Knee surgery recovery tends to quiet the writing mind. Inevitably, even as the recovery overall goes well, there are also days like today when I feel crummy.
Standing alone in the kitchen, I notice a flock of cedar waxwings perched in the bare-branched tree outside my second-floor window. I have never seen these stunning birds so close. I unconsciously hold my breath, then have to exclaim out loud. “Cedar waxwings!”
And my malaise turns around instantly with a single unpredictable moment of nature.
I think now of the many times I have chosen to visit spectacular wilderness destinations, sometimes hiking there for days. I love taking the extended time to savor beautiful places. But what truly grounds my life, daily, are the sweet surprises in nature like this one, when a rarely seen flock of lovely birds poses just a few feet away.
Photo of a Cedar Waxwing by Mitchell Yee
Woodswoman Writes 
Beautifu!!
Lois
Hi Beverly,
Belated thanks for your singing birthday message for Homer. He was delighted with your musical tribute. We celebrated with a dinner out with Emily and Chris which we all enjoyed.
We are so pleased that your recovery is coming along so well. I’m sure it seems very slow to you but it sounds like you’re a model patient. Keep up the good work!
Mitchell’s photo of the cedar waxwing is beautiful. I remember seeing a whole line-up of them on the telephone wires outside our window in Berkeley. What we have here (on occasion) is an evening gathering of literally hundreds of crows who perch on the very tops of the trees outside our windows. Their silhouettes are both striking and scary! If they come again I’ll try to take a photo but it will probably turn out to be black on black.
We both send love,
Bette and Homer
Gorgeous…both the photo and the writing!
Mother responding well to new medication so by end of month I should be back in the swing of things. Looking forward to a Sushi fest!
Cristina
beautiful!!!!
I can almost hear you exclaiming, “Cedar waxwings!” now. 🙂
Here’s to more sweet surprises in nature! Thanks for sharing your inspiration Beverly.