Small Things

Small Change

/ The Urban Nature Enthusiast / 9 Comments

This a little story of serendipity involving Agnes (the small but determined bushtit), a friend, and the coins of the realm.

Here is Agnes, a female bushtit.

If you would like to read more about why bushtits are such awesome birds, check out my 2020 post Consider the Bushtit.

Agnes is the model for one of my most popular prints, Small But Determined, and is  a member of the ensemble cast in Birds of Judgment.

She also makes tiny guest appearances on some of the parcels I send out to customers in the form of stickers I have made to adorn outgoing orders.

I often put one of Frazzled Mabel, for example, near the flap of a package so that the recipient can have an extra little smile as they open it.

I don’t put Agnes stickers on every parcel — I often consider what the customer ordered and “customize” the sticker combination according to what I guess they might like most. (Shhh … don’t tell the time and motion efficiency inspector!)

What you might call … badaboom … Flicker Stickers

So the situation is that there are a few Agnes stickers out there in the world.

Now to my friend.

She and her partner have recently moved away from Vancouver. We had a farewell drink with them in the garden just last week. One of the last things she did before starting the trip to the new place on Vancouver Island was to pick up some groceries. Later, when she looked at the change in her pocket, she found Agnes gazing up at her …

… having been stuck on the back of, what we call in Canada, a loonie. *

It fit perfectly as the stickers are, as we say here, loonie-sized.

My friend sent me the photos above and we both thought what a funny and crazy coincidence that was. I also thought … maybe it was the universe giving me one more chance to wish her bon voyage.

* This is why we call them loonies!

So, if it was you who put Agnes on the coin, thanks!

And now I think we can now describe Agnes as, not only small and determined, but also well travelled, and occasionally, legal tender!

Nothing Is Simple

/ The Urban Nature Enthusiast / 6 Comments

Simplicity is a rare thing these days.

I’m sure I’m not alone in spending hours online seeking a simple answer to the questions, “how did we get to this place?” and “is there a way to get out of this place.”

The fine art of doomscrolling takes up far too much of my days. You too?

And, of course, in world full of  confusion, contention and endless, endless complexity, there simply are no simple answers.

One recent distraction has been reading Dostoyevsky’s 1866 novel, Crime and Punishment, in tandem with my son who’s reading it for a course.  As you may imagine, it’s not exactly light reading, but it very immersive and a trip to mid-nineteenth century Russia is a getaway of sorts.

Berries and birds have been my other escape this week.

In case you need a distraction, and at least the illusion of simplicity, come along . . .

There is a street near us lined with berry laden trees.

At various times, it’s populated with hundreds of birds. Many species are enjoying the buffet, but robins are the main customers.

Joined by a strong starling contingent ..,

… and a good showing from house finches and juncos.

The rarest visitors (be still my beating heart) are the cedar waxwings, filling up for their journey further south. More on them in a coming post!

And the crows. Of course, the crows. Some of my dog walk followers end up on this street with me and discover the berry delights.

As always, they are excellent models, pleased I’m sure, at how fine the ebony of their winter feathers looks against the scarlet berries.

The world does seem quite simple while I’m peering up into those branches and I actually have to force myself to head home.

Besides, while I’m photographing, Geordie is grazing on the fallen berries, with some unfortunate gastrointestinal results — giving me another reason to tear myself away and get back to the doomscrolling.

But I’ll certainly be back tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

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Hummingbird Interlude

/ The Urban Nature Enthusiast / 20 Comments

Ive been trying to write another blog post for over a week now, but I feel rather as if I ran out of words in my arguments to save the Notre Dame poplars until after nesting season.

That bid failed and I’ve been feeling a bit how weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world -ish for the past couple of weeks.

The trees are gone, and only one day’s work at the site has been done in the last 7, so I am left wondering what the huge rush was.

However, in the interests of my psyche and my blood pressure, I am trying not to look that way or think about it for a while.

Today a small Anna’s Hummingbird cheered me up with a joyful visit to our small fountain.

So, by way of dipping my toe back into the blog posting world, here she is.

I hope she is as cheering for you as she was for me.