A HUMBLE AMBITION The short essays collected here emerge from thought and reflection on topics found in out of the way places, away from the noise and glare of the big issues of our time. When we dig in these quiet corners we often find hidden treasures shining in the dirt like freshly unearthed gems.   The waxwing, pictured to the right, is a fitting symbol for such an endeavor. This bird, a perfect arrangement of form and color, carries its beauty with modesty. No garish colors, no gaudy plum