What I did see a couple of months ago was a single swallow
hunting in the field behind the house. Swallows are more about power than
grace, so watching them is just as fascinating but in a slightly different way.
What was unusual was seeing only one. When they did venture this far down the
lane, they used to come in small groups and mingle with the martins. To see
one hunting alone on successive days was odd. And the swifts I used to see
hunting high over the river valley in the distance disappeared about five years
ago. I suppose it’s all due to climate change.
You know, I remember with much fondness and self-envy my
youth when I was fit, supple and strong; when I could wrestle bigger men than
me to the ground on a rugby pitch, when I could walk thirty miles a day in hill
country carrying a heavy pack, when I could run 100 metre races in high school
and compete with the best. But if I were offered my youth again now, I don’t
think I’d take it.
The combination of climate change, the rise of the right,
the continuing predominance of elderly male psychopaths in positions of power,
and the real threat of economic meltdown suggest a future of dire turbulence.
And if my faith in today’s young women turns out to be misplaced, I don’t think I
could be bothered to play the role of a latter day Noah.
3 comments:
Once upon a time, I lived a lonely life on a mountain top in a foreign-to-me land. This blog kept me company, and I was grateful. My life is different and infinitely happier now, but I will still sometimes still stop by here to see if you’re still around. Glad you are. I hope you’re taking care and enjoying at least some approximation of a sweet summer. Thanks, Jeff, for your irreverent musings and keeping vigil in this corner of the nebulous Web.
Kindest regards,
Sara of Turkey, now of another place.
Despite the passage of years, I have not learned to proofread and will continue to write paragraphs that host the WORST, clumsiest sentences.
Well blow me...
You know, I sometimes read old posts when I see that somebody has specifically accessed them. And if there are comments I read them, too. Sometimes I come across yours and remember how welcome they were. And of course, I wonder where you are now and what you're up to.
I get very few comments these days and choose not to mind, but suddenly here you are: one of the brightest of the stars come winging across the vastness of cyberspace just to say 'hello.' (Sorry for the OTT language which doesn't even have the grace to be purple.)
Thank you for touching base again. It was a most welcome surprise. And fie, my lady, for the undeserved compliment.
My little stats tracker suggests you're in Vermont now. That would seems to suit you since the monts there are no doubt more vert than they were in Turkey, at least in the summer. (I remember what you said about all the green appearing briefly in spring.)
It really was lovely to hear from you, Sara, and I'm glad that you are infinitely happier now.
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