Day 4 - 318 -- First Times

A day with firsts. The rain in my yard was a different colour in the hills in the area and was far less liquid west and north of here. So, it has begun. The day continued as a usual Tuesday -- classes, students meetings, heaps of e-mail, and chasing others via phone and e-mail.  Grocery shopping occurred to refill the empty places in the fridge. Last week was very full and the time and energy to face the grocery stores just didn't happen. So, things were looking a bit sparse earlier today. Perishables replenished so the fridge appears to have items to make meals again. On the way off campus just before sunset, I noticed a flock of birds in the sky and then I gasped. I've never seen a mumuration of larks before except for videos online or television. This was breathtaking. Sadly I couldn't pull over anywhere, so had to leave them behind me.

Mumuration -- a group of skylarks flying in formation. They fly as a single unit, moving in unison as they move in all three dimensions. The effect is mesmerizing -- so surreal yet elegantly constructed. It made me think of working as a team. While we often use the V-shape of geese as an example of teamwork -- sharing the work -- what I saw today was an elevation of the team. This group flew as one -- bobbing and weaving and turning together, making the most delightful patterns. That was real team work -- working as a single unit not following a single leader, but with all being leaders and followers. It seemed more hieratic than hierarchic in appearance -- all members on equal footing (or is that winging? <smile>). What a cool way to work as a community.

The song shared today could have been a musical accompaniment for the skyward dance witnessed today. This version is played by a musician who won awards for his performances of this composer. Enjoy!

Song of the Lark (Chante de l'alouette) from Tchaikovsky Seasons (March) -- Van Cliburn

Day 4 - 317 -- Crisp Sunny Day

Much of today was spent indoors grading papers. Some were completed, but a rather large pile remains for another day. When I chose to take a break for lunch, I heard a noise against the house. Looking out the kitchen window, I saw my yard maintenance person cleaning out the gutters. There are still many leaves to drop in the back yard, but the gutters were packed full already. So, we'll have to repeat the process in the spring, I'm sure. I went out to chat for a few minutes. It was cold but with wonderful bright sun. Even that few minutes outside and wandering around the yard was invigorating. I hadn't noticed how insulated I'd been sitting with the papers. The smell of the air was tinged with wood smoke since the neighbouring houses use wood stoves for heat.

Sunshine can be amazing. If it is too bright and I'm exposed too long, I can get a migraine. Yet, armed with sunglasses and a ball cap, it can bring many positive feelings. This positive feeling has been associated with sun for millennia. It brings life through photosynthesis and warming the earth for seeds to germinate in the spring. The UV light stimulates the skin to form vitamin D, a necessity of life. Sunshine can become oppressive with the extreme heat of summer, but in the midst of winter it reminds us of the promise of spring. Bright sunny days often accompany the bitter cold days on the prairies. Such days bring ice crystals in the air as the moisture freezes. The sparkling air is truly magnificent -- magical. 

A song came to mind today with lyrics that note the simple pleasures of sunshine. Enjoy! 

I was Raised on Country Sunshine -- Dottie West

Day 4 - 316 -- Cold Change

The past two days have been colder than usual for this time of year. That doesn't mean that cold never happens this early -- believe me it does -- just that the average temperature for the past several decades is warmer than it has been. The interior of the car windows had fogged up as the outside air got cooler than the interior air (from the sun warming during the day). At least it hadn't frozen as occurs during the winter months -- a real pain but that one is yet to come.  Windows at home were covered with semi-frozen moisture -- semi as it was after the sun had risen that I noticed this. Summer clothing has been put away and warmer items are closer at hand. I've had to turn on the heat when sitting to grade -- not much movement so it is easier to feel cold. The idea of a hot bath is sounding much better than it did a couple months ago <smile>.

I've said this many times, but it is great to live in a part of the country that experiences each of the  four seasons for 3 months or so. A longer fall and spring season than one finds on the prairies is pleasant. These seasons stop the abrupt change with an adequate time to adapt to the new and leave the old. Psychologically, that seems to be a good idea.

The arrival of the colder part of autumn has been covered much more eloquently than I've been able to state it. The poetry of these lyrics provides fantastic imagery and the acoustic guitar fits the visuals perfectly. I would expect nothing less from the wonderful singer/songwriter/poet. Enjoy!

Urge for Going -- Joni Mitchell

Day 4- 315 -- Remembrance

Remembering and honouring people who serve and have served today. While listening to the service from the National War Memorial, I was struck by the plea from the Chaplin to support those who return damaged -- physically and mentally, particularly for those who have thought of, attempted or succeeded in taking their own lives. Major mental health issues have been recognized in one way or another from many wars -- shell shock, battle fatigue, PTSD, PTSS and other names have been given to the damage that war can deliver. Regardless of what it is called, it exists and should be treated when veterans return home. It is a health issue as much as prosthetic limbs and external wounds. Major-General (ret.) Romeo Dallaire has been a strong proponent for such care after he suffered and attempted to take his life. He had led the NATO forces in Rwanda at the time of the genocide.

