Birds in the mist

The conventions of coots were on the south side of Green Lake this afternoon, along with large groups of other water fowl. They always know when something is in the wind. It was rainy, grayed to almost black and white with occasional blurs of color in distant trees, and the little black birds were interspersed near the naked reeds that stick out in large clumps; the effect was of random musical notes on oddly slanted staffs. A bald eagle perched on the very top of a sequoia, fluffed up to its maximum against the wet and chill. Its yellow beak glowed like a beacon.

Downbeat

Lots of musical events lately, including our band's professional group which plays all kinds of dance music; last night I got a brief but effective salsa lesson from the partner of one of the women in the dance band. They are Filipinas by background, and told me the dancing was a "Philippino thing." I learned that you keep your knees bent, move your hips fluidly, and slide your feet to the salsa beat. Now if I can just figure out what happens with the rest of the body, we're set.
We're going to go caroling with our instruments, and cap off the evening with an acapella choir singing Celtic holiday music.
The caroling afternoon was gorgeous, even warm in spots, and the choral performance amazing in the evening.

Showtime

The holiday concert was terrific; by the time we got to the encore, a rousing version of "Hava Nagila", we about spontaneously combusted at the end of the song. Speed was demanded by the audience.
Onward into the holidays.

Sundry

The other day I was sitting at a traffic light, and noticed a couple of big flocks of pigeons swirling around in the wind like schools of fish. They kept at for a while, and then I noticed a larger raptor-shaped bird was swooping after them. It was exactly the behavior of a large predatory fish going after a bait ball. The light changed, and I couldn't stay to see if the hawk caught anything.
Productive technical rehearsal; seems to be shaping up for a good show.