Wild Bird Seed

I was wondering why birds were ignoring the seed I was offering them in two feeders in our yard. Then I found out that the birds in Santa Fe prefer a certain mixture of seeds because of the climate and the altitude. I had bought seed in a large Supermarket that was labeled Wild Bird Seed, but Supermarkets, being large chains, have the same seed in every location. Since I bought a special mixture of seeds at a small local store, many birds have been coming and feasting. Sometimes it is very important to think local, and buy local.

Tennis and Hendrix

I had lunch with a Tennis Player. We talked about the small wooden rackets that were used 20-30 years ago, which forced the players to play smart, versus the new large composite rackets used today, which make many players rely on power and a hard serve. You watch a modern game and most points are made with aces (unanswered serves).
From tennis our conversation went to race cars and from race cars to live shows. Jimi Hendrix 30 years ago had a smaller P.A. than any band working today. How many groups today depend on massive sound and ear blasting volume to make an impression for them… I myself have seen plenty of such shows.
I made the point that we can choose not to rely on technology, where we feel it is not adding to our happiness. A few hundred years ago, I believe around 1600AD, the Japanese Samurai decided to NOT use guns on the battlefield anymore. They had fought several wars with guns and felt that there was no achievement in raining bullets on an enemy from a distance. They wanted to look the person they were going to kill in the eye. They succeeded in turning back time in the sense that until the last century the Samurai continued to fight with swords, not with guns.

We can make that type of decision as well. We can decide that there is no poetry in in using oversized rackets, or race cars with lots of driver aids and electronics etc… We can each decide which technologies enrich our lives, and which don’t, and act accordingly….

February

Yesterday it was 68F in Albuquerque. Today we almost hit 60F in Santa Fe. Still no rain or snow in sight, but the birds are eating a LOT from their feeder in our yard… some say that could be a sign for a storm approaching.

Flu

Sunday was warm and clear and we took the dogs for a long walk. I am having a flu-relapse, maybe that’s why I am having all these boring thoughts about art? It’s too warm for the season. They are predicting 58F for today. Butterflies have been spotted and the odd bird’s nest with baby-birds. We are sure to get a late Winter and it will be awful to watch them all die.