January Birdlife

I took a stroll by the reservoir this afternoon.  Birds were the only animal life present.

The first bird I saw was a hawk.  (Or perhaps it was a falcon -- I don't know the difference.)  By the time I got my camera out, the hawk was soaring away.  Its tail feathers were reddish.

Here is an internet photo of a redtailed hawk.

The next bird species I saw was the goose.  Here are ice geese.

Ice geese are related to their sporty cousins, the football geese.

Colonoscopy as A Rite of Passage

In talking with older friends at work, I have concluded that getting your first colonoscopy is often the initial rite of passage into old age.  You realize that even if the screening shows no problems, your colon -- hitherto a faithful and uncomplaining helper -- is a potential assassin.

When you stop trusting the recuperative powers of your body to handle all health problems, you have crossed the line from a confident adulthood to an increasingly circumspect old age.

 

Off to a Slow Blogging Start in 2017

The blog has been quiet for a month and a half.  I have put literary efforts aside (assuming a blog is a sort of literary effort) in favor of spending time on two New Year's Resolution activities: exercise and cookery.

My new exercise regime consists of pushups, situps, and treadmill session five times a week.  I haven't lost any weight but am growing somewhat less flabby.  When I get stronger and lighter, I intend to also do pullups.

The cookery exploits have centered on pickling cucumbers and various other vegetables using vinegar, brine, and refrigeration.   No canning is involved.  While there has been much trial and error, I haven't seriously poisoned myself yet.

The blog entries will resume when I find something interesting to share.