To call yesterday frigid would be an understatement. I’m not sure if there is metaphorical equivalent to “hot as hell” when it comes to cold weather, but when the temperatures drop below zero here in the north country, it can become a bitter hell all its own.
I surely felt that way when I was out running errands yesterday afternoon. The quick walk from the local soup and sandwich shop to my car took on expedition proportions. Hunkered down beneath layers of woolen hats and scarves, LL Bean thermal jacket and heavy sweater I felt like I might have been climbing Mount Everest. Once inside the car and safe from the arctic chill, I turned the heater on high and basked in the warmth. It was then that I spotted the crows.
A few cars down from me, a flock of very fat crows was feasting. A blue pickup truck had a load full of garbage and these birds were claiming it as their own. They were going to town, pecking holes in the bags, grabbing morsels and flying back and forth from car to tree as if they were on a Caribbean vacation. They seemed oblivious to the cold. They were not oblivious to me.
Unfortunately, I had left the house without my camera and since I wanted to capture this merry crew, I was resigned to using my i-phone. This meant I had to get close, but each time I tried, the crows would fly away to a nearby tree. They were smart. They waited for my car to circle, would fly back and grab some more grub and fly off again when I came close. This picture was the best I could do, but it does little to show the immensity of the birds or their meal.
I watched them for a long time. You can argue with me all you want about whether animals have emotions and whether they experience the world the same way we do. I’ll listen and at times I may agree, but yesterday as I watched this company of birds I knew one thing – in a world of bright blue skies and subzero temperatures, I may have been experiencing hell, but these guys were in seventh heaven and they were happy at the banquet table.
Writing Prompt: Write about what's in front of you right now.