The geese have paired up and the ganders are minding their mates, standing by protectively as the female goes about everyday affairs. The male red winged blackbirds are standing sentry in the reeds near their nests. A wind out of the north this morning is bringing cold again but a mockingbird in a holly tree was singing full out as I walked past on my way back from a meeting this morning. I got a laugh from the news on the TV at the gym this morning as I watched footage of Newt Gingrich explaining his extramarital affairs as being offshoots of his patriotic passion.