Crows Again

Three crows above the outhouse, squawking, then another skein of geese, perfect formation, come very low over the ridge. Don't know how anyone could ever have thought they were born of barnacles. A brindle pup walking on the logging road spooks a lovely brown thrush into the tree right in front of me. Too much excitement before breakfast. Irregular queing at the library check-out, I think I'm next, but a person off to the side says he is. The check-out person looks at him and says -how could you be next, you're not even in line- -hear, hear- I say -there are rules of engagement- The reference librarian chuckles. I let him go first. How can you not understand the principle of a line? Lunch at the pub and everyone there shocked to see me on a Monday. Jim disappears then reappears with a sign saying "Tom And Topless Women Drink Free" but I postpone the free beer until after three hours at the museum, handling all the pots again and setting labels. Lights and bonnets tomorrow. The pub is hopping, I get ice for a harried bar-maid, and talk recipes with one of the new partners. Thinking about another country pate, frozen domestic rabbit at Kroger; love the combination of rabbit, fowl (wish I had a brace of woodcock or a guinea hen), and mushrooms; herb it up a bit more than last time, chardonnay instead of chicken stock. Organic Celery hearts on sale, a buck for a package, and I bought one for the shrimp fried rice I planned to make for the staff. Eating them filled with peanut butter while I putter about, making the dish, and forget to include them, end up cooking some separately and folding it in after the fact. Sliced four heart stalks and cooked them in butter, didn't know, hadn't thought, that one could caramelize celery, or would want to, but it's very good with pan juice, salt and pepper. Never thought of celery as a vegetable, always thought of it as a vehicle for peanut butter or something you chopped to add crunch to a soup. I have to do a second batch. Cut a head of hearts into thirds (three inches) then take off the threads with the wonderful peeler Linda gave me, from the Minnesota State Fair. Three tablespoons of butter, a little salt and a lot of fresh-ground black pepper, cooked over medium low until they slightly brown, 40 minutes, don't cheat, this process takes time. I read a book, stir occasionally. If you fried these, then stuffed them with goat cheese, ran them under the broiler, they'd be killer; I just eat them with pan drippings and they're fantastic. Celery, who knew. Fuck, I thought we were talking about onions, or crows; I'm repeatably struck with the notion that what happens in the natural world is somehow real. Consider that trillium, I never would have seen it, if the crows hadn't called my attention. Silence is the great equalizer. If you can just be quiet, long enough.