Humor

The Yard Bird

~ shoreacres ~ 41 Comments
White ibis (Eudocimus albus)

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, white ibises tend to feed in large groups, seeking out shallow wetlands or flooded fields in which to forage. Given the right water depth, or soil that’s sufficiently wet, they’re perfectly content to dine even at urban parks or on lawns, probing the ground for the  grubs, grasshoppers, and crawfish that make up a large part of their diet.

Still, I hardly expected to find one in my parking lot. When I rounded a corner and discovered this fine fellow enjoying an afternoon snack, I happened to have my camera in the car with me, so I stopped, backed up, rolled down the window, and casually took a few photos.

Only later did I discover that the background, a combination of black metal fencing and green grass, made my visitor look like a prisoner. He wasn’t guilty of a crime, and as far as I know never was apprehended or charged, but he still ended up looking like a yardbird.

 

Comments always are welcome.

 

And Now, A Word from Michigan

~ shoreacres ~ 42 Comments

I love Leonard Cohen. I delight in parodies, and I can’t help smiling when someone manages to bring humor, affection, and talent to bear on a bad situation.

If you watch tv or keep an eye on social media, you may already have seen this, but I couldn’t keep from posting the video for those who might otherwise miss it. Thanks to Jean at The Misadventures of Widowhood for including it in her blog today.

 

 

Comments always are welcome.

 

 

Beyond The Sky

~ shoreacres ~ 46 Comments

 

Beyond the sky there is another sky
and beyond that sky there is another.
However far you go, there’s only sky.
A cloud in the shape of a boat
is floating in the sky, but
the sky has no harbor where it can anchor.
How far does it travel, I wonder.
On this side of the sky there is another sky,
and on this side of that sky there is another —
it seems to come down to us from time to time.
Sunflowers touch the sky.
Dragonflies touch it, too, with their wings.
I am lying on my back in the field
touching the sky with the tip of my nose.
                                                               Kazue Shinkawa ~ translation by Takako Lento

 

Comments always are welcome. For more on poet Kazue Shinkawa, click here.