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Modifying our Lives
Change continues to be our sibling as we navigate work, retirement, health and modifying our lives. Since the pandemic our work force has become used to working remotely. As a working mother I remember how difficult it was to commute sometimes 4 hours a day to New York City and back to New Jersey. I would have loved to embrace working remotely even if only a hybrid version. As many workers find themselves in bedrooms and living rooms carving out work space, we must remember that remote need not mean “distant” or having “little relationship.” Create a good space, turn your video on, change your dress from pandemic to casual…
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Winter’s Gone
Winter may not be your favorite season, but finding a way to enter into it makes it a lot better. Kids love winter. They find ways to play in the snow. Aubrey (the female heron) and her male friend have kept me busy this winter following them as they sat out migration to stay here and live in cold rain, ice and snow. They challenged me to find answers to why they can live with their feet in the cold water of a lake and why they spend so much time fishing. As for the legs–it turns out they have a separate circulation system in their legs which moves independently…
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Solitary
I am learning each day that I walk alone and I am getting more used to it. But I also know that there is a deep part of me that yearns for companionship. In the midst of the pandemic, I found myself longing to meet a fellow traveler. It seemed an odd time to have that wish, but this is when the longing surfaced. A solitary person I am not. People captivate me and I enjoy the company of all kinds. When I am outside, I enjoy nature and animals that inhabit the area of Asbury Park. The Great Blue Heron always draws my attention. And she is always alone.…
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Solitary Blue Herons
Every evening at dusk, I ride my bike in Asbury by a lake that has two solitary Blue Herons. Usually, they are on the same side of the lake and often they are standing quietly in the water. Blue Herons nest and do have families, but after that they spend most of their time alone. They are carnivores, eating fish and turtles and other creatures. It is easier to catch food when you are alone. There are also two white Egrets by themselves, socially distanced from the Blue Herons. I can identify with both the Blue Heron and the Egret in their solitariness. For me there is no prey, but…
