now it is just enough, when I open my heart to the dance.

By the way, I am listening to the first toads trilling tonight, and I heard tree frogs today. I think I heard one ovenbird, and I put out the hummingbird feeder but no takers. I will know the moment they arrive, and isn't that knowledge awesome!

6 comments:

Pam in Tucson said...

Awesome!

R.Powers said...

You sound as exuberant as the life around you!

Anonymous said...

It sounds like life is good. :)

PJ said...

Oh, my gosh...what a great post! you have been able to put into words what I have been feeling inside ..MANY seasons. If only we were to watch Nature..It has all the answers we need. Amazing how our 'human-ism' gets in the way of true life. Thank you for reminding me what I need to do!...just be thankful (I know you are) of what you have around you...us 'citydwellers' have to look a little harder! What an inspiring posting for my monday!

Jim said...

Deb-

Thanks so much for clearly defining the reason I've been such a bad blogger lately. It's just too beautiful outside, there's too much to do, and too much to see to be indoors with a computer.
But I do feel like I've been neglecting my blog friends and I apologize. Now I'm going back out to work (or should I say play) in the yard.
;~)

Deb said...

Thanks, everyone...I am always amazed when I get a comment that something has touched someone, in some way...PJ, I'm glad you were inspired by it, it made my day!