Are there trees near you,
and does your own soul need comforting?
Quick, then—open the door and fly on your heavy feet; the song
may already be drifting away.
~Last stanza of “Such Singing in the Wild Branches” by Mary Oliver
A few days ago the trees in my neighborhood filled with Robins gathering for a Winter berry harvest. It was the loud chattering of all these birds that got my attention, before my eyes took in the unusual movement in the trees above me. To describe the moment beyond that, I would have to turn to poetry. These little moments that reconnect me in the web of life and restore me to my senses…
The Great Backyard Bird Count is February 15–February 18. Even if you don’t actively participate, it’s good to know it’s happening. Explore the website with your family members. And if you don’t have a backyard, walk around your block and notice the birds more than usual. Here’s the GBBC page to help you identify birds you don’t know, and recommendations for various apps including the Merlin Bird ID app that I use.
“Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real-time.”
Here’s a post I wrote almost a year ago that you might enjoy: “Lost in a sea of browser tabs? Cornell Lab of Ornithology to the Rescue.” It points to an amazing interactive website on bird migrations. I encourage you to spend a little time there.
What I am watching: Nicholas Thompson is the Editor-in-Chief of Wired. In this 7 minute video he discusses AI, Teens, Instagram, and Free Speech. If you live or work with teenagers, this is an excellent conversation catalyst.
What I am reading: My strategy of reading one letter a day in A Velocity of Being, edited by Maria Popova and Claudia Bedrick, is working. A special book. You could take turns reading letters to each other with your kids who are readers, and for kids not yet reading, pick out your favorites, read them aloud, and take time with the beautiful accompanying art.
