Ponder this:

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Things I haven't told you

I didn't tell you about the great blue heron who was crossing the road. I slowed way down so that I might get close enough to see his details, but wary heron unfolded his wings and rose off the macadam while I was still a couple of hundred feet away. I have heard that migrating ducks look for herons to find resting places . . . the ducks are supposed to know that if a shy heron is hanging around the place, it's safe. I think that idea might give ducks a little more intellectual credit than they might deserve, but what do I know?

I didn't tell you about the red tailed hawk that watched me walk by on the seasonal road. When he saw me coming, he took off, but came back and perched in the same tree that he had left and stayed in the top of the tree, glaring at me from thirty feet in the air. 

I didn't tell you about the Canada goose family waiting at the side of the road until my car passed. Papa and Mama waited with Baby Gosling between them. When I remember the trio, it seems to me that Baby Gosling might have had a red balloon floating above him, the string tucked under his wing.

The Canada geese are getting ready to migrate. This morning I passed a stubbly corn field filled with them. They're perfectly camouflaged for hiding in cornfields; the only way I could see them was to look for their heads above the cut stalks. The flocks have begun maneuvers in preparation for migration. I had Angus outdoors this morning, heard them honking and was pleased to be looking in just the right direction to see them appear over the trees that border the fields. Fortunate. Most times, I hear their voices and can't tell where they will appear. There must have been a hundred of them, all honking. As they flew into view they were just a mess of geese, but they formed up into some ragged Vs as I watched. These might not even go away for the winter. Quite a number of them stay around all year, as the robins do. It seems to me that robins used to go away in the cold weather; now they loiter through the winter.

I didn't tell you about the man who came into the office whose brogue charmed me. "He says I need to sign this in front of you," he said. 
I couldn't help it. I asked him, "If I bring you the phone book, will you read it to me?" 
Afternoon boss says the man blushed. I had looked down at my clasped hands (I think I was blushing, myself) so I didn't see if we were becoming rosy simultaneously.
I did the notary public thing (Do you affirm that the contents of this document are known to you and that it is the truth?) and he nodded and blinked his blue eyes and said, "Yis . . . yis." 

15 comments:

Friko said...

I am so glad you have told me now. These things needed saying.

What you haven't told me is how you addressed the various birds; did you glare back at the hawk, bow to the heron and chuck the gosling under the chin?

You'd better carry a slim volume of poetry with you at all times, if there were ever cause for another outbreak of rosyness, you'd be better prepared.

Jacqueline Donnelly said...

Everyday wonders! And you were there to pay attention.

Barb said...

I'm charmed by the things you haven't told us. I don't tell you everything either, but it's usually not this good!

DJan said...

Ah, the fall migration begins. And even if you didn't tell me earlier, I am so happy to have been told today. I bet you blush VERY rosy :-)

#1Nana said...

It's okay, I'm keeping secrets too!

Rose ~ from Oz said...

Ah June, you gave me a chuckle, never ever grow too old for being charmed. He did sound rather charm-ing though!
And of course we needed to know about the birds!
You have just given me inspiration for a post (pictorial)

Cloudia said...

a lovely examined life




Aloha from Waikiki,

Comfort Spiral

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georgia little pea said...

Hah! You are a flirt. I should have known.

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

I would so like to go for a walk with you ! Though I'd leave you to deal with any passing charmeurs* by yourself ... you do it so well !

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

My comment seems to have been invaded by a passing asterisk ... ?

Olga said...

This post reads like a poem. You have painted a lovely picture with your words.

Linda Myers said...

Very glad you told us!

Tom said...

Nice . . . and I bet there's more where that came from.

Vicki Lane said...

As the poet said, "Life is so full of such glorious things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings!"

Pauline said...

I really liked this post - it's the littles in life that mean a lot, isn't it? (Yis, yis.)