foraged
3musesmerge.substack.com
Nią checks her soles for worm residue. “Explains our cacophonous treetops.”
Thalia circles her palms against one another and smiles at the sound. “I feel haaaaa-peee — watching birds bop about!”
“And I… am grateful. Thank you earthworms, robins, and birchbark. Thank you Henny… for urging us out despite this morning’s wintery mix…” Cal bows to Mother Nature, “… inspirational breadcrumbs… to jazz up our potted plant.”
Chance furnished me what I need.
I am like a man who stumbles along; my foot strikes something.
I bend over, and it is exactly what I need.
~ James Joyce — Ulysses
foraged
The cardinal on birchbark certainly caught my eye. My eye however, being my eye, struggled to resolve the birchbark-looking part. Skillful shading lent itself to a curved look. The stippling stumped me. “Dot, dot, dash, dash, dot.” The Morse Code of love letters?
Earthworm castings are touted as being beneficial to growing healthy plants. Just as some rent out their goats to clear brushy areas, do earthworm herders rent squads of worms? The daily rate per worm? What if the cardinal eats some?
On James Joyce’s words. Two days ago I was feeding our nesting pair of Canada Geese, scrunched down mostly on my right thigh while offering bits of my homemade bread. Finished, as I attempted to rise (with right leg now asleep), I fell in the direction of the birds. Much wing flapping ensued! Indeed I do stumble along. 🙂
Metaphorically I took your painting plus plant to suggest, “If it isn’t quite Spring outside, bring some into the studio.” ☑️
Curious question: does Henny eat earthworms? A friend caught her dog checking out her patio after each day of rain; each time, all the scattered worms vanished. She decided that, well, it's extra protein...