Sunday, April 12, 2009

4/12/09 HAPPY EASTER!




Sunday, 8:15 AM. 36 degrees, wind W, calm. The sky is clear, and the barometer predicts sunny weather. The morning is filled with bird song.
We have been seeing a lot of wild life. We came within inches of hitting two deer yesterday afternoon with the truck about two blocks from home; almost got my venison the hard way. We then saw a lot of deer in fields in the Onion River uplands south of town. I saw an eagle sitting on the ice yesterday on Seagull Bay just down the street, and a few days ago in Ashland saw another eagle on the ice (they attract mates that way. But, it gives new emphasis to the phrase “getting cold feet”) and tundra swans on the open water off Fish Creek.
Easter is not only the quintessential Christian holy day, it is also a celebration of Northern Hemisphere spring. This year it is arriving just as all of natures creatures are awakening from a particularly long winter. Joan and I spent part of yesterday afternoon decorating Christ Episcopal Church for Easter Sunday, and whether you are religious or not, hope you enjoy our spring aesthetics and the majestic and beautiful traditions of Easter and its rites of spring, celebrating earth’s new life, and its ancient message of faith, hope and love. We are all especially thankful this day for the safe release of the Captain of the Alabama and the defeat of the pirates.
Happy Easter!