Unseen and seen

While we were away last week, it seems we missed a couple of significant events. Apparently, mid week there was some weather which we were happy to have avoided. I love winter weather, but not the first week of April. At this point in the year, I want forsythia, not freezing temperatures and precipitation.

In addition to the storm, we also missed a minor earthquake. I recall a previous earthquake in Albany and am satisfied that the experience was enough for me to relate to what happened here last week. It was completely unnecessary for me to have another episode of watching, and hearing, my rack of hanging stemware clink up against each other musically. I’m good on earthquakes.

We were back in town in time for the eclipse, an event which I found interesting, but not as compelling as it was to those who drove (or flew!) hours to be in the path of totality. I was impressed by N’s commitment to seeing the complete eclipse, but was content with my own decision to share the experience with 400+ middle school students. It was very cool and I’m happy enough to have been part of what I hope will be a positive memory for “my” kids.

What I did get to see, though, while away was something I found incredible – a murmuration. It was in Berlin. We were about midway through our 3-hour David Bowie tour when I noticed a cloud of birds moving in a manner more graceful than any ballet I’ve ever seen. We stopped to stare, completely captivated by the beauty of what we were witnessing. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the birds for a second, not even to grab my phone to record their magnificent dance in the sky. I simply stood in awe honoring their swirling acrobatics in the dusky night.

A few other things I happened to see in Berlin are below.