Looking ahead

I still feel quite shaken by the events of this week, so I decided to take a big dose of "ornitherapy" today.  Which involved sitting in the hide for an hour or so, bundled up against the frigid temps, enjoying the comings and goings of birds in the garden.  As is usually the case when I combine birds and a camera, the stress of the world faded away, leaving my mind quiet.

Just in case you don't recognize this odd looking creature, it's a male (tom) Wild Turkey, one of five who seem to be regulars this winter.  The group consists of three large adult male birds and two smaller birds who are either immature males or females.  Some people find turkeys ugly, especially their bald, wrinkly, mulit-colored heads, but I find something so endearing about their big brown eyes and their perpetually curious look.  And their is a lovely little soft chuckling noise they make as they feed which also kind of melts my heart.  This group is very wary, unlike the group that visited us through last winter, and they've yet to venture onto the patio.  But it's early in the winter yet, and I'm patient...

I may have mentioned that I have completed the paperwork to be added as an "essential caregiver" (EC) for my MIL.  While the facility continues to be locked down for Covid, this would allow me to visit her in person if there is a week when Hubs can't go.  At the moment, there are no EC visits because of the recent outbreak, but we believe they will resume next week limited to a total of 2 hours a week.  It is most important that she spends time with Hubs, so I won't see her every week, but as they open up more visiting hours, this will allow me in.  It also means I will need to be tested weekly which I'm happy to do.  Anyway, my application is approved so I just need to start weekly testing.  

There is a lot of noise right now about Trump being impeached or removed using the 25th Amendment.  I don't think either scenario is likely and it is just my personal opinion that pursuing either avenue at this juncture is just going to drive a bigger wedge between the people in this country.  His people just need to contain him for the next 11 days.  The sad fact is that a lot of American citizens really believe the election was somehow "rigged" and they are angry and hurt and afraid.  We need to let things settle, let people calm down, let tempers subside.  I don't know how all of this will get fixed; it feels like our country is so broken right now.  I hope that Joe Biden and his administration will be able to start healing some of the deep wounds here in the USA.  

Meanwhile, Covid continues to rip through the world.  In one day this week more than 4,000 Americans and 1,000 Britons died of Covid; and I don't even know how many people in other countries around the world.  

So, please., please., please ... be careful and stay safe, and be kind.

xo
Debbi