USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Nosmo King]

Over the last two weeks we have had two hawk visitations, the first one was a hawk chasing a bird through the back yard, the small bird flew into one of the arborvitaes and the hawk landed in the apple tree to wait the bird out. The small bird flew out the back side of the arborvitae where the hawk couldn't see it and escaped. The second one I saw the aftermath of a kill, feathers and down all over the ground at the corner of the house with more feathers and down up on the chimney where the hawk decided to eat it's catch.

Pop's hobby was reading. He didn't golf, fish, hunt, work with wood nor clay nor paints. We never knew what Pop had read so buying him gifts of books never worked out.

One Christmas Pop said he might like a bird feeder for the west lawn at the Big House. That opened the flood gates and Pop got bird feeders for that Christmas, the next Father's Day and his birthday. Bird feeders festooned the lawns and soon Pop was keen on bird watching. Finches, Nut Hatches, Jays, Cardinals and Titmice were all over the grounds Andy under Pop's binocular aided view.

One fine spring day a Blue Jay sat at a suet cake encrusted with black sunflower seeds. As he munched away a Cooper's Hawk swooped down from the Sugar Maple not thirty feet away. The suet begat the Jay and the Jay begat the Hawk. It tore that Jay stem to stern as Pop watched in rapt fascination.

When Mom came into the kitchen where Pop was watching nature play its cruel game she was horrified!

"Just like Marlin Perkin's Wild Kingdom!" said Pop with a small bit of glee.

We were told no more bird feeders by my gentle mother.

The wife saw the hawk again this morning chasing a grey dove.

Those are mourning doves, very prolific year round here and in the lower elevations of the Sandia and Manazano mountains. If you have a lot of trees and shrubbery on your property they probably have a nest or two there.

It was interesting that the scrub jays on the mountain harrassed and bullied all the smaller birds up there, but they couldn't bully the mourning doves who got along with everything but them. If the jays got too obnoxious, the doves would run them off allowing the little birds to go to the feeders unmolested.

But it was interesting. Everybody--jays, sparrows, nutcatches, grosbeaks, finches, doves, etc. would go flat to the ground or flatten out on the deck when the shadow of the golden eagles passed over them.

The mourning doves coo gently here too. Mom currently has a nesting pair at the Big House. She has named them George and Gracie.

I've told this story before, but it bears repeating.

When I lived on the sunny coast of west Florida, Sarasota to be specific, I had a project mapping a garbage dump. It was all bright lights and glamor at that point in my career. The dump was a cone shaped mound that rose more than 100 feet from the billiard table like terrain. The top of the mound was perpetually covered with scavenging sea gulls. They picked through the disposable diapers and frozen dinner containers and placed a patina of gull guano all over the dump.

There was a pair of Bald Eagles who built an aerie in the tall yellow leaf pines surrounding the site. We found the nest by looking at the ground around the base of the trees. Once we found a mess of fish bones, gull bones, eagle down and poop, we knew which tree contained their aerie. We diligently placed caution tape around a fifty foot diameter ring around the tree to help preserve the nest.

Every day, three of four times a day, one of the eagles would take Wing and swoop low across the convention of gulls. The sea gulls weren't dummies. They sensed the flight of the eagles and would split as soon as possible. It looked to me like someone was opening a zipper on a gull sweater. They flew off with due haste as they knew any one of them might just become lunch.

 

[Foxfyre]

Over the last two weeks we have had two hawk visitations, the first one was a hawk chasing a bird through the back yard, the small bird flew into one of the arborvitaes and the hawk landed in the apple tree to wait the bird out. The small bird flew out the back side of the arborvitae where the hawk couldn't see it and escaped. The second one I saw the aftermath of a kill, feathers and down all over the ground at the corner of the house with more feathers and down up on the chimney where the hawk decided to eat it's catch.

Pop's hobby was reading. He didn't golf, fish, hunt, work with wood nor clay nor paints. We never knew what Pop had read so buying him gifts of books never worked out.

