if a tree falls

Iowa caucus haiku

Barack Obama
is a person, not a race.
People want a change.

Mike Huckabee wins,
is anti-evolution.
Jesus freaks rejoice.

Bunny update

The bunnies have grown up and left the nest. I checked on them every few days and did get to see their little furry ears. Right now I'm letting Gonzo dig in their burrow so that it smells like dog and they won't come back. Nature is really impressive sometimes, and I liked being guardian to their little lives, but it's time for Gonzo to get the yard back. There are safer places for them to multiply like, um, celebrity adoptions.

UPDATE UPDATE: 5:20 PM: So Gonzo and I are chillin' in the back yard. I'm talking on the phone. Gonzo starts sniffing the flowers and wagging his tail. Suddenly a baby bunny bounces away and Gonzo catches him, then lets him go, and they run in circles. I'm screaming "Gonzo! No!" I'm still on the phone. Then the bunny starts making noises, and I'm sure he's hurt. Finally, I hang up the phone and catch the dog. I put him inside and check up on the bunny. He's huddled next to the fence and shaking a tiny bit. He doesn't seem to be hurt. I'm shaking too, but it seems like everyone is okay, and then the adrenaline turns to rage and I wonder why I'm so wrapped up in this. Stupid bunnies taking over my yard. Then I think of what could have happened if I let Gonzo keep "playing," and I'm willing to wait another night to reclaim the yard. He's waiting by the door in the meantime.

Here is the little traumatized dude:

The bunnies are OK

The mama came to feed the baby bunnies last night. I can't wait to see them bouncing around the yard. Then, I can't wait until they get the eff out so that we can roam freely again.

Baby bunny update

Last night I placed a stick across the bunny hole to see if the momma would come to feed them in the night. We saw bunnies all around last night and this morning, so I thought everything would be okay. But the stick hasn't moved. There are bunny droppings all around the hole, so I'm really worried about the little bunnies.

Then, I remembered something that made me even more worried. When I found the fur and grass-covered hole yesterday, I was picking up "Gonzo bombs" from the yard. I tried to move the fur with the plastic bag that held the poop. Did I get his scent on the nest? Would that make a difference? I'm talking to my friend this afternoon, so hopefully we can help the bunnies if they need it.

Baby bunnies!

This morning I saw a big clump of rabbit hair in the yard and went to move it. There was a hole underneath and a small squirmy thing. A baby bunny, at least one, was born last night in a burrow dug in my yard. Oddly enough, it's right near where Gonzo consistently marks his territory. I haven't touched it, and I replaced the grass and hair to keep the little bundle warm, but I'm looking at about two weeks of baby bunny accommodation and dog avoidance. We'll see what happens next. Advice is welcome (thanks for the good bits already given).

UPDATE: My friend works with wild animal rescue and reinforced my plan to see if the mommy bunny comes to feed the babies tonight. If she doesn't, I know people who work at a fantastic place where we can take them if they need help. I've become rather obsessed with the contents of the hole and I hope they're getting everything they need to live and grow.

So it goes. Again.

RIP Grace Paley. You were an inspiration as a writer, thinker and generally cool older person. I can only hope to be as self-assured now and as cool when I'm 84. I got to meet you briefly once and am excited to re-read some of your material. Thanks for  just being yourself.

Congratulations to the bride and groom!

We had a fantastic time in Connecticut this weekend at Sara and Noah's wedding with this beautiful group of people. And their announcement made The New York Times! More pictures to come soon.

Close call

On Wednesday, around 6:00, I got a text message from Joe:

Something happened. I'm ok.

This is usually around the time that he's headed to the bus station to come home from the city, so I thought maybe there was bad traffic in the tunnel or a minor blackout in his area. I was making some calls and finishing up my work for the day, so I turned on the TV to see if the local news picked anything up. It took about 15 minutes before the images of the broken steam pipe took over the airwaves for at least an hour and a half. It was located a block from Joe's office.

I called him to tell him what had happened, and he told me that it burst just as he left his building at 42nd and Third Avenue. There was a loud rumbling, like thunder, and then everyone started running toward him, away from the debris being spewed out of the street at 41st and Lexington. Being the level-headed person that he is, he went back into his building to get a friend who decided to work late, told him they were leaving, and high-tailed it west to the Port Authority. Rumors on the street were that an office building had fallen down and that there was a fire under Grand Central.

When he got home, around 7:20, we started talking about how disconcerting it is to be at the center of a crisis, to know that something bad has happened before the rest of the world does. The first instinct is to turn to the authorities or the media, but often they're just finding out what has happened themselves.

I have to say that this has happened  a little too often for me (though I don't know anyone who would say differently). I saw the first plane fly by my dorm room window and heard it hit the World Trade Center, wondering in a stunned daze if anyone else had seen that. During the blackout of 2003 I called friends to see how far it extended. Now Joe has been at the center of the most recent New York emergency, and I have to say, I think I now fully understand the term "too close for comfort."

(For those who are concerned, Joe has been working from home for the last two days. He threw out his clothes as the officials recommended, lest any asbestos particles be trapped in the fibers. Though it's allegedly safe in the area now, it's nice to know that he can literally relax until the dust has settled.)

Countdown to Potter-mania

I was surprised that the latest Harry Potter movie could pack a theater on a Sunday night at dinner time, but Joe and I found ourselves squished in with muggles of all ages at Order of the Phoenix this past weekend. I had fallen out of the fantasy, and seeing the movie reminded me of lingering plots, future events and  got me hungry for the last chapter.

Obviously, I'm not alone, so I present a somewhat amusing YouTube video from the Potter Puppet Pals. It's really only amusing the first time, but I know a few people who will enjoy it, and I need to get posting more often.

Before and After: Story to come