out my window - day 13

My friend asked "What's your fave colour?" and I said "purple." This is what she told me: A PURPLE person is enigmatic and highly creative, with a quick perception of spiritual ideas. Purple is often preferred by those who consider themselves different and unconventional. Often generous and charming. Associated with wit, keen observation, sensitivity, vanity and moodiness. So now I'm wondering if that song: "You're so vain" is about me? :-)

I was looking out my car window as I drove (duh) in to the City on Sunday and I saw some cool things. A young man, in black baggy pants, black hoodie and tuque was playing with his two dogs in a park, running back and forth. The dogs were chasing him and then he was chasing them; it was so fun to watch!

5 gaggles of geese flew N in V formation over my car (and other cars too). It was miraculous to watch their gracefulness. I'm sorry, but they were more graceful than the Snowbirds! (Plus I wasn't worrying about a crash mid-air and loss of life). I got to see them break formation and reform in one V. Another gaggle broke formation and formed two separate ones. What struck me was that every goose had to flap its wings, even while in formation.

Although it's easier while in formation (so I've heard), they are still required to do the work. They cannot just coast on another's efforts. Each time the geese parted, I found myself drawn to the ones that straggled behind and I willed them to flap harder to get closer to their fellow-goose so that they could have an easier time flying to their destination... even if they do leave gross droppings at their beach front property! Oh man do I ever remember how they messed up the lawns at Deer Lake in Burnaby! Not to mention to the lake!

So. Back to my land. Out the window of my house. Think flames. Think big pile of burning construction debris and trees that were bobcated in order to build a pond for some rich kids to skate on in the winter (not to mention that in order to build said pond an ecosystem was destroyed! the boggy land with trees and frogs in spring and who knows what else because I haven't lived here long enough was bulldozed! The whole block were not happy campers, especially us as I used to hear the frogs at night! Oh and since we're all on wells here, that pond will be filled using water from our shared aquifer - let's hope there's enough to meet all our "needs").

Sat night we could see the smoke over the trees from the highway which is a few km away! The Fire Dept came and unfortunately didn't hose it down that night. It has been smoldering since then. This afternoon the winds picked up as we had a freak storm. You got it. The wind was so strong we were getting construction debris airborne and landing on our land. And the smoke. The smoke was whipping so fast out of that smoldering pile of peat moss and brush that it formed a solid line across our land. Then the flames kicked back up. You got it. Oxygen fans fire. Forget about the rain. It was not enough to put out said-fire.

So back come the Fire Dept. This time they used the hoses. It's not like there's another fire they were just at. It's not like there's an out-of-control brush fire in the County. It's not like they're issuing fire permits right now; it's too dry! It's not like there will be a complete fire ban come April 1. They soaked this fire with 2000 litres of good ol' H20 from their pumper truck. Yeah firemen and one firewoman!

Let's hope my neighbour wises up. I really like my land the way it is.