Thursday, April 12, 2018

THE BIRDS

The Weather Gods say today is going to be very windy here, with gusts up to and over 50 miles per hour.

Maybe that's why the birds have been visiting our birdbath in droves this morning.

I have observed a robin(!) who stopped on the ground facing me and stared for a second, then used the bird bath for what it's named.



Then in rapid succession I had a mockingbird, the first I'd seen this year, house finches, the Say's Phoebe and one of our local doves.


They all seem to appreciate the water, whether for drinking or bathing.

Since this is ThrowBack Thursday, I thought I'd include a better photo of a robin in the birdbath.


Same birdbath, same modus operandi, different location, at least a year ago.

And, BTW, the BRD completed another trip around the sun yesterday.

So, happy bird-day girl.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

(NOT) A ROBIN

A fairly frequent visitor to Catalyst's Watering Hole could be mistaken for a robin.


But his rosy-hued breast is not nearly as bright as a robin's.

And he's a tad smaller than those big bullies.

Searching Sibley's "Birds of the Arizona Central Highlands I have identified him as a Say's Phoebe.


He's quite a thirsty fellow and when he visits spends quite a well either at the fountain or pecking around for insects in the yard.


He was named after Thomas Say, a 19th Century naturalist who was born into a Quaker family in Pennsylvania.

Say spent time in the offshore islands of Georgia and Florida, and on exploratory missions to the Rocky Mountains and the tributaries of the Missouri River.

He married and lived in the utopian society of New Harmony, Indiana, where he died at the age of 47, apparently of typhoid fever.

But the bird named after him lives on.


Say's Phoebe.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

A NEW LOOK

We're in the perfect months of Spring right now in Arizona but summer is on the way.

The climate has changed a bit where we live.

It's just about a mile high in elevation.

Like Denver.

But being closer to the equator, i.e. further south, it gets warmer.

It used to get to 100 degrees Fahrenheit maybe one or two days in the summer.

But recently we've had stretches of that kind of heat that lasted weeks.

We used to live in Phoenix, back in the 70's and 80's.

Once the mercury climbed to 122 degrees.

That was in June of 1990 and we fortunately were living in Guadalajara, Mexico then.

Guadalajara is known as the place with eternal springtime.

But if you want true heat you have to travel about 360 miles west-northwest from here.

To Furnace Creek, in the heart of Death Valley.


It got to 134 degrees there once upon a time.

I got to wondering what I might look like if I had spent my life as a roving, gold-hunting prospecter in Death Valley.

Maybe like this.


I guess I'll stick to my sedentary ways, out of the direct sunlight.

And the heat.

Monday, April 9, 2018

TWEET TWEET


I TOLD you the birds were going to be happy about that tree leafing out, didn't I?

Oh, I know.  

When you saw the title on this post you were expecting something about the Donnie in D.C., weren't you?

Nope.

No politics.

Just bird talk.


Sunday, April 8, 2018

SPRING IS BUSTING OUT ALL OVER

The tree outside my window, which has been a barren forest of branches all winter, is finally heavily abounding in buds.




It's not a flowering tree but it will soon be filled with green leaves, judging from the looks of things.

The birds can barely wait.


Saturday, April 7, 2018

MAKING BREAD

I have heard that some bread bakers insist that all of that kneading is good therapy.

Me?

I let the machine do it.


I love my bread machine.

It takes all of the work out of bread production and turns out perfect loaves.


That's a loaf of whole wheat studded with craisins that I (the machine, actually) turned out yesterday.

Can you smell it?

SWMBO could and came in from the other room to slice the top off and tell me it tasted great, as usual.


As a special treat for my wife of 47 years, as of today, I have a loaf of rye with caraway rising in the machine now, soon to bake and send forth those enticing aromas.

Friday, April 6, 2018

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Another week of lunacy in Washington has left me scratching my head and wondering "Can I even match the Trumpster for humor?  Huh?  Can I?"

Frankly, I don't know but I'm gonna try, Gentle Readers.

So let's kick off the weekend with some toast.


Oh, I mean "A" toast.

Honestly, it's enough to drive one to drink.









Okay, pals, let us get out there and make every effort to have a Masters-ful weekend (heh-heh) and always remember to keep laughing.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(Oh, man)