Rain? Snow? Sleet? A mixture of all falls this morning.
Rounding a bend on a snow-covered dirt road in East Hardwick yesterday morning, I suddenly brake when hundreds of little black birds cover the road. There’s no one behind me, no one ahead of me, and I get out. A few birds flutter upward and perch on the electric wires, strewn already with these little creatures.
I’m at at farm, near a manure pit. Through the barn’s open sides, I see cows twisting their heads.
The birds don’t move. I don’t move. Then, eventually, because I’m a human and the birds are wild, I get back in my car and nudge forward slowly. Grudgingly — or maybe patiently — the birds part to the fields and the wires, and I move on.
Still February here.
On snowy afternoons there is a special blessedness in saying, oh it is too snowy to chop wood this afternoon. And the gray snow sifts down, and one takes off one’s boots and sits by the fire and is glad of the way wool socks smell; and a pie is baking in the oven, and the gray snow is sifting down.
— Elliott Merrick, Green Mountain Farm
Stony Soil Vermont 
Just received our copy of the Vermont Almanac too!
It’s a beauty!
Although it’s a dismal (weather-wise) morning, I am feeling delightfully full of light by your wonderful surprise encounter with the black birds, the quote (quite apt for today!) from one of my old favorite books & writer, AND the excitement of learning of the new Vermont Almanac book (not sure how on earth I haven’t heard of it yet). Thank you!💐
I’m so glad to hear you’ve read Elliott Merrick, too! Hope you find a copy of the Vermont Almanac.
Love the quote, love the image. It’s too snowy (sleety, icy) to do anything outside, so I guess I’ll make soup!
A wise choice on this kind of day. 🙂
Interested to know if you recommend the Vermont Almanac…
Honestly, I just started reading the Almanac last night. It’s a beautiful book, with all kinds of contributors. I’ll give you an update at some point if you’d like. 🙂
Yes, please!
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Thanks for stopping in!