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Monday, January 29, 2024

I spotted this raptor perched again yesterday morning atop my neighbor’s dead tree. Maybe a Red-Tailed Hawk, that’s my first guess because an active pair regularly hunts in this area. Doubtful, however, as this bird appears to work alone.

A very intent creature–here’s a slightly different view.

This morning brings more natural beauty. There’s an early temperature of forty degrees F, a heat wave among our real-time recent experiences. Today’s high temperature is predicted to be record heat for this date. Maybe the warmth will be enough to repair at least a little of my horses’ dry lot! This week, the muck there is very wet and deep; it sucks hard on my boot at each step.

This area annually has a week or two of nearly intolerable conditions, underfoot and on the road, from snow, ice, and rain. We were zapped this year during pre-spring, a period that usually offers relief from a year-ending blast. However, last year closed gently weatherwise following a lasting warm spell, more summer-like than wintery.

My annual challenge has arrived–a brand-new, year-long planner in which I intend to write seriously. I always wish to plan ahead, set goals, and be responsible for achieving them. I can think up my annual challenges, but I can’t consistently detail the needed and taken steps. Nor do I record twelve months of progressing and failing. My excuse is that I am becoming too busy to pause and write. However, my wants are consistent because I give myself high credit for wishing and trying–both are strong medicine.

Dear Friends: Now, to discover what an unusually hot winter day might bring. Diana