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It's been raining here in Eagle Rock for days off and on, but last night it never stopped and is still going strong. Great torrents and sheets of hard rain, a blessing on drought-ridden Southern California but I've had enough of it. I've been sick with the flu and if I go out into the wet, I start coughing. Blah. Puts me in a mood because I know I have to go out in a few hours to the doctor's office and then from there to work.

I heard a bird singing outside my bedroom window this morning, just a few minutes ago and it changed my mood. How can it sing so sweetly? It must be drenched, the poor thing. I hope it's found shelter in some strange, dry spot in the huge magnolia tree in our backyard. I hope its song isn't a cry of despair.

The brave bird (for somehow in my mind, he is now a he and a very brave he) gave me some of his courage to go out and slog through the rain and cold. He put a smile on my face and got me to thinking about birds in general. I found a poem about swallows that I fell in love with from a poet I didn't know. The bird brought me courage, a smile, a poem and a new poet whose beautiful name I covet, think is perfect for a poet and makes me smile more. I think that makes my bird an angel.

My little guy has nut allergies. ALL NUTS, that's: tree nuts, peanuts, soy, sesame, no mango's for this guy allergic, scary swelling allergic. Yep, he is one of the children in an ever growing epidemic. As part of a society that has quickly become safety crazed with car seats and helmets, gates and guards, monitors and alarms, one little nut could prove to be lethal. So as I prepare to send him off to preschool this fall I wanted to make some t-shirts for him to wear so his teachers can more easily identify him.
This is the first attempted design. I will post more as I have time.