parts

Life can be viewed as a whole; sure, it's simpler that way. However in reality, it's just a bunch of parts in need continuous lube, scrub downs, pats, heart to hearts, fertilizers and sometimes, a good swift kick in the ass. Yea, maybe you can deal with the squeaking, the grinding, the stress and the incessant noise, but in the end taking care eases friction, and extends life's duration and subsequent success.
Single speed complete with rack AND fenders. My final project completed tonight. All it took were 2 extra long bolts.


And then comes the amaryllis - in full bloom. Many parts make up this horticultural puzzle. Blooms require a particular combination of summer fertilization and water, and cool, dark winter rest. Beautiful none-the-less.

Photosynthesis - a bare necessity.

While not immediately evident - this part is BROKEN. OK, so it functions but rattles incessantly if the roads are smooth. Anyone know how to tighten these??

Some part is missing here but i'm not sure what. Guess it's time for a new one.

These parts need some serious TLC.

These parts are perfect just the way they are.

This part is particularly smelly and does require the occasional kick in the ass. But really she's too damn cute to ever truly follow through.

it's NAP time (nas had it all wrong)

In the past week i've:

• refinanced and closed on my house
• taken 2 exams - one covering a cool 128 species (field id, song id, family, order, habitat, etc etc etc)
• worked
  
• missed yoga :(
  
• helped write and submit a grant proposal in (in one day) with 28 minutes to spare
• woken up at 6am twice - once on a saturday for a class trip
• seen 4 bald eagles, countless kestrels, red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures, 2 black vultures and 4.33 wood ducks.
  
• ridden over 200 miles with about 12,000 feet of climbing - 100 miles of which were on one day (YAY march century w/DC (and lobster gloves)!
• rediscovered lootpack. nice.
  

To celebrate just today I forgot to FULLY lock the parking break when the subi was in neutral and i was checking the mailbox. I watched as it ROLLED BACKWARDS down the street. I ran down the street and jumped in Dukes of hazard style and yanked on the brake just in time. phew.

me to myself (and i): nice job, dumbass.

And so you see, it's decidedly and unequivocally nap time. Listen and enjoy a few of the birds I saw this weekend below:

Left: Buffleheads landing -- Right: a blurry GOOSE mtv cribs style - recycling at its finest.


More Canada Geese! We saw snow geese too.

mmmm. ATTN Dabbling Ducks: BEWARE OF EAGLES.

Speak of the devil - a juvenile who just got jumped. ok, so maybe he wasn't jumped. this is his 4th year molt before he looks like... Above right: ms eagle, chillin (well actually incubatin') on her nest. DID YOU KNOW: an eagle's nest can weight up to 1/2 a ton? They are known to take down full sized, large canopy trees with their weight.

a younger immature eagle. can you say BEAUTY?

Black-capped Chickadee. dee dee deee (the "dee's in they're song can indicate a predator is close)


Song Sparrow.

TUNDRA SWANS. check out Colyer lake if you ride by 'cause they're there sometimes too - en masse. Headin' north - to be gone within the next few weeks.

Brown-headed Cowbird. BAD Brood Parasite! Bad. but pretty none-the-less.

Blue bird.

in the moment

Emotions are omnipotent.

They can bring joy.
They can blind.
They can lead.
They can tear down.

Emotions can make life full.
Emotions can make life hollow, confusing and stale.

You can love and find yourself on top of the world.
You can slip off the top and feel destroyed, bleak, lifeless, alone.
You can lose unexpectedly and feel shock, reflections upon your own mortality.

Intense emotion takes courage. The fall can be long and hard; regret and anger a natural defense. Voids hard to fill.

After the days, weeks or months, the real question becomes is it worth the risk?
When the intensity fades, how does the mind absorb and can it clear the smoke? Can the wounds heal and will the voids fill and scabs smooth over with minimal scars?

Life experienced as a series of moments in time is safe. The moment passes. It's savored as good or bad, full of joy or tears. Remembered but let go. However, given the complexity of the human mind, life's events imprint and accumulate; the buildup can be uneven and cause imbalance, with complex blockages inevitable.

It seems the goal becomes keeping the pathway clear. Learning from the pain and holding on to the joy. Living in a moment that may consider the future, but doesn't depend upon it being set. And letting go of a past that, good or bad will always remain in place - not to be repeated - lessons learned.

Emotions are omnipotent. At times, life is overwhelming and tumultuous. Painful moments from the past collide with a clear but hazy momentary present and a foggy unknown future.

In retrospect every moment creates a fuller life; friends and family listen and mend, hearts heal, loved ones remembered. Ride the rollercoaster and get back on the tracks even when it seems hopelessly derailed realizing hopeless is a state of mind - not a reality.

Emotions fulfill.
Emotions make life beautifully complex, in the moment, appreciating the past for what it was. Letting go, lesson learned. Savoring a close to perfect present. Anticipating an unknown future.

They make life real.

