Solitary

Did some pottering in the garden this morning and then headed out mid-day to an area where I though I might find mallard ducklings.  No luck, but I did find not one but three Solitary Sandpipers...together.  Which kind of belies the name, doesn't it?  Honestly, I very nearly missed them, so well do they bland in to their surroundings.  Had this one not chosen the exact right moment to run along the tiny stream, I would never have seen any of them.  

For fun, I will put two little painted turtles in Extra.  They were saying, "move along, nothing here for you to see..."

I forgot to include in yesterday's missive the most delightful encounter I had while walking on the trail.  A young mother with a baby in a stroller and a toddler bringing up the read was approaching me.  We smiled and nodded.  And then her little toddler came right up to me and, with the most serious face, presented me with a perfect dandelion seed head.  He didn't say a word, just handed it to me while looking me straight in the eye.  I very nearly burst into tears - it was such a sweet, unexpected, innocent gesture.  I gave his mum a teary smile and said...thank you.  

Today the glue holding my incision together started to come lose so I just went ahead and pulled it off.  While shuddering.  But, with the glue and scab gone, it looks less grim.  I really haven't been able to bear to look to closely at it up until now - which is odd since I'm not squeamish.  But, well, it is really about what it represents.

And speaking of matters surgical, I got good news from the husband of one of my blip friends today, saying she'd made it through a difficult surgery and was sleeping in her room in hospital.  And my bestie, Peg, let me know that her husband survived having 5 teeth extracted this morning.  I wouldn't trade places with him for anything.

I'm meeting two of my birder friends in the morning for another walk - very much looking forward to it.  

Stay safe, consider getting vaccinated if you haven't already, and above all, be kind to yourself and others.  We have all experienced a year like no other and each of us is coming to grips in our own way.  And chocolate...something spicy today, I think.

xo
Debbi