Saw a Mourning Dove this morning. Was it mourning anything? Probably the end of warm weather around here. It was on the ground, pecking at litter under a seed feeder. It stood alone and apart from a ragtag bunch of juncos, chickadees, nuthatches and sparrows. 
The sight of this solitary bird brings to mind a favorite old novel. “Lonesome Dove,” by Larry McMurtry. It’s worth knowing about whether you’re into books or not. Friends have said, “What did you do to me, recommending that story? I can’t stop reading it!”
But back to this morning’s Mourning Dove. Aren’t doves said to be social? Lovey-dovey and all that? So the sight of this lonesome dove does two things. It catches your daily bird-watching interest and also reminds you of that novel you read. And then re-read a few years later for the fun of it.
Sure. Some things are worth doing more than once. Like reading the Pulitzer-winning, two-fisted “Lonesome Dove.” And maybe even telling you about it more than once, too.
Long-time readers of our stuff might remember that we mentioned this years ago. We got a slew of comments from those who agreed. Just because you’ve read that big, rawboned, wild-west, rough & ready literary classic before, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it again.
Thinking this, you nod at an actual lonesome dove on this cold morning. And you think, hey, thanks guy, for the reminder. Maybe gonna re-read that big book another time someday. But for now, just gonna write about it.
I don’t know about the bird, but it’s difficult to be lonesome when you read a book as comforting as Lonesome Dove a second or third time.
Lots of animals remind me of that book. Including water moccasins!