A lonely Wasilla Democrat; the raven who would not fly; the dog who didn't get run over; two moose who grazed in the yard; the tax-preparer who drinks Metro coffee
Friday, March 5, 2010 at 4:00AM ;)
Remember how last week I came upon Dodd Shay and his new pup, Scotty, on Seldon? Remember how he stopped to chat, but then traffic came along and so he pulled over onto nearby Tamar and told me that he was planning to start showing up at Metro Cafe at 10:00 Thursday mornings and wanted to invite folks of Democratic bent to stop by and have coffee with him?
Today, as I walked on Seldon, Dodd and Scotty came driving by and stopped again. I asked if he had gone to Metro at 10:00 and yes he had. I asked if others had joined him and he said he saw another Democrat there, but they did not get together. They took their coffee separately.
Ten in the morning is not a good time for me to get together with anybody, anywhere. At 10:00, I am trying to figure out how to deal with the day, or I am walking, which is part of what I do to figure out how to deal with the day.
Some days are pretty cut and dried, though - it's all sitting right in front of me and I don't need to figure out anything - I just need to find the the will to get to it. Today was such a day.
Dodd and I did not get to talk long, because pretty soon a car showed up coming from behind him. There was no convenient turnoff, so he said goodbye and drove on.
;)
A bit further along, I saw this raven sitting atop the cell-phone tower. As I noted way back when, we had very weak reception here before they built this and were always suffering dropped calls. Now, we get all bars reception and if a call gets dropped, it's because it happened on the other end.
I decided that I wanted to get a picture of this raven departing the tower. With the pocket camera, you've got to be ready, because you're only going to get one chance and, unless you're already applying enough pressure to the shutter button to keep it active, there will be a little delay.
So I kept the camera focused on the raven, kept my finger lightly pressed against the shutter button and I waited.
Five minutes... ten minutes... 15...
The raven just sat there, not flying.
The raven might not understand photography, but ravens are smart and cunning birds and very mischievous. I knew that the raven had figured me out. The raven knew that I wanted it to fly and that I did not intend to leave until it did. So the raven decided to wait me out, to stay put.
The raven decided that it would not fly until I walked away.
This was a game to the raven and it was determined to win.
;)
In time, another raven came flying by. Usually, when this happens, the perched raven will de-perch itself and take off flying - either to join or squabble with the newcomer, depending on what kind of relationship they share. But this raven knew that this was just what I wanted it to do, so it stayed put. It did turn to watch the other raven pass by, though.
Finally, after more than 20 minutes, I decided that I had to get going. I gave up and started to walk away. The raven flew. I quickly raised my camera and got a shot off but because I was walking I messed it up and it was blurry.
You may not believe me that the raven knew and planned it this way, but I am not joking. I am serious.
Ravens like to play these kind of games and they are hard to beat.
;)
Do you remember this dog? The one that ran out into the middle of Seldon not so long ago and nearly got run over?*
Cars just kept coming and it just kept getting in their way, even as they honked.
I wandered how long that dog would live.
This is it. It is still alive. It had found its way into that part of the marsh that Dodd holds title to, the part where the signs on his gates tell snowmachiners and fourwheeler drivers not to enter, but many enter anyway and tear up the property regardless.
;)
Then it was back to my office, where I tried to work until 4:00 PM, at which time I grabbed my jacket and headed to the car so that I could stop by Metro, get my brew and listen to a bit of All Things Considered in the car.
I headed straight out the door and into the car and was about to back out when I saw this adolescent moose in the front yard, right beside me.
;)
And here is it's mom. That's Joe's house in the background. Were it not for Joe, Chicago kitty would be dead. One day, I will tell the story. On the whole, it is a terribly sad story, even though she survived.
In fact, it is a tragic story, but we are very glad Chicago survived.
It is also an amazing story.
;)
Through the Metro Window Study, #12,682
This is Juanita. Carmen says she is her "H&R Block lady." It's that time, isn't it?
"How often do you come here for coffee?" I asked Juanita, thinking that maybe it was tax business that brought her here today.
"How often do I come here?" she laughed, with a bemused look on her face.
"As often as you do," Carmen answered for her.
;)
This is what the Talkeetna's looked like on the way home. The winter darkness has been defeated. Soon, dark will be but memory. We will not even want to think about the dark.
That's why I hate to go south in the time of light. Down south, it gets dark every night, even on the summer solstice. I can't bear it. I just can't.
Please. Keep me in the north, all summer long.
Do not make me go south.
But I'm already committed. Late May - Arizona. For a very special reason. I cannot miss it.
;)
As I approached my house, I saw that the moose were just leaving.
*I was going to write, "damn near got run over," but then I remembered that one of my readers left a comment awhile back telling me that her ten-year old daughter reads my blog every morning, so I decided that I had better not swear. Thus, I did not write, "damn near got run over," but rather, "nearly got ran over."
I have really cleaned up my blogging language since I learned about this 10 year-old girl.
Reader Comments (10)
So you winter in Alaska and summer in Arizona?Don't you have that backwards?
Perhaps the raven was a democrat, waiting hopefully for the company of other democrats who would come and sit with him and sip coffee and talk of reform. Then again, maybe he was a republican, flying up to his lofty high place to flap his wings and make great noises. Or maybe he was just an independent raven. Hard to tell, since you did not climb up there to interview him. Very disappointed in you.
Glad you cleaned up this blog. Really. Prior to the arrival of the ten year old, you were a regular potty mouth. I often said to myself, 'man, if Bill does not clean up the language on his blog, well, I'm just going to have to start stalking other people. Thank you for not pushing me to make that decision, friend. ; ^D
Well, I FINALLY get it! I finally get why you like Alaska so much! I always thought it was the winters and figured you were some kind of nutcase! But it's the SUMMER! Those long, long days of sunshine. Well, that makes some kinda sense for summer days are never long enough. Maybe I will visit Alaska someday...somewhere around the summer solstice. I don't seem to need much sleep these days so that would be a good time to visit.
I love Debby's post!
LOL Debbie! The raven could have joined the Tea Party. He's staring down at The Man (too skeptical of his intentions) and uninterested in productive conversation with a fellow raven =).
I love the photo of the road and the Talkeetna Mts. I miss home. Summer in Fairbanks surprises me even as a former Wasillan -- literally 23 hours a day of pure golden sunlight. Ahhhh...it's so nice.
I'm just glad you didn't get run over :)
The picture of the second raven flying by to tease the first one is really great! I am always enjoying the ravens around Alaska more now than I ever used to.
Thanks!
Charlie
LOL Tanyalaska.
Now, see, Bill, aren't you feeling just awful that you missed this opportunity to discourse with a raven on his political views?
I love that you have moose in the yard. How cool is that?
Arizona in May. It's going to be hot!!!
I hope you feel better soon; it was nice visiting with you.