Yesterday was the centenary of the end of the Battle of Passchendaele, one where the Canadian Expeditionary Force fought. Special ceremonies of remembrance were held in Belgium this week. It was an extremely bloody battle that had been going on for several months before the Canadians arrived at the end of October, 1917. It is also 100 years since Dr. John McCrae wrote 'In Flanders Fields', since this was the area of the battles. Nine Victoria Crosses were awarded to Canadians after the fighting for Passchendaele ridge.

I looked at several songs before choosing one to share here today -- so many choices. This one tells of the battle. The songwriter sings the song with a piper who plays along. Enjoy!

Road to Passchendaele -- Alan Brydan ft. Major (ret.) Gavin Stoddart, MBE, BEM

Day 4 - 314 -- Kindnesses

A common theme permeated the work week -- kindness. I found myself in situations where this was the only sane response. Compassion for the situations in which others find themselves produces smoother communications. People feel valued and their feelings validated. I found many responses involved surprise that someone would be flexible enough to assist others. I may be overloaded with work  requiring my attention, but that takes a back seat to people needing assistance. Today involved an act of kindness from a friend that made me smile and relax in the midst of all the goofy stresses of the end of term.

Kindness may not always be top of mind when it seems like just one more thing piled onto an already overfull desktop. Addressing the situation with empathy instead of anger can focus the energy to an external rather than internal source, while turning that energy to a positive instead of a negative force. Small acts can make a large difference. Often the situation can been viewed as a huge insurmountable barrier to one person. Yet, when another person explains that it isn't nearly as big to them, people seem surprised and best of all, relieved. Situations may involve having to break a social engagement, miss a work deadline or  request assistance. It seems we often see such needs as weaknesses -- that we should be able to handle it all and do it all. However common this belief may be, it just isn't logical to expect so much of self or others. As the Dalai Lama has stated many times, practice compassion.

A song lyric that fit the topic well is shared with you all today. The lyrics cover compassion, kindness, and even touch on forgiveness. All of this occurs in the midst of an upbeat melody and great musical arrangement. Enjoy!

Nothing More -- The Alternate Routes

day 4 - 313 -- Dropping Temperatures

The weather over the last week has changed often. We have moved from a pattern of more warm than cooler days into one that has more cold days with an occasional warmer day. As I say often during the shoulder seasons, it is all about transition. I have worn my gloves all but 1 day in the past week and the past couple of days I considered wearing two sets of gloves for added warmth. The temperature is to rise overnight tonight and leave us with temperatures in the teens by mid-morning followed by a temperature drop of over 10 degrees Celcius by mid afternoon. Rain and wind will accompany the cooler air. I feel like I should pull out the parka, but it isn't really that cold yet. It is time for heavier gloves and thicker fleece liners to the rain jacket.

While I'd rather not be moving into the colder air masses, I will deal with it as best I can. I thought of being somewhere warmer and a line from a song (actually, more than one song uses the line) about weather suiting one's clothes. I do dislike the time it takes to get the layers on and off in colder weather. <smile>  The song I chose today has a great southern blues sound from a classic artist of the genre. Enjoy!

Cold Weather Blues -- Muddy Waters

Day 4 - 312 -- Running in a Wheel

More grading arrived today with another midterm exam. I managed to work on the piles of papers, though the three assignments and midterm will take a while to finish completely -- it just takes constant forward movement. Reading the blog posts from past years at this time note the same thing. I feel a bit like a hamster in a wheel -- running nowhere fast. In actuality, even grading a couple of papers means I've moved ahead with the huge process -- so maybe not going nowhere, though it is exhausting to keep running in a spinning wheel <grin>.

I've been reflecting on the career for the past day. A presentation next week will have me covering the high points of the past few decades in a 5-10 minutes. That may be a challenge. I'm hoping to find a creative way to do this so it doesn't sound like a laundry list of "and then I did this, and then that, and then . . . ". I have a couple of ideas so will ponder between grading bouts with the hope of getting something that holds attention in a fun way by next week. It is a creative piece that helps deal with the rote process of grading.

A song written in the mid-1960s came to mind for today. It fits the circular motions of life as well as the linear progression of things. The singer/songwriter wrote this before getting her first recording contract. It was first recorded in 1967 by Buffy Sainte Marie, who introduced the songwriter to her own manager who took on the songwriter -- and the rest, as they say, is history <smile>. I've included two versions, the first by the songwriter and the second by Buffy. I enjoy the juxtaposed arrangements. In Buffy's version, there is a bit of a round at the end of the song, which adds to the circular nature of the topic. Enjoy!

Circle Game -- Joni Mitchell 

Circle Game -- Buffy Sainte Marie