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My first IRL with a twist
Yesterday I had my first real life meetup with another Skool community.
I drove up to Vancouver, BC and met up with six incredible women. We spent the morning walking along the seawall near Granville Island, talking, laughing, and just enjoying being outside together.
Along the way, I found myself completely pulled into the world around me. I am like the cliche "squirrel" when I see an animal.
This wonder experience started on the drive up when I saw two crows in the city. One had just picked up a long, skinny twig, the kind that looks like it was made for nest building. It felt a little late in the season for that, but this is the Pacific Northwest, and things don’t always follow the rules.
Later, walking along the water, I noticed a crow carrying something black and shiny. I couldn’t quite make it out at first. I kept thinking it was a rock. I did attempt to get closer to find out, but you can imagine how well that went for me.
Then I saw another crow down on the rocky shoreline with the same thing, and this time I could see it clearly. It was a mussel. I stopped without even thinking about it, letting the group walk ahead. The mussel was sealed tight, and the crow was working it against the rocks, scraping and tapping, trying to find a way in. Then the crow wedged the shell into a crack between the rocks, hinge side up, and started working its beak into that tiny opening. I watched in awe as they worked their beak into the opening.
Over and over, they pressed in, opening their beak like a pair of pliers before pulling back, adjusting, and trying again. Finally, they got just enough leverage that the shell started to break apart and the crow could get to the mussel inside.
I didn’t take a video or a picture. I just stood there watching, completely caught up in how brilliant this bird was using their beak like a tool. Ingenious.
And that alone would have been enough to keep my heart happy for the rest of the day but I then saw another crow tugging at what looked like stuffing from a cushion. I don’t know how something like that randomly ended up on the rocks, but there it was. The bird kept pulling and gathering the little kismet gift until it had a soft bundle it could carry off. Again, perfect nesting material.
Not long after, I saw another crow with its beak full of twigs and dried grasses fanned out on either side as it paused and looked straight at me while I was fumbling, once again, trying to get my camera ready. Of course, they flew before I could.
As I was hurrying to catch back up with the group, I watched as the same crow doubled back and landed in a tree, stopping on one branch, then another, pausing each time like it was checking the surroundings for enemies.
The crow kept moving outward until they reached that perfect place where two branches came together. I could see the perfect little cubby hole, where everything met as they dropped the material and started arranging it. I was just about to start recording when I realized the group was getting farther and farther ahead, and I actually had to run to catch up with them.
But I still could not resist the urge to stop for a moment to smell the cherry blossoms, and another tree with small star-shaped flowers that smelled just like jasmine before I rejoined the group and finished out what turned into a really beautiful day.
So that was my Friday.
How was yours and what are you doing this weekend?
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My first IRL with a twist
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