97-98
The boots . . . the cart shafts . . .
Engraving destroyed by fire . . . the tailless deer.
Bob:
Watch the woman.
Watch the woman.
Watch the woman.
This is a woman's piece.
Nancy: Day 2. Today the Novena has been a bird watching Novena. Bob surprised me with "his" and "hers" Field Guide to Western Birds. Bob and I identified and recorded 10 different species of birds; some on a short drive, but most were spotted around our campsite. There was one we saw on our drive that we haven't been able to find in our field guides. Maybe it's an "accidental" or "marginal" sighting, which means that it's out of its regular part of the country. It had a deep, deep, almost royal blue head and neck, brilliant white wing-bars (shoulders) and the bottom and tail were a deep glossy black. We also saw a gaggle of geese swim by and come up on shore. They were led on shore by a young scruffy looking goose. I was so moved by seeing the adults follow and protect this little one that I cried a little.
This spot is so beautiful and alive! My senses feel heightened by all the stimuli: sound, sight, touch. Bob said that listening to the birds was like listening to his recording of bird songs with all the songs going at once. He was too overwhelmed by the whole to be able to pick out each individual singer. Just about every element, everything that I see appears to move; the leaves, the grass, the clouds, the water, the birds, the squirrels, and insects. Like in our improvisations: the movements of one thing lead to the movement of the next. The blowing wind causes the water to ripple and wave which then causes a large log to bob gently up and down on the water's surface.