Weather for the Birds

The novelty of heavy rain, gusty winds, rising rivers and raging creeks is wearing off.  Fallen/falling trees are posing a greater danger to life, limb and the power supply than the rain now. We can't even say it is good for the garden anymore because the garden doesn't know what to do with it other than turn the ground into boggy mud and the driveways into mini rivers.

We had thunderstorms and an inch of rain overnight, and it was dark with rainclouds when we got up, but I was able to scurry down the driveway to get the newspaper during a lull without getting wet. We ran out of milk two days ago, but I used canned milk in my coffee and John substituted chocolate chip cookies for his usual Cheerios for breakfast.

The rain began again as we started our Pilates class, thanking our stars and Maggie, the teacher, for continuing to teach a Zoom class. Bob reported that a large tree fell and landed five feet from their bedroom damaging some rain gutters but not breeching the roof.

My day started going downhill when I dropped a weight on my knee whilst adjusting the computer screen. Wildly painful, but Maggie's best advice was to keep moving which I did. By the time the class finished, the pain had subsided to a dull ache, I was no longer whimpering underneath the desk on which the computer rests, and there was no sign of swelling and only a small bruise. I subsided to the couch with my knitting wondering why just now I seem to be bent on self destruction.

At least it got me out of even pretending to consider going out in the rain for any reason, even photographing the birds. There were hundreds of them, lining the arms of the bird feeders and waiting their turn in the branches above them. I counted three different kinds of woodpecker, several kind of finches, nuthatches, chickadees and crested titmice. Two vultures and some kind of small raptor also lurked. The prevailing drizzle, occasionally escalating into a serious downpour, seemed to discourage rivalry or even predation.

I did the best I could through the window with only my phone for today's photos since my telephoto camera has stuck yet again and I fear it will need to be sent back to Canon once again for repair. I did notice in the pictures I took the power lines going through the trees in the distance. It would seem to be only a matter of time before one of those trees falls on the line, taking out the power to someone. 

It seemed like a chicken soup sort of day, so I dug a bag of chicken bones out of the freezer and made some with the veggies from the bottom of the fridge. It hit the spot, and will continue to do so for several days as it was a large pot.

Although the weather person distinguishes between separate storms, or 'atmospheric rivers' on the television screen, it is difficult to tell here on the ground when one ends and the next one begins. I am grateful for a roof over my head, a warm fire, and a pot of chicken soup on the stove. I hope our substantial population of unhoused people are finding some kind of shelter.