The Caregiver’s Tales
Tiny essays on life, nature, grief and other things that catch my fancy in the Texas Hill Country. Here’s how it all got started.
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Earth Words
One thing I’ve learned from my recent discovery of geology is this. Rivers dry up. Rivers change course. Rivers are anything but permanent.
Stars and Birds
It’s another fine fall morning. Venus is so bright in the dark before sunrise it seems unreal. As are the rest of the stars for that matter. Jupiter hangs shining in the west, while Orion’s belt tightens everything up in the Southwest.
Winter Thoughts
This is lovely. Stepped outside this morning. It is cold. 45. That’s fall weather. The air is clear, and the sun is golden on the grass. It will be the same this evening. Right before dusk everything will turn gold.
Fighting On
Day five of my Covid experience. Feeling pretty good. The antiviral meds are making their presence known. I have a funny taste in my mouth. Oh, well. Small price to pay for the help.
Standing Tall
My birds. They gather to eat and drink. The latter is new. It took them a while to realize a bird bath was in place. They get it now. But no one is bathing. They sit on the edge and sip.
Rain Chances
Woke to the sound of thunder and rain. Glanced at the radar. Realized I’d missed the bulk of the storm. Here’s to sound sleep.
Still Summer
I walked outside this early morning ready for fall and got more summer. The air is still and hot. In a word, stultifying, although stifling is good too.
Summer Plans
For the last two days I’ve joked with friends about celebrating fall-like weather simply because the temperature was in the low 90s during the day.
Looking Ahead
I am home. Pulled in last night. Went to bed early. There are chores to do today, but not many.
Water, Water
A great, dark Gulf Coast thunderstorm rolled through yesterday afternoon. Lightning flashed. Thunder rolled. There were booms and cracks all around. The rain fell in torrents. It felt as though the entire Gulf of Mexico had come to the land.
Mountain Air
Went to the top of a mountain yesterday. Actually, it was only close to the top. And we rode. On a ski lift. It was fun. It took about eight minutes to reach our destination.
An Encounter
Started the day yesterday with a short walk along the South Rim of the Rio Grande Gorge just outside Taos. Standing at the starting line, it looked mostly flat. We could see a long way into the distance.
Sunny Days
It’s hot. Even in the shade. The wind blows. It’s hot. The ground is hot. The plants are hot. The animals are hot. My long-haired cats look like refugees from boot camp. There’s no escape.
Time Keeping
I’m in Marathon. In the silence of the morning, I can hear the train whistling its way through town. A long call in the dark night warning the unexpecting.
Grape Picking
I’m a grape picker. It was interesting work. Not sure I could do it eight hours a day, but two or three in the morning seem fine, especially when you’re gifted with a bottle of wine.
Thought Control
I guess it’s true. Into each life a little rain must fall. Some fell into mine yesterday. Not the metaphorical sad kind. But the literal, real kind.