so, i like tonight because it's usually when i begin thinking about New Year's eve.  which is my really only favorite holiday anymore.   and i enjoy very much the week coming of reviewing the last year.  looking back, thinking.  it's a very quiet, but intense activity for me.  what did i do?  and why?  do i want to do more of it?  do i want to change things?  and sometimes i come up with things to do before that Eve night arrives.  this, for one:002
Snow.  Again.  about a foot of it.   SO.  accept that this is maybe going to be the way it is.  OK.  be ready.

and here.  this is an awning over the livingroom window.  the window to the West that receives the afternoon and into the evening SUN most of the year round.  it is very ugly.  a friend of the Maniac husband had a fondness for bringing me things he thought i would like.  many i did.  like the cobalt glass doorknob with art deco brass.  a set of metal butterflies, rusted.  a horse figure made out of some kind of metal like iron.  the big post out this window that has all the secret language engraved on it by insects because he had heard the story of how as a child, i'd thought that was the way that my "real" family left messages for me down by the creek, the Indian family.  his name was Louie.  so he brought this awning one day and afixed it outside that window "for me".  and although it is totally ugly, it DOES work to ease the heat.   i've often thought of taking it off but then remember that it DOES work, and also remembering how happy he was to gift it.004
and see the right hand corner?  that little meeting of aluminum metal there is maybe only an inch wide at best.  i was sitting, stitching on the grasses and saw a flutter movement…?????  it was as the storm was gaining momentum, just at dusk.  looking carefully,  i saw a little form there and moved the curtain just a little and it rushed off.  a little bird.  sitting and waiting, a few minutes later, it returned.  i watched as a sparrow positioned itself exactly in the corner, pressing itself against the cold aluminum, beak up,  feet tucked, and wing extended.  i didn't want to disturb him/her again so couldn't take a picture.  instead, i've drawn it. Img043
this is not quite right.  it was more    pressed,  like wedged.  tight up against the metal.  tonight is it's third night there.

so, this week i'm going to think.  i'd like to put a maybe 2" wide strip of wood along the length of that awning.  imagining that it might be more comfortable than than narrow metal corner rim?  but also, it would be a NEW thing and birds don't always feel comfortable with new things for a long time.  maybe i should wait till after the winter.  put it up in the spring, giving a lot of time before next December for it to become "just the way it is" ? 

so, this is the first thing i am considering tonight.  i like doing this a lot.  and have 6 more days.

HERE is the Other Corner…Which would You Choose???????001

 

 

 

 

 

 

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23 responses to “a week before New Year’s eve”

  1. judy keathley Avatar

    do you write these thoughts you have ?
    or simply think them …

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  2. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    i used to write them. now i just think them. but then,
    i wrote it here, didn’t i.
    and you read it.
    hi, Judy.

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  3. deb Avatar

    Shelter from the storm.
    maybe a little peanut butter with
    seeds stuck in it on the ledge close by.
    merry Christmas grace

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  4. Michelle Avatar

    Hi Grace–I’m supposed to have no access–I’m in Massachusetts–it’s 19 degrees–no snow–and suddenly the internet works and so I dropped by to wish you a lovely day whatever the weather–and many New Year thoughts about changing things, or not changing things.

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  5. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar
    grace Forrest Maestas

    and to you, Deb

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  6. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar
    grace Forrest Maestas

    Hey Michelle!!!!!!!! a little surprise for you, yes????
    thankyou for your wish…COLD but
    SUNNNNNNNNNNNY
    maybe the roads will free up????
    Yes. i really love this week.
    keep us posted about how it is in Massachusetts…again, still a
    real miracle to me that it’s possible
    xoxo

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  7. Vicky Avatar

    could you put a little piece of something old up in the corner?
    i have a granddaughter sitting with me with her noisy toy!!!!
    i will probably spend new years eve, also known as my birthday, in a coma after a week of granddaughters in my care. i look forward to the following week!!!!

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  8. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar
    grace Forrest Maestas

    you know what?, stuff’s changed already. i looked over
    in the other corner, that is just a little pulled apart,
    thereby making a little more sitting room and ALSO, there
    is a wad of old Prayer Flag Shred that is still tied there.
    it actually looks pretty cozy. so i studied these two
    corners, my mind( that likes to get involved with things),
    and thought about how sparrow chose the plain corner for
    whatever reason of its own? actually, the prayer flag
    corner is even more windproof as it is the SW corner….
    so….
    thinking.
    wondering if i can just see things. observe them. WONDER
    about them, even, and not find it necessary to become
    involved???? maybe that’s what it’s all about, really?

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  9. Nancy Avatar

    Merry week of thoughts to you Grace. I’m thinking that my mom would have loved to read the thoughts you have to say. I’m thinking you may be right, to not get involved…that can be quite hard to do…but one does not necessarily know why others do as they do…now do we!?! Stay warm in your chilly homeplace. We’re warm here in SoCal (of course!) But, I’m sorta missing the warm blue sky beautiful weather…still sick 😦 Blech and Boring. Take care.

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  10. KaiteM. Avatar

    yes i agree, look and wonder from afar and then leave them be. i’ve meddled with Nature too often in the past, trying to make things better and they’ve almost never worked out like that. enjoy your week of quiet reflections in the snow.

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  11. Jacky Avatar
    Jacky

    That little sparrow must think that awning is a most beautiful thing…harbouring it from the big winds, a safe haven.
    I like to use the time between Christmas and New Year to reflect also…I will be thinking with you Grace. I have a lot to look back on this year and I am sure looking forward to the New Year.
    Jacky xox

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  12. Deb G Avatar

    That snow! We were teased with a bit in the forecast but it never happened. I love to clean house this time of year…it’s both a mental and physical reorganization. I would have made the same decision and left the corner alone.

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  13. Francis Avatar

    I always try to keep my house clean during this period. To me it’s like a credo. You’ve made me think over different things right now..

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  14. jude Avatar

    i cannot believe the weather there. still, it is more like spring than winter here.
    i hear birds feet can freeze to mental. i replace all the perches on the feeders with wooden dowels. birds just love awnings in winter. so this was a gift with a wider reach than planned.

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  15. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar
    grace Forrest Maestas

    “wider reach than planned”
    maybe things just keep reaching
    and we forget to notice?, or forget to understand
    that it is a Reach happening, a continuing of
    something that happened/came way before?????????

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  16. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar
    grace Forrest Maestas

    meddle
    i like that word

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  17. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar
    grace Forrest Maestas

    there are so many reasons for everything, i’m thinking….
    i hope you UnBlech soon

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  18. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar
    grace Forrest Maestas

    i like it that we are thinking together, Jacky ~

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  19. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar
    grace Forrest Maestas

    yes. learning to wait.

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  20. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar
    grace Forrest Maestas

    Hi Francis ~
    yes. credos.
    i like more and more, thinking without a
    goal
    in mind.
    just looking, observing,
    responding, maybe…. (but not REacting?) (too hastily)
    Waiting…just being Next To a thought

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  21. jude Avatar

    yes, we are just a ring. part of what came before. a little  part of the action of very large reaching. but with an amazing effect on the shape.

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  22. Nancy Avatar

    Ha and me too!

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  23. Best New Year Fireworks Avatar

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