two days ago i was standing in the water. today the first snow flies. the sandhill cranes did not come to chicago this year, unless i missed them. their voices are so plaintive and lilting i usually hear them in the aural way of peripheral vision, even in my apartment. 
but i got a pottery bowl this morning with drawn wings, and some sweet wind-up toys, and mozart's letters, and a big button saying,      

                                                                                PEACE
                                                                                 IT'S
                                                                       WONDERFUL

the pebbles push for peace. i was wondering how they can say they are making this a natural landmark preservation and bury it in concrete.