The Move

Once the longest train trestle in the country.  Now the 6th longest.

Sometimes I get a bit bored and on edge when faced with stretches of free time.  Then I feel guilty because I should be experiencing only gratitude and contentment on summer break.  On top of the guilt, I will now add sensations of anxiety about my future retirement at age 65.

You may know that I have TENTATIVE plans to retire after this year, but do I really want to?  On weeks like this one I question the whole 65 retirement age thing. Might retirement offer nothing but prolonged edginess and boredom?  Will I struggle to find things to do with this life besides cutting and pasting magazine photos into my notebook?  Will I be forced to sign up for exercise classes or volunteer at the hospital reception desk?  Will I spend my days bingewatching television shows???   

Too Much is good by the way.  As is Secrets We Keep.  And I saw Superman twice this week (once on IMAX). The new Superman has a sweet personality.  Highly recommend.

What about the money situation?  Will I eventually run out of cash and end up in a debtor's prison?

Long story short, I went into 3rdLand on Thursday in order to shut off the mental trouble talking and get the lay of the land. While there I suddenly decided that I should move into a new classroom.   My current room has windows that look out onto a wall.  The recently emptied room next door (insert tears here because I'll miss my friend the former occupant) has windows that look out on to trees and grass, the school garden, a quaint windmill, clouds and blue sky and sunshine. Why wouldn't I move?  

I've always coveted this room, but I didn't ask for a move because of my generous and principled belief that younger teachers should move in there and live out their careers in one of the best rooms in our school.   Come to find out, no one wanted to move at this moment in time.  The room was going to be some kind of resource room for kids who may need extra help with learning????  I don't think so. They can do that in the room that looks out on to a wall.  

Today's the big day.  Husbandman and some pals are heading with me to get the job done.  We will carry possessions from Room 204 to Room 205.  All day if necessary.  Possibly tomorrow as well. This move has taken my mind off my stress and woe, but will be challenging and time consuming.  Every decision in life has both pros and cons and I've weighed these out carefully.  The move goes forward. 

 

The Mysterious Sandhill Crane

My sister’s house in Florida sports a lovely patio surrounded by hibiscus.   A sandhill crane comes to the bird feeder off and on all day long.  You already know this if you’ve seen my recent Instagram photos. This mysterious winged giant, Phrasier, spent hours with me as I, coincidentally, spent afternoons reading a scintillating mystery by Kathleen West. 

I loved Phrasier instantly and found him to be intriguing company. And yet, his presence didn’t jive with 2 irrefutable “facts” we “know” about sandhill cranes. Back home in Indiana, I could not get this darned bird out of my head. His migration and mating behaviors didn’t make a lick of sense. 

I resolved to get to the bottom of why this crazy crane went against all accepted cultural norms of his breed.  I could have reached out to actual ornithologists who work nearby on the IU campus, but I didn’t have that kind of time.  Instead, I used two or more online sources to solve … the mysteries of the lone sandhill.

Research Question 1: MISSED MIGRATION?  What was Phrasier doing hanging out in Florida in late June? Sandhills are phenomenal migrators.  They travel thousands of miles in huge flocks. Husbandman and I have trekked to the Goose Pond staging area to admire their mixing and mingling.  Was Phrasier staying behind on a whim?  Or was he stranded, shunned, kicked to the curb by an unfeeling, inflexible flock? 

Research Question 2:  BACKYARD BACHELOR? Sandhill cranes supposedly mate for life and, unlike many married humans, they share all nesting and child-rearing responsibilities. Why was Phrasier hanging out with old human beings on a patio eating bird seed made for lesser birds when he could be off with a mate living his best life?

I’m sad to report that while I came up with no conclusive answers to my research questions, I’m definitely getting closer to the truth about the lone sandhill, thanks to my deep dive into the crane literature.  Here are the tentative results of my study.

Finding #1:  I’m happy to report that Phrasier is no castoff reject. He is most likely a permanent resident. 5,000 sandhills live in Florida year round.  Born in Florida, they’ll die in Florida. That’s the way they like it.

Finding #2: Phrasier will find true love in time. As with humans, it can take awhile before the sandhills meet their true loves. Many don’t marry until their seventh birthday.  Phrasier's probably young---sowing wild oats, reaping abundant bird seed.

Finding #3: Phrasier and his ex-partner may have called it Splitsville. Between 2 and 7 percent of sandhill marriages end in divorce, which is impressive when compared to the 43% divorce rate of human beings. Crane divorce might result from territory choices gone awry, but some crane couples split due to personality clashes.  Maybe Phrasier destroyed his marriage with his overly confident, devil may care attitude. Maybe his mate questioned his work ethic.  The good news is that divorced cranes remarry, if not this breeding season, then the next.

Finding #4: Phrasier might not be one bird, but two. I texted my sister about this theory and she confirmed that right after I left she figured out that 2 cranes were visiting the feeder, but she forgot to tell me.  She has named the second one Nell.  Why do Phrasier and Nell visit the feeder separately?  Are they sharing nesting responsibilities elsewhere or simply pulling some type of childish prank? Either way, it’s great to know that they seem to be doing fine.

In conclusion, there are many factors to consider when studying the lone sandhill so keep an open mind while you’re doing your research.  We don’t yet have all the answers about Phrasier's way of life, but we do know that this fascinating bird merits future study.