I missed last week's calendar because of a stomach bug - It's nice to be well, and practicing Lent again!
March 26, Fifth Sunday of Lent-
1. Nature Mentor: One of my intentions for Lent this year has been to dive into various web sites that offer information about nature, starting with Nature Mentor. The writer, Brian Mertins, offers a practical approach to awakening naturalist instincts by building skills with plants and birds.
First he talks about his names for the different sounds:
"I’ve given each of these calls a name simply because naming things tends to help it stick better in the memory. Some of them are onomatopoeic in a way that makes sense to my ear. But your ears might be different, so feel free to give them names that make sense for you! ... It really doesn’t matter what you end up calling them because the whole point is just to help you remember more easily."
The first call he names is the Tut Call:
"Tutting calls are a bit quieter than some of the other sounds made by robins, but once you hear it, this one is unmistakable. To me it literally sounds like the robin is saying “Tut”. ... In most cases tut calls are just brief moments of activity. You might hear a short burst of 2-3 calls and then not much else. I notice this sound is often a precursor to some sort of action like movement or more intense alarming.
Robins will often make this sound when they get pushed up off a feeding site by human beings or dogs, or possibly to get a better look at something off in the distance. ... Pay close attention to the rhythm of this call and the length of time that it goes on for. If you notice robin tuts happening over and over for long periods of time, this very frequently is a house-cat."
2. Resilience practice: I'm reading section three, on Optimism. Practice #53 is Imagine Your joyful Future Self. It's possible to feel more optimistic just by visualizing a better future.
- First, think about a time when you felt joyful in the past, and connect with that joy by remembering how you looked, and how it felt in your body. Try to duplicate that feeling.
- Maintain the feeling of joy you've raised, and imagine what your joyful future-self might look and feel like in one year. Think about how joy might lead you to a dream for the future (but don't get attached to a specific future outcome).
- After a few minutes, write down the story of how joy moved you forward, and the particular strengths of yours that helped get you there.
3. Plastic fast: Easter is around the corner, and like all holidays in the US, it generates a lot of plastic trash. Tips: Use a wooden, wire, or rattan basket. Avoid the shredded plastic bedding known as Easter grass. (If you already have it, be sure to package it up and reuse it year after year rather than tossing it.) Get the same effect with colorful paper using your paper shredder.
Rather than buying plastic eggs to fill, consider buying papier-mache eggs. If plastic eggs are already in your home, use them for years to come and donate them when you no longer need them. Remember to flex your conscientious-purchasing muscles while figuring out what to put into the eggs, too. Coins, paper-wrapped candies or goldfish crackers, wooden toys, or clues to larger prizes all fit the bill. Look for bulk sources for chocolate eggs and jelly-beans to reduce plastic packaging.
Or use hard-boiled eggs! And if you make your own egg dyes, you will cut out all the packaging involved with store-bought dye kits, including individually wrapped dye tablets and plastic cups and dippers. Here’s an egg dye recipe using food colors that works great; and here's one with vegetable egg dyes, including onion skins, turmeric, and cabbage, which eliminates the plastic food color bottles!
#2 The “Peak” Call is another common robin sound, and varies tremendously in its application. It's sometimes made as an alarm, but definitely not always. The most important thing to help you sort the true meaning of a call is looking at the rhythm and context.
"This call often occurs as a series of brief, but intense bursts. This is typically a male-male aggression call. If you hear it happening repeatedly and rhythmically for a long period of time, you should definitely investigate the possibility of a perched owl, or possibly a hawk. This call also frequently happens in conjunction with tut calls".
2. Resilience practice: Practice #54 is to Receive with Humility, as in humbly asking for help. Knowing how to ask for assistance when you need it is a strength.
- Reflect on the fact that we can't do life alone: We need each other to maintain our basic needs - food, shelter, clothing.
- Identify what you need help with, and locate those with expertise in that area; write a list of up to 3 persons you trust who can help, or who can give good advice, and also any other services or resources.
- Contact all your resources. Be direct with asking for help, and express your sincere gratitude for help you receive.
3. Plastic fast: Parties - Use REAL silverware and plates, and glassware that’s versatile and strong, like mason jars, to avoid using single-use plastic cups. Or if you’re having larger gatherings or have children attending, find compostable paper or bamboo options for cutlery, plates, and hot and cold cups.
You should check to make sure that you can really compost your compostables, and whether this means tossing them into a home compost bin or taking them to a special composting facility: Sustainable materials like bamboo and paper will easily decompose in the compost, but the bigger problem is the PLA (polylactic acid) that’s often paired with them; PLA is a polymer made from renewable resources, used as a reinforcer. If PLA is used more as a liner, then it can typically be composted at home. Cups made primarily of PLA will have to be taken to a composting facility.
