Canadian Birds Build Igloos

You gather things to you like an old road.

You are peopled with echoes and nostalgic voices.

I awoke and at times birds fled and migrated

that had been sleeping in your soul. -Pablo Neruda

I adore this passage from Pablo Neruda’s Love Poem XII (translated by W. S. Merwin).*

It conjures up a deep understanding of how desperately we cling to our past. The picture of the abandoned, snow-filled nest visually imparts the same aesthetic message.

I am thankful for the natural wonders on my doorstep, in particular, this adorable little bird’s nest that survived a huge dump of snow the other evening. It evolved from a nest into an igloo over night. It is a good thing its occupants are enjoying the southern most areas of the continent at the moment.

The good news is that I can now wander a little further a field. My boot cast is off and I am allowed to walk my dogs as long as I avoid hills (the incline on the way down is hard on the forefoot). This means I will be able to start exploring winter wilderness ASAP! This weekend I am planning a short snowshoe in the wilderness. No skiing, running and dance though (maybe for a year)

Here’s to more wilderness adventures in 2017!