MIGRATION

The elections are over. I note the London Times Online has an article that because of space constraints is headed "Barrack Obama, America's first black...". I wonder if this is like being First Lady? Anyway, Senator Obama is now in the position to finalize his choices for the Executive Team. All sorts of rumors are flying about his choice for this post or that. The news media here in Kansas are, of course, pushing Governor Kathleen Sebelius for some important post. I like having her as Gov, though. I'd rather see her run for the Senatorial seat held by Sam Brownback two years from now.

Aside from politics, I've been noticing the neighborhood change toward winter. Yesterday robins were grouping to migrate south. I am used to seeing them in the spring, but seeing eight or ten of them in autumn is unusual for me. The starlings and grackels are flocking together, too. Their piercing calls and excited chatter can be heard for blocks. I have also been hearing blue jays shouting, "Thief! Thief!" And the water fowl are gathering on the catch pond north of Wildwood Park for their journey south.

Trees are turning color and losing their leaves. Last year we had freezing rain before the leaves dropped, so most of us couldn't get that last raking in before the snow came. This year I've told the fellow who does our lawn to wait until the maple in front is at least half through with losing leaves, at which time he can mulch the leaves that haven't blown away. Also he can winterize the mower and put it in the garden shed. Any leaves that drop after that will get a trip through the leaf blower if they don't get blown to Nebraska.

The word of the day for November 6, 2008 is "migration" — Pronunciation: \mī-'grā-shən\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural mi·grat·tions
Etymology: Latin migratus, past participle of migrare; perhaps akin to Greek ameibein to change
Date: 1697
1 : the act of moving from one country, place, or locality to another. 2 : passing usually periodically from one region or climate to another for feeding or breeding.

Our quote for the day is the adage:

Birds of a feather flock together.

;^)