The Melancholy Sparrow: This golden-crowned sparrow was in our backyard today munching on seeds from miner’s lettuce and other assorted “weeds,” all part of an intense spring of bulking up so it can survive the long migration thousands and thousands miles north from California all the way to western Canada and/or Alaska. It sang a very melancholy song, so I could tell it was nervous and stressed. But I did my best to be reassuring, saying to it repeatedly:

“YUKON DO IT!”

And then, without a word, it left. No goodbye, no thank-you, no nothing. Oh well, I’ll just assume it was adequately inspired to fly to the tundra. . . . You’re welcome, little sparrow. You’re welcome. ?