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Thursday, September 02, 2021

The Hunter


Tiny cashew of a crescent moon
, sitting duck up in the sky.

And there he came along behind, bow drawn the fullest, belted dagger dangling

Ida swept away summer last night, let him out of his cave to run and fight.

To sport across the sky all winter, and dance victory on the barn roof after each and every night.

They say he travels east to find his eyesight, blinded once in someone's anger.

Will he step on that scorpion again tonight or live to hunt another?

Will moon escape to fly again the summer skies, a pirate ship with sails unfurled?

Will we somehow stay warm when the wildwinds whirl?

Ida's broom seems to have tumbled away the misty, smoky morning clouds that overhung us every day all summer. We've seen a star or two sometimes, poking dull, skinny beams through the blanket, but for the most part this year's only summer stars have been fireflies dancing in the garden.

In the clear, cold of the first unofficial, but very real fall morning (O' dark thirty...there was a four involved in there somewhere) as I took the dog out, I saw the first satellite I have ever observed, sailing steadily among the stars. There is normally way too much light pollution and dirty diesel air to see such things from our riverside home.

Before first coffee had time to cool a faint blue glow stained the horizon, palest pink to follow. Orion slunk away to hunt again another morning.

Not ready for this, nope, nope, nope. I am never ready for this.

But there is consolation. #warblermigration.


Common Yellowthroat 
Nondescript but noisy in the shrubbery

Wednesday, September 01, 2021

Almost 70

 



Today would have marked their 70th wedding anniversary, but they only made 69. They met on a blind date, lo these many years ago, went to each other's proms that year, and then did everything together for all the rest of their years forever.

They used to call out to one another in their later years....or maybe forever as well, but I only learned about it in the past few years...

"I love you," I would hear Dad yell from somewhere upstairs or out in the office when I was talking on the phone with Mom.

"Love you," she would holler in her scratchy COPD voice. Then she would go right back to what we were talking about when he called.

How about that? Wish they were here to enjoy their 70th, but wherever they are, I'll bet they are still together, still calling out, some way somehow...

I love you....




Monday, August 30, 2021

As Promised




 M
ore of our wonderful beach day in the Outer Banks, one of my favorite spots in the whole world.





I love it there!





The Rest of the Story


 
Above is a slightly redacted (to hide the kids' faces and the name on the mailbox) photo taken at the same time as yesterday's Sunday Stills Black-and-white shot. What a difference color makes to the mood here. And what a job those iron wheels do on the road surface!)

Below is another shot of the straying sheep that appeared in the first photo. They were in a big hurry, but not nearly as much as the farmer chasing them. Driving the roads around here is rarely boring...glad we are not usually in a hurry, and kinda sorry for the folks who are. It can get pretty western just traveling from place to place.



Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Cleaning

 




The salt off my binoculars lenses.
Because the kids drove over 30 hours by my calculations to pick me up and take me along on a speedy trip south for a day at the beach....the beach at Hatteras, Outer Banks that is.



Getting there was, in some ways, half the fun, as we had many chances to talk in "real life" person, as opposed to Facetime or just on the phone. And that was great. We have always been close....




The traffic however, was brutal. Five hours of Hell south of Quantico. However, both kids are excellent drivers and we all got there, and back to our various destinations, safely.




That day between was incredible
. Salt air and shifting sea. Birds and sand and waves. The unforgettable sensation of wild surf sucking the sand right from under you and then trying to throw you down in the hole. Ghost crabs scuttling sideways out of their holes and haunting down the beach.
 Fisherman seeking sand fleas in any way they could get them. One fellow had a fancy metal scoop that he shuffled through the sand and shells. Another guy simply dug fast as all get out with his hands, grabbing them when they squirted away from him.



The first thing I saw when we went down to the beach from our hotel was a Ruddy Turnstone. Although I saw some in Florida during the early 70s eBird doesn't know about those so technically it was a life bird.




First day with the new hat

Baby Bailey had her toes in the ocean
for the first time. She was not quite sure about it and pulled her little footsies up a bit, but she trusted her daddy and was happy with it all. She was enthralled by the view of the water from the little cabana they had to keep her safe from the sun, and watched eagerly all the while we were there.




I'm afraid that over the next couple of days
you will be seeing pictures of several aspects of the trip. It isn't every weekend that you get to do something like that! 



Sunday, August 15, 2021

Sunday Stills....Summer

Took me two days to find this stuff
Might need it this weekend

 
Wonder what this is saying
about the season after next....





Immature Song Sparrow

Not the best of summer at all


For more Sunday Stills....

Monday, August 09, 2021

Away

 

Thor takes his work
(guarding the house)
seriously

Very seriously



Cam is much more laid back,
Although on call if actually needed




Plant ID please


Hot enough to make the Robins pant



Juv. Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Best reward of the day

Awesome birthday present

There was also really tender good steak that our boy grilled over at the race (where everyone else spent the day) which I ate on the way home. No knife or fork. Just took it in my hands and nom nom nom. Hey...what can I tell you?....I was hungry.

***As you may have guessed we drove out to visit the kids yesterday. They took the boss to Watkins Glen for the big NASCAR race, while I stayed at the house and kept the doggos company. Home by 11:30, which was not too bad.



I know, baby, I know
Grandpa can be kinda scary sometimes
but he is harmless, I promise