Love On WHEELS & the Bike Sexual

A friend who recently moved to San Fran sent me this. (THANKS ANNA!!) She warned me to watch out for those Bike-Sexual boys - you know the ones who are turned on by bikes, and bikes only. Guess I should heed her advice, although I do have to admit I'm a sucker for a hot boy on a dope rig.... Admittedly, i'm also a sucker for a dope, (steel) rig. Hmmmm...
Apparently San Fran is where it's at if you're single, rolling on twin 700cc rims and hot. I'm not too sure about the all ages part but whatever right? Equal opportunity.
Last, but certainly not least, 10 points for anyone who can guess what the above image depicts.

HINT: The remnants of 2 tomatoes left out on my counter after dinner, smeared into my white carpet. someone... had a whole avocado in her mouth when I caught up with her. Note to self: A labrador is only silent when her mouth is full. I should know this by now.

I'll leave you with this... enjoy, my friends:

revisiting the old

Music tastes vary with mood and time. Some get old and wear like fads - the good ones never lose their kick. This album has to be one of the all time better ones. The beats are so hard I couldn't decide which track to post. Check it out.

time

Next weekend marks the changing of the clocks!!
Let me spell out what this means:

TIME TO PLAY (on bikes and foot) OUTSIDE (in the woods) AFTER WORK.

sweeeeeetttttttttt..............

now if only the fireroads would thaw.

seasons and context

My dear friend CJ and I have been discussing context lately. Mostly in the realm of relationships however i've been pondering this concept and have determined life, even beyond relationships, is all about context. I've been trying to expand my context so there's more to look forward to now and every day as opposed to hanging on to and worrying about an unknown future. I think it's working... read below for examples.

The seasons can be framed by many different contexts that can either lengthen or shorten depending upon perspective and geographic location. In PA, if your context involves (cyclocross) bikes and the desire to always have feeling in your hands and toes and carry on a conversation without slurring your speach - frozen fireroads and single digit windchill puts a serious damper on the months of December through march and makes winter a general downer (fingers crossed they thaw soon) as the roads are a slick sheet of treacherous ice.

If your context is framed by birds, and perhaps a thick layer of cocoa butter (or Vaseline if you want to go all greasy style) then late February and march mark the coming of spring as early migrants and raptors are beginning to return, owls and eagles are nesting and rearing young and the "locals" are beginning to sing their Cardinal and Titmouse songs of getting it on birdie style. yes, i just wrote that and I'm stickin to it...

Speaking of Vasoline - get your head outta the gutter smartass- if you're willing to suck up time on paved roads (which isn't bad just not as fun as gravel forested roads) i've discovered cocoa butter and a bit of Vaseline on the face make 20 to 30 degree road rides quite doable. I don't slur my speech so much after a few hours if at all. And who needs to really feel their feet anyway?? whatever.

This weekend my context was a group of badass ladies a few of whom have been incredibly supportive in some less than perfect times. I joined them for a cool 70+ mile adventure. It was nothing less than awesome and the longest ride i've ever done in winter. In fact, I don't know that i've ever ridden in February before. While I was on a road ride, my context was still ornithology. I was on a hawk watch - particularly for Rough-legged Hawks who are probably just heading north to get their birdie on (oops, did it again)... While at first I was shy, the ladies are quite accepting of my need to call out birds as we ride by and often quiz me on calls so I need to keep my game on point. We quickly picked up a new form of road cycling etiquette that sounded something like this:

me: car back! tufted titmouse!
And so begins the chorus...Rachel in front : back - titmouse!
Me: ICE! Kestrel right.
Rachel: Kestrel right!
and so it went...

Sunday, I went on a birding adventure for class. We left first thing which put a serious damper on my mountain ride with Chaya. But focus is first and foremost and the overaching context of my life right now is my degree. We were searching for Harriers and came up empty handed after 4 hours! Luckily I had seen two on Thursday. Below are some highlights of the adventure:

Above: a rescued House Finch - poor little dude lost his eye to conjunctivitis.

Above: rescued golden eagle. wing fracture - can't fly. One of my favorite eagles.

Above: rescued Eastern Screech Owl - grey variety. hit by a car and can no longer fly. so tiny...

Above: my absolute favorite - Barred Owl. They are soft in fuzzy in a "i could tear your face off with my ridiculously strong talons and feet" kinda way. Watch and listen

BFF's

Wild Labrador who is now known for eating WHOLE BANANAS rind included (except for the very top which apparently is unpalatable and is thus to be left in the middle of the living room floor).

Life is all about context. I'm now excited about March even though it may be ass-cold because I have spring migrants to look forward to learning, a proposal to finish up, chilly road rides to get through, maybe an early century, delicious meals with CJ and... who knows what else. By expanding and reframing my previously narrow context, there is more to enjoy each and every day. And more future to enjoy in the present now as opposed to hanging on and worrying about an unknown tomorrow.

the end.

PS - if anyone knows of a easy way to mask out bars in photoshop (bird pictures are all caged hence the white haze).... lemme know. especially for the bald eagle pict.