Sticks and Stones...

Written on 2002-11-09, at 11:15 a.m.

The ground on my street is relatively pristine (read: boring) and free of clutter. However, every once in a while, a branch from some tree over-head will fall to the ground, thus adding something to spice it up. Whenever I walk my dog and she sees one of these branches (even if she is thirty feet from it) she will instantly lunge at it, swoop it up into her mouth, and carry it like some fascinating trophy, smiling fom ear to ear at what she has found. As she carries it, she'll have to chew down on it every so often as she repositions it in her mouth so that she may get a better grip. However, as she continues to bite down on one point of the branch, this point eventually reaches its own tension point, and the branch snaps in two.

At this point, my dog looks at the two halves, and there is a critical moment of decision. The half on the left is clearly larger, but the half on the right has more sub-branches and twigs extending out from it, making it more complex and more interesting. She looks back and forth at the two for another moment, until she finally concludes that the larger branch on the left is superior. She lunges at it again, and the two of us continue on our way, she grinning from ear to ear, I looking at her in wonder... until, yet again, the branch snaps in two. Another moment of indecision. Another decision to take the bigger half. A few more moments of walking. The branch snaps again. Another decision. A smaller branch...

The cycle continues until, eventually, there is nothing left in her mouth but the most miniscule twig. Yet still, she continues to grin, savoring the flavor and texture of the branch, enjoying its uniqueness, admiring its complexity.

And then, it breaks.

She looks at the nub on the left.

She looks at the nub on the right.

And, then, she sees a new branch, thirty feet away.

She lunges.

I, meanwhile, am in the process of finding my own new branch...

- - 2005-05-11
- - 2005-02-10
- - 2005-01-12
- - 2004-11-21
- - 2004-08-31


And some of my favorite entries...


For all your green building needs...