We could have had an absolutely beautiful November day if the wind were not blowing so hard. Since I had all of my office work finished for the week, I decided to do some serious putzing with little jobs that somehow turned into big ones, and when I finally decided to call it quits, all the of un-noticeable aches and pains started. Without going into detail, I’ll be sure to be achingly stiff when I get up tomorrow morning. At least I’ll know it was caused by an honest day’s work. Perhaps I’m unknowingly following the footsteps of another who always said, “I’d rather wear out than rust out.” I’m happy there was something to show for my day’s labor.
While driving through the Downtown, I noticed some young people holding up signs at vehicles driving south on Hwy 65 just across from Wells Fargo Bank. I couldn’t see what was written on them because I was on a side street behind them. One of them turned towards me with his sign and all I could see written was, “Revolution”. It unsettled me a bit when seeing such radical words. There was a man walking towards them who appeared to be someone staying at the Historic Park Inn. As I slowly drove past them, I could see in my rear view mirror the protestors turning his way as he held up his cell phone. He must’ve taken a few photos of them to likely post on Facebook or Tweeter. Such a bad impression for Mason City! As I’ve said in the past, there is a far greater political division in the United States than I’ve ever seen before. Where have all the moderates gone? Moderation has always been a virtue, but it looks like it’s out the window with the mentalities of today. I was challenged by a gentleman about a month ago who wouldn’t stop with his political bashings until I couldn’t stand it anymore. I snapped back at him with a few cutting words. It’s really not my nature to un-leash my rarely heard acid tongue, but he absolutely wouldn’t stop hammering on me about who I should or shouldn’t vote for on November the 11th. It was reminiscent of the way people were acting back in the 1960’s. I’m glad I was very young at the time and not exposed to much of the general public—especially the Viet Nam War protesters. I just hope the anger that’s in the hearts of many fades and is replaced by compassion. Hopefully this will be a lesson to us all to where in the future, our politicians will listen to and act on the concerns of the near silent working class Americans.
Several days ago I decided to try and get a photo of the flocks of crows that roost in the trees of the Historic Downtown. I didn’t get up quite early enough this morning take one showing all of them roosting. As I was driving in, I could see in the distance a large swarm of them already airborne. I said to myself, “Darn It! I missed them again!” But as I was getting closer, I noticed about 25% of them still in the trees, so I stopped and took the above photo. It’s just as dawn’s light rises when they start flying off, but if you happen to be Downtown before that, you can see and hear them beginning to stir.
It was strange how later this morning there was a great big black crow perched on a telephone pole squawking right down at me as I was walking to my car. He must’ve not liked being photographed.I really don’t know what it is about them that I dislike the most. They chase down baby birds and eat them, they tear into garbage sacks, and they dirty everywhere they roost, but most of all, I’ve always considered them harbingers of death and destruction. We’ll yet again we have to endure seeing them in random trees around the Downtown this winter. I sure would like to know why they started flocking here about 10+ years ago. There must have been some un-noticeable change that started it, and now we have our annual “Return of the Crows”. I hope it won’t be turned into a festival like they have with the return of the swallows in Capistrano.