One Christmas Pop said he might like a bird feeder for the west lawn at the Big House. That opened the flood gates and Pop got bird feeders for that Christmas, the next Father's Day and his birthday. Bird feeders festooned the lawns and soon Pop was keen on bird watching. Finches, Nut Hatches, Jays, Cardinals and Titmice were all over the grounds Andy under Pop's binocular aided view.

One fine spring day a Blue Jay sat at a suet cake encrusted with black sunflower seeds. As he munched away a Cooper's Hawk swooped down from the Sugar Maple not thirty feet away. The suet begat the Jay and the Jay begat the Hawk. It tore that Jay stem to stern as Pop watched in rapt fascination.

When Mom came into the kitchen where Pop was watching nature play its cruel game she was horrified!

"Just like Marlin Perkin's Wild Kingdom!" said Pop with a small bit of glee.

We were told no more bird feeders by my gentle mother.

The wife saw the hawk again this morning chasing a grey dove.

Those are mourning doves, very prolific year round here and in the lower elevations of the Sandia and Manazano mountains. If you have a lot of trees and shrubbery on your property they probably have a nest or two there.

It was interesting that the scrub jays on the mountain harrassed and bullied all the smaller birds up there, but they couldn't bully the mourning doves who got along with everything but them. If the jays got too obnoxious, the doves would run them off allowing the little birds to go to the feeders unmolested.

But it was interesting. Everybody--jays, sparrows, nutcatches, grosbeaks, finches, doves, etc. would go flat to the ground or flatten out on the deck when the shadow of the golden eagles passed over them.

The mourning doves coo gently here too. Mom currently has a nesting pair at the Big House. She has named them George and Gracie.

I've told this story before, but it bears repeating.

When I lived on the sunny coast of west Florida, Sarasota to be specific, I had a project mapping a garbage dump. It was all bright lights and glamor at that point in my career. The dump was a cone shaped mound that rose more than 100 feet from the billiard table like terrain. The top of the mound was perpetually covered with scavenging sea gulls. They picked through the disposable diapers and frozen dinner containers and placed a patina of gull guano all over the dump.

There was a pair of Bald Eagles who built an aerie in the tall yellow leaf pines surrounding the site. We found the nest by looking at the ground around the base of the trees. Once we found a mess of fish bones, gull bones, eagle down and poop, we knew which tree contained their aerie. We diligently placed caution tape around a fifty foot diameter ring around the tree to help preserve the nest.

Every day, three of four times a day, one of the eagles would take Wing and swoop low across the convention of gulls. The sea gulls weren't dummies. They sensed the flight of the eagles and would split as soon as possible. It looked to me like someone was opening a zipper on a gull sweater. They flew off with due haste as they knew any one of them might just become lunch.

I have an icon to a southwest Florida bald eagle cam on my desktop. It is idle right now because the last eaglet left the premises to resettle probably up north somewhere on May 2.

Harriet and M-1, mom and dad, are still in the area but enjoying the summer for now. They will shore up the huge nest, 90 feet above the ground, this fall and the new eaglet or eaglets will hatch probably in November or December. M-1 is Harriet's second mate. Her first husband, Ozzie, died two or three years ago. But they are a great pair and good parents taking turns incubating the eggs and hunting--the hunter brings food back to whoever is on the nest. And once the eaglets hatch, they have to work from dawn to dusk to keep the hungry little ones fed along with themselves. Bald eagles mate for life and are monogamous unless no offspring result from the union in which case they go their separate ways and seek out new mates.

If ya'll will remind me, I'll post the link to the eagle cam this fall if anybody is interested in watching.

 

[Montrovant]

The little one is at some sort of Bible camp this week. It gives me time to study for my upcoming A&P exam, but it also leaves me without anyone to tickle.

 

[Nosmo King]

Vacation Bible school was a great treat when I was a little shaver. We learned the stories of Daniel in the lion's den, Noah and the ark, Samson and Delilah (my personal favorite) and Moses and Rames.

We also learned to eat paste, rock hard ginger snaps, weak orange drink and when it was nap time. I remember spinning tall tales of heroism about my uncles, none of which were true. I have refined my story telling technique since then and always tell tales with at least the patina of truth.

