Sunday, June 17, 2012


As I trundled thru the house getting ready for work
I heard the sound of the finches up and singing  with
the dawn. It is for me a happy sound

Later I read an article that appeared as a link on aldaily.com
from the New Republic, Happyism The creepy new economics 
of pleasure by Deirdre N. McCloskey. She touched all
the basics pleasure vs happiness, the hedonic treadmill,
economic theory, surveys etc. and while I found it
interesting if long I was also distracted more and more by the
thoughts of what make me happy. I also realized that one thing
that I enjoy when I read is the authors attempts to capture the
moment when they are overwhelmed by joy, revelation,
fuifillment, what ever you choose to call it.
One of my favorite descriptions of this experience follows.

“I feel as though I stand at the foot of an infinitely
high staircase, down which some exuberant spirit
is flinging tennis ball after tennis ball, eternally,
and the one thing I want in the world is a tennis ball.”
from
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Annie Dillard
-----------------
A rare visitor to the yard.


We have been in this house close to twenty years.
After we had been here a few years we heard
the beautiful song of the male House Finch a
bird we were not familiar with here. He would
(we assumed it was the same bird) appear every
Spring but never seemed to get an answer. Eventually,
I can not tell if it was in time for our lone swain more
finches appeared. Now they outnumber house sparrows
at our feeder. And at present they are both bringing their
young to feed and the food is disappearing from the new
Squirrel proof feeders at an alarming rate.




"In trees still dripping night some nameless birds
Woke, shook out their arrowy wings, and sang,
Slowly, like finches sifting through a dream."


From


Morning in a new land
Mary Oliver




The House Finches do seem to spill enough
food that the squirrels while in danger of
frustration are not in danger of starvation.

Leopard's Bane the first non-bulb to flower in our
garden each year.

"Suddenly I realize
That if I stepped out of my body I would break
Into blossom."
from
A Blessing
   Jame Wright









4 comments:

Anonymous said...

So many pretty shots!
I remember the first time I heard a finch singing from the top of a cedar tree. It is a beautiful experience.

Guy said...

Hi Sandy

Thanks for your comments. They certainly are beautiful singers. Our's seem particularly red and bright this year.

Guy

Kathie Brown said...

How nice to see the flicker...one of my favorite birds! House finches have truly spread across the U.S. and now into Canada it seems! What a lovely and lively yard you have!

Guy said...

Hi Kathie

I don't have the variety of species you would have down East but it is nice to look out and see all the birds going about their business, so we try to have lots of seed and water.

Regards
Guy