Birds of Prey, Oh My!

I must admit that the going was a little slow this morning, not because I'm ill or anything, just a case of too much fun last night. Eating dinner on the patio is one of the things we love to do when the weather cooperates, and strangely enough, it was pleasant last evening with mild temperatures and low humidity.

Yesterday afternoon a pool builder came by the house to discuss updating our swimming pool.  An excellent general contractor is adding a sun room to the back of Angela's home so I got a name from him. When he showed up, right on time I might add, we were surprised that he was over 60 and had been in the pool business for 40+years, still doing most of the work himself. Bruce has been working from home the last few days which was ideal because he knows all the right questions to ask. Getting out the paperwork from the last overhaul, we discovered it was 12 years ago! The coating they used that time is no longer in use, primarily because it proved to be not so great. So here's our problems--the pool leaks, there are splotches of discoloration in far too many places, the skimmer housing is cracked, as is the deck in many places. Oh yeah--lots of cracked tiles too! Mr. Bowles recommends pretty much starting over aside from the shell. Sounds pretty pricey, but we'll see.

Anyway, after he left we ate dinner, drank more red wine than is prudent (I'm struggling on than/then here), swam in the moonlight, listened to music, and stayed up way too late! Thus, I was moving slow. Rolling over this morning as I awoke, I saw the clock read 8:00. Wow--I jumped up the best I could only to discover in the kitchen while making my tea that it was only 7. No wonder Bruce was still showering to go to the office!

In an effort to get moving, I took Baxter for a walk down our street, which in case you don't already know this, he's not all that crazy about. What kind of dog doesn't like to take a walk?! You pretty much have to tug him along, gently, but tug nonetheless. A few nights earlier a neighbor pointed out a bald eagle way high in the pine tree two doors down. Bruce came along Wednesday night and on our first pass we saw nothing. Heading back to the house we discovered two bald eagles! I did the best I could considering it was dusk, not to mention they are perched in trees that by Bruce's estimation are 80 FEET tall!

Here's a look at the trees in the back yard to give you an idea of their height:

Obviously I took this one today in broad daylight! This morning I discovered no bald eagles, but I was treated to the sight of two other birds of prey, the red tail hawk was out front in the same tree as the eagle the previous evening. This is one HUGE bird! The claws are pretty scary looking.

Those tall trees from the previous image were host to this osprey:

Naturally I knocked on the neighbor's door to gain permission to their back yard and while we were chatting he said the eagles came around quite a bit leaving all sorts of body parts in their wake. It didn't take me long to come across this as I was heading home:

YIKES!

I did manage to wash and hang our laundry on the clothesline, vacuum and there is bananna bread baking as I type, but I'd be less than truthful if I told you the day was very productive. One reason is I've come under the spell of Jane Smiley. Her new novel has me enthralled. Here's her very own website: http://web.mac.com/therealjanesmiley/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html If you've not read her before, you must rectify that situation at your earliest opportunity. Or at least that's what I think you should do.

Bruce has been extolling the virtues of Tom Petty's new album, "MOJO";  I finally got around to listening to this afternoon. Pretty good, but every time I hear Tom Petty I can't get this story out of my mind that one of my patients shared with me years and years ago. Her husband drove the tour bus for the Heartbreakers for more than twenty years. No more build up, here it is. He's weird, mostly taking his meals at a table by himself, AND he puts his face practically down in the plate with his hair in a free fall around said plate. Sorry if this sticks with you as well...