Day 47: I am not alone

I am not alone in the house. A raccoon has made a home in the attic above the back porch. He gets in through a hole in the poorly installed flashing that is not original to the core house. My plan is to lure him out with cheap day-old donuts, fattening him up until he rolls around the yard and eats out of my hand. I will dress him in a pink tutu and train him to ride a unicycle. He'll be a great money-making busking act in New Orleans, except for the fact that he will snarl at small children and reach out to scratch them with his little claws (especially when they are holding snacks or soda). This might simply mean he's better as a late-night Bourbon Street sort of act. I bet the drunken revelers will love him.


Length of Feather: 4"

Day 46: Fahrenheit 451

"Jump, and you will find out how to unfold your wings as you fall."
-Ray Bradbury (1920-2012)

Day 45: This One Time, At Band Camp

Aaron Copland was occupying large parts of my brain this afternoon, as I was practicing for the rehearsal from which I have just returned home. I dashed off this feather around 4:30 before I headed out for the evening.  The concert is on Tuesday and the official press release is below, if you’re curious. It’s actually not a bad program, which is good since we’ll be playing for over 200 middle school band nerds who will be there as part of their Mississippi All-Star Band Camp experience.

Press Release:

The Mississippi Wind Symphony will present the final concert of its 2012 season on Tuesday, June 12, 2012 at 7:30 PM at Hogg Auditorium on the campus of Hinds Community College in Raymond, MS.  This concert, entitled “The Legacy of Aaron Copland” will feature Copland’s Outdoor Overture and Variations on a Shaker Melody.  Also on this program will be James Sclater’s for fallen heroes, Dan Welcher’s Zion, W. Francis McBeth’s Of Sailors and Whales, and John Williams The Cowboys. Please join us for this exciting program.

The Mississippi Wind Symphony is conducted by Dr. Craig S. Young, Director of Bands at Mississippi College, and features many of Mississippi’s finest wind musicians and percussionists.  The concert is free and open to the public.  For more information please call 601-925-3439 or go to www.mswindsymphony.com.

Length of Feather: 5 1/2”

Day 44: Open Window

 I am pleased to report that, with the some gentle dislodging of paint with a box cutter, I am now able to open the 75-year-old window in my bedroom. I can hear cicadas in the trees outside. I love that sound, but it concerns me that I hear so many this early in the season. I associate them with the dog days of summer and the coming of the new school year. This year's early warming makes me feel deeply uneasy, sad and helpless. This is not a new feeling, nor one that I always allow to be at the forefront, but my awareness of the swiftness of the environmental changes happening within our time is always with me.

Length of Feather: 2”

Day 43: Free Range Box

Everything is moved and is now being unpacked and put into place. Even with careful organization, some things always disappear in a major move like this. They end up in that twilight zone where rogue socks go to hide. 

Length of Feather: 4"

Day 42: Don't Panic

..and don't forget to pack a towel.

Length of Feather: 5”

SOLD

Day 41: Where It’s At

Running around taking care of business such as change of address, ending and starting electricity service, etc. Ug! Back to regular feather postings this coming week. As you can see, when things get busy, the feathers get more simple. Streamlined. Balanced.

Length of Feather: 4”