The State of Everything

When Finn and I went to grab the newspaper this morning, there were snow flurries. Right now, the sky is an intense blue and there are just a few tiny cirrus clouds within view - and the sun is shining so brightly that I wish I had my sunglasses on, here in the study. The study is on the north end of the house, the top floor, and has windows on the east, north and west sides - none of which have blinds, curtains or screens. I think that even a screen would cut this light just a bit... Finn is used to playing with Skippy, who stands his ground, and boxes back - after all, he's a 25-pound Maine Coon Cat. My cats haven't been with Suki and Boo in a while, and when they and Finn met, it was an instant chase scene. Finn is about 75 to 80 pounds now, about twice the Sammies' size, and he needs a visit to the groomers. At the moment, he looks like an off-white bearded collie. Imagine being 6 to 8 pounds and having that behemoth running at you; I think I'd run, too. - Otherwise, the kits are really enjoying the house - two staircases, lots of hidey-holes, and lots of windows with extra-wide sills. The kits spent yesterday afternoon soaking up the rays in the southern windows of the den. .... Zenyatta has been bred to Bernardini this week, and Rachel Alexandra was bred to Curlin last week. We'll now have to wait to see who drops what when. I realize this is not a race! I'm just hoping for two beautiful, healthy foals. .... Gee, Peter Forsberg returned to the NHL and then left before I got to see him play. My two favorite basketball stars here in Denver are/were Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. Now they are gone to play for the New York Knicks. The only good sports news I've heard recently is that John Elway put Champ Bailey's original contract offering (dated from during last season) back on the table, and Champ has re-signed to play for the Broncos for another 4 years. Hooray! At least there's something to cheer about!

Back in the mid-60s, and then again in the late 1960s, a very popular song was titled "The Eve of Destruction." With all of the civil unrest in the Middle East and Asia; the earthquake in New Zealand; the stagnation of rebuilding and health care in Haiti; the fires, floods, and cyclones in Australia; and the on-going "War" in Afghanistan, I'm beginning to feel as if "The Eve of Destruction" should be my generation's theme song. And my body feels like it is self-destructing, too. (I know... Whine, whine, whine.) Walking down the drive to get the newspaper caused me to cough for over an hour this morning, so I've cancelled walking any dogs until at least Monday of next week. I hate feeling poorly.

While sitting here, checking my e-mail, and looking at news reports, I have a great view of a large cottonwood tree, a handful of blue spruce, several aspens, and some pines. I've observed finches, sparrows, nuthatches, wrens, robins, magpies, crows and ravens making use of the trees. This morning, I was amazed to see, first, a large red-tailed hawk, sitting almost at my eye level in one of the aspens; then, a short while ago, a bald eagle alit in the cottonwood. That big bird totally made my day!