The sun flitted in and out this morning, like a rodent at its burrow. Then the rodent went into hibernation for much of the rest of the day. And it must’ve been a comfortable sleep, because the temperature—yes, it’s 28 November at the 44th parallel—reached 60 degrees (F). Good day for a bike ride.
It was a swift, magnificent ride. Heard chickadees and titmice, saw gulls and crows. I’d hardly had a chance to catch my breath when Jack asked if I was ready to go for a hike. Which I was. So we did.
We got to Beech Hill kind of late today and were the only ones on the hill. Some clearing had come to the southwest sky, and the sun sank there like an orange flame in the ocean. The air remained warm. There was a bit of a westerly breeze. I saw no birds up there and heard only two: chickadees (in the quiet distance, up and down) and a flicker. Returning, we met a woman walking a German shepherd dog. There’s a special place in my heart for GSD’s. Jacks, too, apparently.
Tonight the sky is spectacularly clear. I stood out there for a long time a minute ago staring up at Orion and environs. Hardly any wind.
Balmy.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:45 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped chickadee
2. Northern flicker
Elsewhere
3. American crow
4. Herring gull
5. Tufted titmouse
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, herring gull, northern flicker, tufted titmouse