March 28, Navratri and First Quarter moon--
#3 The Robin “Whinny” Call is commonly called the whinny amongst birders because it sounds a bit like a horse.
"Notice this call sounds completely different from the other sounds made by robins. But don’t let this vocal diversity fool your ear… it’s definitely a Robin! I once observed this call being made in alarm response to a coyote moving along a game trail. ... There are other times when it seems to be used for territorial purposes, or even calling out to distant companions.
2. Plastic fast: Zero waste eating out: Pack a zero-waste bag to take when eating out, with a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, and bamboo cutlery. Plastic disposable cutlery and straws are among the worst plastic pollution culprits. Also, put together a bag of reusable containers for leftovers and keep it in the car, to box your food at the end of a meal. If you end up with leftovers, ask what carryout containers the restaurant uses. If possible, it’s always better to use you own reusable containers.
March 29-
#4 is the Robin Song, a very common sound made by robins that everyone should know. In many places this is one of the first sounds you’ll hear if you get outside before first light to catch the dawn chorus. It's a sound that takes me back to springs of my childhood.
"If you listen very carefully, it’s possible to hear that each robin actually sings their cycles of melodious phrasing a little bit differently from other robins. With practice, it is possible to identify individual robins by their song.
The song tends to be used most often during the nesting season, and correlates to some extent with the nesting stage, which says a lot about their behavior."
2. Plastic fast: Ordering carryout can be a problem. Some restaurants are now using fully biodegradable and compostable clamshells or other carryout containers made of molded fiber from plants such as corn, sugarcane, and bamboo. But many of these products are too expensive for restaurants with a high volume of take-out orders. Ask what type of containers the restaurant uses before placing a take-out order. If you don’t like the response, consider a different restaurant or ask if they will use containers you provide. If you go ahead and place an order that entails Styrofoam clamshells, register your concerns about plastic when you pick it up and encourage them to switch to eco-friendly containers. Politely decline any plastic utensils, seasonings packaged in plastic, and flimsy tote bags.
March 30-
#5 The Dog-Whistle Call/Alarm is a thin, high pitched call that typically indicates the presence of aerial predators.
"For some people this call can be a bit tough to hear. It does take a bit of practice to get your ears tuned in. I’ve observed this call being used most frequently in the presence of crows, ravens, & bird eating hawks/falcons. It’s surprisingly common once you get the hang of it, and might make you wonder about how many aerial predators you’re probably missing out there.
Listen to this with the sound down because of its piercing, high frequency.
2. Plastic fast: School lunch: According to National Geographic, "The average 8- to 12-year-old throws away about 67 pounds of lunch trash every year." It's gotten so bad that the EPA has a "Pack A Waste-Free Lunch" program, with activity sheets. Tips: Avoid snack-sized cups of anything! Instead, pack foods in reusable containers or reusable snack bags. Use a thermos, pack bamboo utensils, and a cloth napkin.
March 31-
#6 The Flight Call – “Tsip” - is one of the easiest robin calls to miss because it’s so quiet.
"If you ever get a chance to sit and watch flocks of robins feeding in a large grassy space, you will definitely hear this call. Watch for groups of 10-20 or more robins sharing a communal feeding spot. You’ll probably notice most of them are on the grass doing the usual robin hunting pattern. Then occasionally a passing dog or possibly nearby hawks will cause some of the flock to fly up into the trees. Listen carefully when they fly back down to the ground and you’ll hear the tsip call announcing the movement. As far as I can tell, this call gets used whenever a robin flies from one spot to another, typically in a relaxed way, like when going down to feed on the ground."
2. Plastic fast: When traveling, bring your own. Bring your own toiletries and avoid using the free hotel offerings. Skip buying single-use travel sizes; instead buy small re-fillable containers. Put together a travel kit – utensils, cloth napkins, plates, bowls, mugs or stainless-steel travel cups, salt & pepper, etc. Use them at hotels that offer breakfast served on single-use plastic (with plastic utensils). Always carry a reusable water bottle or container for coffee or tea. If you can’t fill a water bottle before boarding a plane, ask for water on the plane and hand your bottle to the service attendant with the top off.
#7 The “Squee” Call is similar to the tsip in that it’s a flight call, or sometimes made pre-flight. It often has a higher degree of intensity and can indicate situations of alarm or territoriality.
"When you hear this call, watch carefully for what the robin does next…
- Does it fly to another perch?
- Does it go chase another robin?
- Does it post up in the tree tops in sentinel position?
Each of these behaviors communicates a different meaning from the same call. This is why context is so important."
2. Plastic fast: Remember Discernment. When we regularly practice listening for guidance, we become more sensitive to Divine nudges in our personal choices.
Queries: Are we careful to meet problems in a spirit of love and humility, with minds open for creative solutions? Are we aware that we speak through our inaction as well as our actions?
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