Delicate on blue

This is the second blurry photo I've uploaded today! I needed some vibrant colour today - we are still in our deep-freeze and according to the weather forecast, we have about four more days before temperatures become a bit more bearable. My camera must wonder what's going on and suffering feelings of rejection. I've been just too busy the last two weeks to go out, too sad, and when you see the windchill temperature is -31C (-24F), it just makes you want to stay home in the warmth with a steaming mug of coffee, anyway.

Last night, I finally wrote the words I wish to be read at my Brother's funeral in England - not the easiest thing to do, of course, and this afternoon I have a rare-for-me, splitting headache that burns every time I cough. John's funeral should be sometime within the next ten days.

This tiny snowflake, even though it's so blurry, soothes me a little today : ) Taken at Glennfield in Fish Creek Park on December 16th. I'm still hoping that we get this kind of fluffy snow again, but so thankful that I went down to the park that day.

Later afternoon: just received an e-mail, saying:

"Three WHOOPING CRANES found Dead. Wildlife scientists at the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, have concluded through preliminary testing the cranes found dead near Albany, Georgia, on Dec. 30, 2010, sustained injuries consistent with gunshot wounds.

The cranes were shot sometime before Dec. 30, 2010. They were discovered and reported by hunters. The three cranes, 20-10, 24-10, and 28-10, were part of a group of five 2010 Direct Autumn Release (DAR) cranes. According to Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership trackers, they had last been tracked in Hamilton County, Tennessee, where they roosted on December 10, 2010,with cranes 6-05, 6-09, and 38-09."

How could anyone carry out such a despicable act - against any wildlife, but even more so against such a highly threatened species???
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