Writer's Block

What an exhausting couple of weeks! I am still chasing to and from the coast and haven't done a thing of note in all this time.
The council has just been and trimmed all our nature strips and generally tidied up the town for the expected tourist influx. They are late with their tidy town bit, usually they are here before Easter, which is the start of the tourist flow.
I am busy printing off copies my chapbook in preparation for the visitors. Naturally, I should have had them done months ago but I tell myself that I work better under pressure.
The cooler weather has brought with it a lot of new birds. The storm bird has gone home, hopefully next November he will be more reliable. The rain didn't come until he'd flow away. Now the mornings are filled with the sounds of quail, pee wees, butcher birds and small parrots. Later in the day the crows, sulphur crested cockatoos and happy jacks become dominant.
This photo is taken by my talented sister-in-law Doris Campbell-Smith. It is a Canberra sulphur cocky - I am sure ours are bigger. I think the space we have here works for them the same way goldfish grow when they are in bigger pools. That's my theory anyway.
We don't feed our wild birds here, there are too many fights. Besides, if we run out of food or forget to feed them they either come inside and demand food or swoop us as we go about our chores. A bit cheeky, I think.

This Week
I've really done nothing important,
taken each day as it comes,
waited for ideas to grab me -
mentally twiddled my thumbs.

I watched birds playing in water,
measured our wonderful rain,
laughed at husband's expression -
now he must mow again.

I've played cards on computer,
washed clothes and put them away;
now home, exhausted from shopping,
I still have nothing to say.

I'll read some works to inspire,
admire their turns of phrase.
I wonder why mud's in my memory
and hope it's a passing phase.

Frances Mackay 13-04-06