The Bird

Looks like Esperanza is here to stay, at least for a while. More tomorrow, especially on productive HELEN.

News

Libby has quit the PO.With some adjustments, the financial blow may not be that bad. And I can’t tell you how liberating it is. I believe she has lost 20 points of blood pressure. The off- label “Gila monster drug” has not proved revolutionary. Though I will finish it and it improves things marginally, no …

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Old Times

A tribute to my bouncer, or as we usually said “doorman” days in Cambridge and Somerville, and yes it was that bad . I was known as “the mean little one who looks like Jim Morrison”. I was not “mean”; it is just that at 5′ 8″ I could not LOOM like my Alberta- born …

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News from old friends

Annie  Proulx just got an award, the Medal for Distinguished Contirbution to American Letters, by the National Book Foundation. The award, which recognizes a a lifetime of literary achievment, cites her ” deep reverence for the beauties and complexities of rural America.” The photo , from the Grauniad (Guardian) is nice too: She remains unimpressed. …

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Falconry Goddesses

Ourc regnant falconry goddesses, Helen Maconald and Lauren McGough, do a podcast TOGETHER at the BBC.More please! https://mobile.twitter.com/HelenJMacdonald/status/909753333317095424?p=v Full of good sense and unexpected insights-; as Helen says., only Lauren would fly an eagle because it is so SERENE. Lauren is currently in S Africa chasing drunken  monkeys with  a “little” male Crowned eagle. We …

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Kirk in Iceland

Kirk is doing better things in Iceland than illustrating my blog– important things like eating and catching salmon and sea trout…  

Slow

Apologies for being slow. The “Venom” is doingsome good, but it is a three month process and it does not cure. An attack of cramnps has really knocked me down the last couple of days..Meanwhile, word is out for a new EFECTIVE gene therapy method in Mass- a cure? We staggger from hope to hope… …

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Rock and Hawk

“This gray rock, standing tall On the headland, where the seawind Lets no tree grow, Earthquake-proved, and signatured By ages of storms: on its peak A falcon has perched. I think, here is your emblem To hang in the future sky; Not the cross, not the hive, But this; bright power, dark peace; Fierce consciousness …

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Taigans!

“The Blood of the Eastern Dragon!” That is how Vladimir Shakula, Russian Kazakh, former soldier, hound breeder admnisrator, scientist and alleged war criminal, described the Kyrgiz Taigan. Shakula with Himalayan Snowcock. Now Lane Bellman has bred the first US litter in NM My pick!