Robin Requiem

I was home today in time to enjoy the cool but sunny weather in the backyard.

Being my first sunny day home this year I was so focused on getting a grip on the mud luvin weeds that I was startled to see a dead robin at my feet.

It was perfect, I thought at first maybe just stunned but the knarled feet told me it had been there a bit.
I would have been thrilled just to see a robin this early in the year so my heart sank to see his beautiful life ended on such a promise day.

I never know what to do with dead things like that....I hate to leave them out to the elements, cats, etc...so you can imagine my consternation to step a few feet to one side and see yet another identical dead robin not more than a foot from where the first had fallen. Their death is a mystery but may have to do with the clear glass windbreak that we built to cut the wind on the little brick patio where I found them.

These were the only birds I saw today, dead birds, beautiful birds...I finally put them in a paper sack and entrusted them to Rod who handles these things for me. I don't want to bury anything else this year!

Looking at these two lifeless creatures, lovely and vibrant just hours ago made death seem so unavoidable and in my face, maybe because of my own losses this year?
I am working through the thought of both of my parents' bodies being under the ground... even though I have the most real assurance that their "person" is with God and that I will see them again.
Maybe to most the picture above is just a couple of dead birds?
Maybe you had to be there, touch the exquisite, velvet, feather tapestry of their red underbody. What comes to your mind?

Micah W and Janet Huckabee meet, plus primary blues

Ok, I know I already sent this out on email but for those of you who don't get my emails I wanted to show you a picture of Janet Huckabee holding my grandson Micah .

My son J.R. and his wife Jen decided to go to the Huckabee ralley in Seattle last weekend and had to sit on the floor in the front. Evidently Janet Huckabee noticed Micah and picked him up..I had to show you the evidence :) Sorry it is only his back but Fox news probably has the good pic somewhere in their files of pics they didn't publish :(

On the bigger pic below you can see MY baby's face, Micah's dad, J.R. ,right over the top of Janet Huckabee's hand. Mama Jen didn't get in the picture, not fair!

Interesting note on the campaign that Dr. James Dobson has endorsed Huckabee and has some concerns about McCain. I quote:

"Dobson criticized McCain for his support of embryonic stem cell research, his opposition to a federal anti-gay marriage amendment and for his temper and use of foul language. He said he'd sit out the presidential election if McCain were the nominee."

I was surprised at how strong he felt esp. with the next supreme court nominations in the balance, I am not sure I could take that hard of a line.

I am also interested in talk about having a "national primary" in the future so we ALL get equal chance at choosing the candidates....those of us on the west coast really don't get much say until the east coast has narrowed it down for us....doesn't seem fair. What do you think?

Down the road

This is the view of the road ahead coming home south on I5 near Kelso Wa. today. We were coming out of rain into a clearing ahead and I thought the cloud formations were stunning with the sun illuminating them from the west.

Rod had no faith in my cell phone photo through the dirty windshield...I think it turned out rather well don't you?

This shot with its contrasts could represent some part of life....maybe it feels like something you are going through right now, or an outcome you are hoping for? Rest your eyes on it for a minute and tell me what feelings and thoughts come to mind.