This from the December 25th entry in Greg's The Blog of Henry David Thoreau:"Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in the fields and woods, if you would keep your spirits up. Deal with brute nature. Be cold and hungry and weary."
That's the Cooper's Hawk a nano second after I took the picture I featured in yesterday's boo-hoo post. If you've not perused Thoreau's journal - do so. Beauty and wisdom and the big one: acceptance - of things as they are. I guess that includes dove-eating hawks. Sigh.
Addendum: Best info I've ever found on distinguishing Cooper's from Sharpies
12 comments:
Love this quote. Thanks.
Ah yes, acceptance of what is instead of grieving what isn't. That is the key isn't it?qmhwzuy
whoops! I typed the word verification in the wrong spot!!!!
Just went over and checked out the Thoreau Journal. Thanks for pointing me in that direction. I think it will be part of my daily reading in the New Year.
Cuppa! Don't you love those word verifications? I find myself searching for relevant letter combinations when I enter them. Some are really funny - actually - 'qmhwzuy' is kinda cute :0)
'Acceptance' - great concept - at times so difficult to execute.
Yes, I think you'll find some real beauty in Thoreau's Journal.
We like to do the "take walks in deep snow" in our snowshoes -- although there certainly isn't too much of that around this year. However, this weekend, there's just enough that we'll probably go for a hike in a cedar forest where we often see a network of snowshoe hare tracks. That can be quite uplifting for the spirit!
Bev - I'm going to google 'snowshoe hare'. I don't think I've ever seen one of these critters. Actually, I don't think I've even seen 'people' snowshoes up-close-and-personal.
Bev - I found out why I haven't seen this creature or its tracks:
"Although once native to the extreme northeast corner of Ohio, snowshoe hares were probably never abundant or widely distributed. It is believed that they were extirpated from the state in the early 1900s due to large-scale clearing of forest lands."
Apparently they've had a bit more luck in the last few years.
Hi Sis!
I keep forgetting to tell you that I haven't posted before because Firefox doesn't usually show me the word verification. But, something has changed, so here I am (hctyfxdz if you're interested)!
Love the pics and text - a needed change from the blogs I usually read. Thanks,
Jen
Hi Jen! Welcome aboard. Aw come on! Am I the only one who is amused by those WV's?
I needed Thoreau today, thanks.
wdlivqpa (WV)
Interesting about the snowshoe hares having been extirpated from Ohio. They're common here, but they tend to be in cycles of many or few. The last couple of years they seemed to be common. Hard to say if that will be true this year. I would say that the late snowfall may have made them very easy prey for raptors and fox, coyote and other predators. I'm sure their coats would have changed to white many weeks ago -- I saw some like that last autumn too as the first snowfall was also quite late in coming.
Laurie - don't you love that blog - so peacefully beautiful.
Bev - I hadn't considered the hare's winter coat change being maladaptive in a un-snowy winter. It'd be interesting to know if they're any studies about a possible delay in the change-over to the white fur if mild conditions prevail during autumn.
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