~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
January 5, 2013

★~ Today’s Poem:

Wild Geese

“You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
call to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.”  – Mary Oliver

★~ National Bird Day:

Ornithologists and bird watchers rejoice! Today we honor our feathered friends both big and small. From the majestic eagle to the mean-spirited goose to the scary ostrich and the pesky pigeon. The study of birds has been a fashionable pastime ever since the Victorian Era, and the term “bird watching” first appeared as the title of a book in 1901. According to a 2009 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey, today, one in every five Americans is a birdwatcher. This is defined as anyone who has traveled for the primary purpose of observing birds or has closely observed and identified birds around the home. Today, nearly 12 percent of the world’s 9,800 bird species may face extinction within the next century, including nearly one-third of the world’s 330 parrot species.Public awareness and education about the physical and behavioral needs of birds can go far in improving the welfare of the millions of birds kept in captivity. Visit the National Bird Homepage to learn more.

In honor, of National Bird day,  I may buy our bird Solstice a special treat …and ignore her when she dives at my hand with her sharp little beak as I try to put it in her cage. But I can’t promise I won’t mutter…here kitty, kitty as I walk away. Click Solstice: The story of our ODD bird to read more about my relationship with our parakeet, Solstice, who gives me the feather at every opportunity.

★~ Whipped Cream Day:

Let’s be honest; some desserts are really just an excuse to eat whipped cream (rhubarb pie, we’re looking at you) because the whooshing of whipped cream out of a can is one of the top 10 best food things ever. Did I ever tell you the story about how on Thanksgiving, many years ago, one of my BIL sprayed another BIL with a can of whip cream right before we said grace for dinner. The one being sprayed ducked and grabbed for the can, they struggled, whip cream exploded out the can and covered my father-in-laws hair and forehead. The kids learned a few new words that year. I blotted my father-in-laws forehead and hair with a napkin, while Joe quickly started passing the turkey and my sister-in-law launched into grace.  I was just especially thankful that year that I was an only child.

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1825 – Alexandre Dumas (Sr.) fought his first duel. In the process, his pants fell down. Dumas told the story later in his memoirs.

♥~ 1948 – Warner Pathe showed the very first color newsreel. Pictures of the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl football classic were seen by theatre audiences.

♥~ 1961 – “Hello. I’m Mr. Ed!” “A horse is a horse, of course, of course”… you know the lyrics. Mr. Ed, the talking horse, debuted for what would be a six-year run

♥~ 1968 – Dr. Benjamin Spock was indicted by a Boston federal grand jury for conspiracy to abet, aid and counsel draft dodgers.

♥~ 1970 – The soap opera “All My Children” premiered on ABC-TV.

★~ Born Today:

♥~ 1931 – Robert Duvall Academy Award-winning actor: Tender Mercies [1983]; A Family Thing, Stalin, A Show of Force, Days of Thunder , Colors, The Natural, True Confessions, Apocalypse Now, Network, The Godfather, M*A*S*H, True Grit, Countdown, Bullitt, To Kill a Mockingbird, Naked City

♥~ 1946 – Diane Keaton (Hall) Academy Award-winning actress: Annie Hall [1977]; Sleeper, Hair, Love and Death

♥~ 1948 – Ted Lange, Actor (“The Love Boat”)

♥~ 1953 – Pamela Sue Martin, Actress (“Dynasty”)

♥~ 1978 – January Jones, Actress (“Mad Men”)

★~ Did You Know: 

♥~ The bird with the longest beak is the Australian Pelican’s. Their beak can be up to 18.5 inches (47 cm) long.

♥~ Green Herons sometimes drop live insects, berries, or other objects onto the water’s surface to attract fish. When an inquisitive fish appears, the heron grabs it with a quick thrust of the bill!

♥~ The heaviest flying bird is the Great Bustard weighing as much as the average six (6)-year old child.

♥~ The only backwards and sideways flyer is the hummingbird.

♥~ The arctic tern makes the longest migration each year, flying 20,000 to 25,000 miles (32000-40000 km) each year from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back again.

♥~ The fastest flying birds include: the peregrine falcon, clocked at 90 mph (145 kph). There are even accounts of these raptors diving at speeds up to 200 mph (320 kph), the spine-tailed swift, about 90-100 mph (145-160 kph), the harpy eagle – 37-50 mph (60-80 kph), champion racing pigeons fly up to 53 mph (85 kph), mallard duck – 65 mph (105 kph)

♥~ The smallest bird in the world is the bee hummingbird which is 2.5 inches long (6.2 cm) weighing only 0.06 oz (1.6 g).

♥~ The Northern Jacanas appear to be walking on water — they are also known as the “Jesus Birds.”

♥~ A hawk’s vision is so good that it can see a mouse from a height of one mile.

♥~ The Pitohui (New Guinea’s) is the only poisonous bird in the world.

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We took the decorations down yesterday and boxed everything up for another year. I’m ready to bring a little rhythm and Routine back into our lives. Its been a wonderful holiday but all good things must come to an end.

I signed up for a transformation on-line workshop thingie. Should be interesting. I will share, naturally. One quote I liked from last nights video was, “You can’t out give the Universe.”

Odd Loves Company!

♥