That Familiar Post-Holiday Feeling

I laughed when I saw this Mourning Dove early one morning a couple of weeks ago.  The bird reminded me of how I tend to feel this time of year after a month or so of holiday indulgence.

I’m sure we all know the feeling.  Somehow, all of our clothing shrank and everything’s just a bit too snug.

Actually, this dove isn’t obese.  It has fluffed out its feathers as a way of keeping warm.  Doing this increases the feathers’ insulating factor and they function for the bird pretty much the way a down jacket or vest functions for us.  So, this lean bird suddenly becomes a very obese-looking bird.  Amusing, and given the time of year, a bit poignant, however.

Images made with a Canon 5Diii, 400 DO, aperture preferred setting, ISO 500, f5 @ 1/3200.