Saving "Time"

It's 8:18am on Monday morning, the day after "Daylight Savings Time," the old "Spring Forward." I feel as though I've lost a whole day, not just an hour. And where does this "lost" hour go, anyway? I think it's all a ruse to get us synchronized--if I were Chief Bromden (the narrator of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), I'd swear Nurse Ratched was up to her tricks.

I finally cut my hair off. Big shock, big difference. My sister is a hairdresser and, about three years ago, she asked me to grow my hair for an organization called "Locks for Love." They use donated hair to make wigs for cancer patients, mostly children. All you do is grow your hair until you can cut off about 11 inches; after you cut it, you fill out a form at their web site and mail it in. It's painless (unless you get used to your long hair and really want to keep it) and it helps a good cause.

Actually, I feel a bit "lightheaded," but in a good way. My hair is about shoulder length now, just long enough to gather into a ponytail if I want one, but short enough to be springy when I curl it. I'm not really vain about my hair, so cutting it didn't really matter to me. But I'm amazed at how many people haven't noticed that it's shorter.

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I've noticed the last few days that the hawk numbers have dropped. Many red-tailed hawks migrate here for the winter and head back north around the end of March or the beginning of April. Last year, they seemed to linger well into April, but we had a late Easter. This morning, I only counted two; my high count this winter was 17 on a morning drive. They clue me into the seasons of winter and spring. I may not notice the changes in the tress, but I notice the birds.

We have a few indigenous species of hawk here, so I'll still see a small number on my drives. But I'll be looking for them again in the fall.