Rufous-sided (spotted) Towhee ---
and poem of the week.
"Rufous-Sided Towhee" by Barbara Crooker. Text as published in Little Patuxent Review: A Journal of Literature and the Arts (Winter, 2014)
The teaching of Zen is: drink your tea.
Which is what the towhee says as he
scratches in the underbrush, searching for food.
Black and white with rusty sides, he loves
the understory, the margins, the hedgerows.
He sinks into the afternoon like brown leaves
steeping in hot water. He knows no ambition
or envy, wants nothing beyond this spring day,
sunlight spreading like honey on toast. Up pops
my list, the items to check off, the errands to run,
the weeds to pull. The towhee sings again:
Drink your tea.
The poem came through an e-mail site I subscribe to called "A Year of Being Here." I took the pictures at Fern Ridge Lake near Eugene this Fall.
Linking to: NATURE NOTES (thank you Michelle); WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY (thanks to Stewart); to SATURDAY CRITTERS (thank you Eileen) and to RATHER B'BIRDING (thanks to Anni)
What a cutie!!!!
Posted by: Jenn Jilks | November 15, 2015 at 05:05 AM
Okay, okay....you've really pushed my envy button this time. A Towhee, well----one that is on my list to photograph. I have only seen ONE for a fleeting moment, didn't even get a chance to get my camera up to my eye before it was gone to never be seen again.
WONDERFUL images!!! Thank you for sharing at I'd Rather B Birdin'!!
Posted by: Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin' | November 15, 2015 at 01:33 AM
These are lovely shots, Sallie!
Posted by: RedPat | November 14, 2015 at 12:10 PM
Pretty bird and lovely poem to match!
~
Posted by: ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© | November 14, 2015 at 09:46 AM
Hello Sallie!:) It's a wonderful bird to see, and also such a pretty bird. Loved the poem too. Enjoy your weekend, and thank you so much for your recent visits.:)
Posted by: breathtaking | November 14, 2015 at 05:12 AM
Hello Sallie, I love your pretty Towhee! Great shots! Thank you so much for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy weekend!
Posted by: Eileen | November 14, 2015 at 01:46 AM
a beautiful bird and images. Have a wonderful weekend.
Posted by: Margaret Birding For Pleasure | November 13, 2015 at 11:36 PM
I love the dreamy quality of the photos. I have heard this is how you remember the call, but I have never seen or heart this pretty bird...Michelle
Posted by: Michelle Ramblingwoods | November 12, 2015 at 08:33 PM
what a handsome bird and any bird that sings about drinking tea gets extra points from me!
Posted by: craftygreenpoet | November 12, 2015 at 01:19 PM
I know that sinking into the afternoon feeling, maybe it's time to drink my tea!
Wren x
Posted by: Litte Wandering Wren | November 12, 2015 at 02:54 AM
Beautiful images
Posted by: Margaret Birding For Pleasure | November 12, 2015 at 12:16 AM
Great post, I am not much a birder but you photographed this one well. I love the poem especially the "...sunlight spreading like honey on toast...
Posted by: Yogi | November 11, 2015 at 07:20 PM
Such a sweet little bird and a beautiful capture. Love the poem.
Posted by: genie | November 11, 2015 at 06:44 PM
I like Zen, and I love your photos! :)
Posted by: Linda | November 11, 2015 at 04:43 PM
Seems like your bird don´t like to be photographed. Giving you the eye :)
Posted by: NatureFootstep | November 11, 2015 at 02:42 PM
Delightful post! Love the poem and the photos.
Posted by: Marie-AZ | November 11, 2015 at 12:20 PM
Fascinating-I'd never heard of this bird!
Posted by: Hazel | November 11, 2015 at 10:50 AM
What a pretty little bird!
Posted by: Al | November 11, 2015 at 07:11 AM
Its a very pretty little bird and a lovely poem!
Posted by: Nancy Chan | November 11, 2015 at 06:19 AM
The Towhee is a favorite bird to me I enjoy the call to have some tea! I saw there is a Ruff on rare bird sightings list in Marion Oregon at the Ankeny NWR not too far from you!
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.7932264,-123.0901051&ll=44.7932264,-123.0901051
Posted by: Sondra-SC | November 11, 2015 at 05:47 AM
Lucky birdie ! what a life !
Posted by: Gattina | November 11, 2015 at 05:39 AM
. . . and here I sit, Sallie, drinking my morning tea. :) I love this; your photos, their placements, and this lovely poem. Thank you.
Posted by: Penny | November 11, 2015 at 05:19 AM
Cool shots of the towhee!
Posted by: EG CameraGirl | November 11, 2015 at 04:51 AM
I like the rather melancholy poem. I remember catching and ringing towhees from Long Point although it is some years ago. I think I'm right that they are a rather large and colourful member of the sparrow family - a welcome change from the smaller browny,grey ones caught - Tree, Chipping, Lincoln etc.
Posted by: Phil | November 11, 2015 at 03:12 AM
Beautiful images Sallie.
Posted by: Bob | November 11, 2015 at 02:00 AM
Beautiful photos Sallie! You know how much I LOVE birds:)
Blessings, Aimee
Posted by: Aimee | November 11, 2015 at 01:28 AM
What a beauty!
Posted by: Karen, Pixel Posts | November 10, 2015 at 10:17 PM
Love that poem and sweet picture.
Posted by: Lady Fi | November 10, 2015 at 08:35 PM
i'd love to see one of them some day!
Posted by: TexWisGirl | November 10, 2015 at 04:37 PM
I agree with the towhee, time to drink my tea!
Posted by: Florence | November 10, 2015 at 04:23 PM
Sweet! And your photography is fantastic Sallie :)
Posted by: DeniseinVA | November 10, 2015 at 04:17 PM
The poem and photo are a perfect match.
Posted by: Gaelyn | November 10, 2015 at 03:51 PM
Some of our towhees in Florida sing "Tip your teeeeee" while those up in Illinois sing proper English as they sip, holding up their pinkie: "Drrrrrink your tea."
Posted by: ken schneider | November 10, 2015 at 01:49 PM
It's a very pretty bird. Take care!
Posted by: Gunilla | November 10, 2015 at 12:32 PM
I love this, Sallie! Zen it is. The past is gone, an illusion. The future does not exist. All we have is the Now! Live in the Now...each moment. Look around, laugh and love, drink your tea!
Posted by: Lowell | November 10, 2015 at 12:32 PM
Hello Sallie, your Spotted Towhee is a lovely bird. Wonderful sighting and photos.
Posted by: Eileen | November 10, 2015 at 12:22 PM