Are you able to see the crow in flight just under the telephone wire, in the photo above? I took this picture last week, when I'd noticed a fairly large and noisy group of crows outside the kitchen window. Funny - I'd noticed several groups of large noisy crows last week, and now they've gone.


One can still hear the crows in a more subdued background sort of way, but nothing like the large presence they made last week. I wonder if the noisy visitors were in migration, and a little earlier than normal.

Crows are one of my favourite birds, they just touch me in a way I can't really explain, except to say I like their wild caws, and their jaunty selves, and that I remember watching them as a young child when I would sit and just contemplate things in our back lane.

These noisy birds swooped past the kitchen window and back off to the telephone wire over and over, to the amazement of Arthur, my black cat. I couldn't catch the look in Arthur's eyes adequately by camera - those crows put on a really good show!

After reading over at gardenpath, about sightings of large groups of crows, I decided to check for any news of early migrations of crows, but there didn't seem to be any current entries on Google for this. I did find a new book by John Marzluff, and Tony Angell, Gifts of the Crow. I've enjoyed two books by these writers. Tony Angell's illustrations are just absolutely lovely. I was able to order it and download it to my Kindle, so did this, and am finding it fascinating reading. The anecdotal stories of crow behaviors can be amusing and, the illustrations rewarding, although some of the scientific facts regarding the brain, and physiology of crows is abit of a tough slog, but worth it I think.

  Oh, and back to the photo of the crow in flight, my son has spread his wings and left the nest this morning; driving to Calgary, to find an apartment, get settled, and be ready for the beginning of the school year. He will be working as a substitute high school teacher. I'm happy for him, as he takes the next step in his life path.

My son and I have practise at saying goodbye, as he would travel every summer as a small child overseas, to visit his dad in the summer, and he'd already left home to attend university back in 1999. I'm really happy for the past two years of living together while he undertook his education degree. I think that living together as adult son, and mom made us closer. Not to say that everything was always perfect or ideal, of course - but in the end all had turned out right.

My son tends to like dogs better than cats, or so he says, but he bonded with Herbert and Arthur this past two years, and they with him. The cats were definitely concerned about the packing, and I just know they will miss him.

Does Arthur want to go along to Calgary too? Herbert sat in the box, as well, and then lay down for a long nap on Paul's suitcase. :) (Herb tends to be camera shy).

My  therapy for letting go, and saying goodbye to him, has often been finding a really thick, interesting book by a favourite writer, which I would read, sometimes for up to 14 hours until hearing that he'd arrived safely to his destination. This time Paul left as an adult - competent, and independent, and he just needed to drive 7 hours, but I still felt the need for a good book.

The book I choose to read, and downloaded to the Kindle, is Mudwoman, by Joyce Carol Oates - and it is working it's magic. Joyce Carol Oates is a prolific writer, and I haven't been able to read all her books, but enough of them, to know she would tell me a good story.

This past few weeks I've been borrowing books from the library, and enjoying the feel of a book in my hands, but I still love using the Kindle. I have used it for many tasks, I have downlaoded crochet patterns to the Kindle; articles I would like to read, instead of printing them; I downoad favourite pictures, a calender, and many free Kindle books stored in my Archives to read when I wish.

I tend to "purchase" free mysteries, cookbooks, and some personal improvement books. There is a wealth of free Kindle books available, and I find choosing a good book can be abit like shopping at a thrift store - it's such a pleasure to find one just right for me.

 Recently I read a free Kindle book, Don't Let Me Go, by Catherine Ryan Hyde, (who wrote Pass It Forward - which was made into a movie), and I loved this book. I would highly recommend Don't Let Me Go, and I notice it is still for a good price on Kindle at $3.99. It was heartwarming, and inspiring, and a good story full of endearing, slighty quirky characters, who I would personally like to know as friends.

Some other fun free books I now have stored in my archives are : "If I'm so Smart, Why Can't I Get Rid of This Clutter?";  "If Errands Could Kill, (Minivan Mom Mystery Series)";  "How to Find a Job When There are No Jobs"; The Temporary Detective, an Isobel Spice Novel"; "Julie Smith, Writing Your Way, the Great American Novel Track.";  and "Quinoa Recipes for Weight Loss" (with some wonderful recipes for anyone).

I would like to share this video of the song Changes, performed by Gordon Lightfoot, a Canadian singer and songwriter. This song was written by Phil Ochs. I hope you might enjoy!

Wishing you a happy August!