Vinlands Icelandics: Friday, April 10, 2020

Friday, April 10, 2020

The good news: - Tree Swallows, Iridoprocne bicolor, are back and right on time. Sadly, as expected, the bluebirds seem to have disappeared - maybe they have gone further north. I know they will be back this summer after the young swallows have fledged. I love the swooping aerobatic flying that swallows show while courting, competing for mates, and catching insects on the wing. Amazing birds. I've read that even when the temperature are near freezing they are flying and catching the few insects like stoneflies that can survive and fly at those temperatures. I cleaned out their nestboxes a while ago and found many have white feathers, maybe from seagulls, in them. The feathers on their backs are a metallic blueish green and their bellies are white. I'd like to think I can tell the males from the females but I'm probably wrong. My electric wires are perfect resting areas. Clicking on photos enlarges them.

Also right on schedule for the state of Michigan we had snow and sleet and hail last night making this look like a winter wonderland. It is admittedly pretty and I do enjoy these last gasps of winter perhaps mostly because they are indeed both pretty and short lived.

Once or twice a week I go to my Walmart. I don't honestly like doing that but I live alone now so it's really up to me. If I run out of prescription medications, I have to go to the pharmacy. I have enough canned, frozen, dry goods to last a long time but I know I have to keep my strength up by eating fresh fruits and veggies to help my body fight the corona antigens so when I run out, it's up to me. When I get back from one of my trips, almost immediately I throw all the clothes I'm wearing into the washing machine and then the dryer, and take a shower - just in case. Literally.

I had a best friend and partner for 42 years. After he passed from congestive heart failure and cancer, I was diagnosed with cancer too. That was more than 10 years ago now. I didn't want, don't want, to be alone but that's life, eh? One partner in each pair is most likely to be left alone. I've struggled with being alone, depression, feelings of low self esteem. What I miss the most, however, is not having someone to talk with about the normal, common, day to day, life events. I also miss having a friend/companion to vent about the horrific things happening to my country.

My dogs keep me sane, well, relatively sane. They have needs that must be met. We go for short garden walks together. We try and scare away the marauding deer together. Yes. I'm the crazy person who runs outside chasing the lyme carrying-tick infested deer while my dogs bark at them. We eat minutes apart - they eat first, I follow. We sleep and nap together. I read every day in my greeting room and they curl up near my feet, often touching my feet, leaning into my feet. If I have to get up, they all get up. When I sit back down, they all return to their spots.

Although for several weeks I have had a persistent but very mild sore throat accompanied sometimes by a very slight headache, I have not been corona virus tested. I am in a higher risk group (elderly, cancer survivor, curmudgeon) I live about 30 minutes from where it might be possible to get tested, I've not checked on test locations. Others need the test more. I am most definitely not concerned. Curious, but not enough to worry. I follow the news closely especially on MSNBC. There are governors who should be leading the country, the whole country.

By noon, the snow/sleet/hail was melted and even the cat - I Ching - found herself outside with the dogs.