Discovering Beauty in Everyday Life

So far we don't know too much about Ripple,  but here's how we met....... I was happening to glance to my left on the way up 5th avenue, when my pointless progress was arrested by an insistent and very demanding TWEET. I turned around, and there was the unmistakable puffy, tweety, happy presence of Ounce. Ounce hopped and tweeted, and off we went up 5th Avenue and into the Park near the Harlem Meer. I thought Ounce was after a favorite bathing bowl, but it’s too early for fountains. Before I knew it, Ounce was tweeting and fluffing and hopping, and who floated over but Ripple! Ounce introduced us, and off they went for a ride on the Meer! I tried to get a photo, but Ounce kept moving around, and then there was the glare of the sun. I can’t tell you how much fresh air can be packed into a walk. Ounce on 5th Avenue Ripple floats in the Harlem Meer

It may seem as though the secret garden is an idyllic spot for calm and serenity, but even in paradise there is strife. Our brave photographer was sitting quietly among the berries and the fall lilies, watching Ounce an lots of friends playing in the Sparrow Bowl, when all at once, Red Cardinal came swooping down, scattering sparrows right and left!   Perhaps this swooping was innocent enough, but our brave photographer was so stunned by the chaos that Ounce was entirely forgotten!  Ounce  was furious, and a furious, wet sparrow is a dangerous thing.  Ounce dive-bombed a couple of times and practically drown trying to save the sanctity of the sparrow bowl.  Amazingly, as stunned as our brave photographer was, the footage was still in the cloud! Conservancy Garden, October 2016, from daylight into evening Central Park

Ounce has developed a Characteristic that is not altogether happy.  Ounce does not like to share. We know already how much Ounce Loves water.  But look how the entire bathbowl is, in the opinion of Ounce, reserved for sole occupancy.  Of course Ounce finaly gives up and flees! Our amazing photo-journalist has captured this revealing video.  Click the play arrow, and then click the squarish thing on the bottom right of the video for Full Screen!  Don't forget to come back.... \ If all else fails, click on the link below https://youtu.be/Oe6jyvQ_Dlc

Mourning Dove rests at evening in the Secret Garden sparrow pool Mourning Dove in Secret Garden

 Ounce is playing in his favorite water bowl of all time, the Secret Garden Burnett fountain. Granted, sometimes Ounce travels near to large bodies of water, but really the preference is for small, contained spaces with a few close friends. Despite an argument now and then (especially with larger birds: Ounce is a little Alpha), Ounce loves having friends over.

For months now, Ounce has been trying his best to live in the city. The new light poles with their crossbars here in New York proved too seductive for even our Ounce! Building a nice nest inside a street pipe was irresistible: new, highrise, amenities -- but the noise! Horns, Traffic, and the Pigeons! It was just too much. Well, Ounce is finally back in the park, but it's winter. You know how Ounce is with water...it's impossible to stay away for long. The other day we walked a little too close to Ounce's favorite sculpture swimming bowl. How disappointing, and after an entire summer of city life. Of course it's winter, and although the elements provide a little water sometimes, even gossamer metal is cold this time of year.

I found my sparrow friend Ounce (center) earlier today considering the possibilities of receiving truly free meals from cross-hatched metal tables. As you can see, Ounce has recruited two friends to help analyze the situation. Be it known that it is absolutely heroic to exercise such forbearance in the presence of potato chips, no matter where they are found. Ounce and Two Friends Discuss Likelihood of a Free Potato Chip Lunch A Decision is Reached

Sparrows and people arriving for the bi-weekly Sparrow Convention, held this time in the Conservancy Garden's Secret Garden.   shhhhhh.

I found Ounce perched on a stone wall, fluffed up and resonating in the cool morning Ounce

Ounce has learnt so much from watching traffic! Now we both must wait until the exactly correct time to cross the road.

Shall I grab that day?  Let me think a minute. Wait!  Gone. Yanked away as though It never had been born. a Pensive Ounce Considers

It's been awhile since I spent much time with Ounce, and I wondered what was happening..  Well!  It seems as though Ounce has taken up a new activity. It is winter, and therefore it is not a good time to go swimming.  "Come on ", said Ounce. "Let me show you the most fun thing to do.".  Of course I followed along as best I could, while Ounce hopped and flew from tree to tree making an effort not to let me fall too far behind.  Finally, I caught up, and there was Ounce, as happy as you please, watching traffic!  And if you have never tried it lately, it is totally fun, if you pay the correct sort of Ouncy attention. Ounce Watches Traffic

It has been awhile since I took little Ounce for a walk, so I went about searching in the usual places.  Ounce was playing in the Rambles just above the Boathouse and was so excited!  You know how Ounce likes to play in water and usually we find a puddle and go for a swim, if it isn't too deep. I explained that it is now winter .  The day was simply too cold, so I took us to the Boathouse for a warm drink. Poor Ounce was so disappointed!  I found a french fry, but it just wasn't the same.