“Out of the clouds I hear a faint bark, as of a faraway dog. It is strange how the world cocks its ear to that sound, wondering. Soon it is louder: the honk of geese, invisible, but coming on. The flock emerges from the low clouds, a tattered banner of birds, dipping and rising, blown up and blown down, blown together and blown apart, but advancing, the wind wrestling lovingly with each winnowing wing. When the flock is a blur in the far sky I hear the last honk, sounding taps for summer. It is warm behind the driftwood now, for the wind has gone with the geese. So would I — if I were the wind.”
— Aldo Leopold, “A Sand County Almanac: And Sketches Here and There” (Oxford University Press, 1949) (via Jules of Nature)
Geese Migration over Holly Pond. October in Connecticut. October 28, 2024. Cove Island Park, Stamford, CT. Video Credit: Thank you Susan Kanigan
Awesome video and I love the poem!
Here in the great white North, I believe the geese left 2-4 weeks ago. Night temperatures here now ranging from 28° to 45°. A bit of a roller coaster. No snow thank goodness! Please give Wally a pat on the head for me 🙂
28-45! Wow. 69° F here today!
That’s at night. Currently 55° at 2:15 PM. Still, that’s 14° lower than you… Hence my desire to move lol.
The topping on the cake is that tonight is predicted to be 36° and tomorrow night… 27°. Since I am a sixth generation Vermonter, I assume those who came before me thought that the beauty here was more important than the cold! 🙂
Hence I get it!
Always a lovely sound!
It is!
🥰 Ah, love it — despite the 50,000 times better it is to hear the “Coming back, now!” soundings.
So agree with you!
I loved too… and I can listen to them again.. Birds are special creatures for me, they have wings… and freedom according to us… How beautiful dear Susan caught these moments… Beautiful. Thank you, for you both, Love, nia
Thank you Nia. So agree.
On the other hand, “It is strange how the world cocks its ear to that sound, wondering.” Not strange for me, because I am off to hear the humans voices… especially in Today’s world. Because full of politicial voices,…etc. nothing comes to me real,… the truth in their flight and in their sound… To hear, to learn them much more interesting and exciting… They have been living for a long time on this Earth and their speeches never lost its togetherness and power of life… something like that, hit me. Thank you again, Love, nia
Beautifully stated Nia. “Full of political voices” and lack of truths!
An uplifting scene and soundtrack tbh
It is all that Scott! Thank you!
Lovely video and text!
Thank you!