Nature Out of Control

Nature is just going nuts over here lately. First, we had Friday night's massive thunderstorm-cum-blackout generator, which we've already discussed here. Driving back from downtown today, we passed a little house that had its frontyard elm fall squarely on the crown of its roof. The place is almost squashed. Terrible.

Second, during my run in the Arb today I encountered not just one but two separate bird wings. They came from different birds (judging by the feathers) and appeared far apart on the trail, but they were both whole. Then at home, as we were playing outside this afternoon, I found a third one, right about where Vivi was getting set to kick a soccer ball. Bad night for birdies?

Then, third, and still on the bird tip, a juvenile robin was stuck in our garage all day. We left the garage door open in the hope that it would fly out, but it hadn't yet mastered the ability of flying down: anytime it was spooked, it just flew up into the ceiling, bounced along until it hit a wall, then turned and bumped its away to some perch. Its mother even visited periodically throughout the day, delivering worms.

Trapped Bird

Finally, I remembered that Nonna brought a big butterfly net the last time they visited. I used a broom to get the bird moving (and peeping madly), but after just a few seconds of terrified flight it hit a wall and slid down, cartoon-style, to the floor, breast heaving. I scooped it up in the net and delivered it to the lawn outside. A second later, its mother flew past and it zoomed up into the air. Fly, you stupid little bird, fly!

Forecast: Significant blowing and drifting, with the possibility of heavy accumulation in rural areas.