Here is how the Christmas Bird Count found me on the third-to-last day of 2014: suspended between the divinity of the wild birds, and their utter vulnerability to human whims. The territory that is ours to count in the annual Christmas census extends from the junction of 30A and Cape San Blas Road, and Stump Hole, on the St. Joe Peninsula. Our favorite stretch, and the most productive bird-wise, is the beach. It used to be—just a year or two … Continue
There are piles of gear all over our living room that have nothing to do with seasonal gifts. Today, we are prepping for two bird counts down at the coast. Jeff and I will be part of the national Christmas Bird Count, finding and tallying as many kinds of birds as possible in a single day on an assigned territory. It’s a census, but of birds, not people. On my packing list are three categories. First, layers of clothes for … Continue
December 19, 2014 Sometimes my heart can’t quite keep up with all the holiday cheer. My dear friend is facing a serious illness, I miss my son, and so much of the world’s news is horrific. All of the neighborhood’s inflatable snowmen and strings of lights can’t seem to brighten my spirits. It’s the winter solstice I must face, which in North Florida is often the coldest, darkest and rainiest day of the year. But the solstice will never disappoint, because … Continue
My house in Tallahassee is deeply shielded by the hardwood trees of a remnant swamp forest. Most of the year, I can’t see the face of the sun from our windows. But in December the trees drop their leaves, and the sun rises farther and farther south of east. Direct light floods our bedroom and dining room for just a few weeks. I behold the approach of winter solstice. The passage of winter into spring will return the sun to … Continue