Today's Vacation Bible schools seem to be prepackaged affairs with themes and set curriculums. The local churches have shown pity on the volunteer mothers who man the Bible schools providing them with learning aids and coloring books set to fulfill the assigned theme.

In 1964 we had a lively discussion about the World's Fair in New York City. One of my teachers had gone and came back to East Liverpool with the coolest World's Fair swag. I instantly became a fan of the Big Apple, but I did not visit Oz on the Hudson until I was in high school. By then, of course, New York had become some place to be warned about. But that seedy aspect only fertilized my imagination. By 1973, I was hooked.

Another day we found out that the church playground had not been properly maintained as the sliding board was just a rusted sheet of steel and the wooden seats on the swing set were full of splinters. Alas, no more outdoor time for the kids that summer. But the church Deacons pitched in that autumn and by October there was outdoor space for the Sunday school teachers to air out the squirming giggle of bored children.

Of course today's kids don't know what they are missing with inedible paste served up during craft time and a structured Vacation Bible school. I hope that they enjoy it as much as I did fifty five years ago.

 

[Foxfyre]

Vacation Bible school was a great treat when I was a little shaver. We learned the stories of Daniel in the lion's den, Noah and the ark, Samson and Delilah (my personal favorite) and Moses and Rames.

We also learned to eat paste, rock hard ginger snaps, weak orange drink and when it was nap time. I remember spinning tall tales of heroism about my uncles, none of which were true. I have refined my story telling technique since then and always tell tales with at least the patina of truth.

Today's Vacation Bible schools seem to be prepackaged affairs with themes and set curriculums. The local churches have shown pity on the volunteer mothers who man the Bible schools providing them with learning aids and coloring books set to fulfill the assigned theme.

In 1964 we had a lively discussion about the World's Fair in New York City. One of my teachers had gone and came back to East Liverpool with the coolest World's Fair swag. I instantly became a fan of the Big Apple, but I did not visit Oz on the Hudson until I was in high school. By then, of course, New York had become some place to be warned about. But that seedy aspect only fertilized my imagination. By 1973, I was hooked.

Another day we found out that the church playground had not been properly maintained as the sliding board was just a rusted sheet of steel and the wooden seats on the swing set were full of splinters. Alas, no more outdoor time for the kids that summer. But the church Deacons pitched in that autumn and by October there was outdoor space for the Sunday school teachers to air out the squirming giggle of bored children.

Of course today's kids don't know what they are missing with inedible paste served up during craft time and a structured Vacation Bible school. I hope that they enjoy it as much as I did fifty five years ago.

I will have to admit that the Vacation Bible School, pretty much mandatory in my childhood church, isn't one of my fondest memories. I was bored silly with the crafts and projects that rarely resulted in anything anybody would appreciate or want to keep. It was somewhat more bearable when I graduated to be an older kid and teacher's helper, but it still didn't enthuse or inspire me.

Now if we had built bird houses or something like that. . .but. . .

And in all these years since, my only contribution to VBS is baking cookies, cup cakes and/or brownies to distribute as treats during the week and/or contributing to the costs plus sending my own kids. But I always saw the VBS director as a sacrificial lamb no doubt slated for sainthood, and the teachers and helpers as remarkable people which I had no desire to emulate.

 

[ricechickie]

My dad and I finished painting the porch this morning, put everything away, washed up, went out to admire our handiwork, and then noticed the spots we missed. The spindles of my porch railing are curvy, fiddly little things, and it's easy to miss a crease or crevice when painting them.

Hopefully later this afternoon I can fix all that.

(I had to edit because my phone interpreted my use of "fiddly" as "cuddly." I pictured myself hugging and cooing over the porch railing.)

 

[Foxfyre]

My dad and I finished painting the porch this morning, put everything away, washed up, went out to admire our handiwork, and then noticed the spots we missed. The spindles of my porch railing are curvy, fiddly little things, and it's easy to miss a crease or crevice when painting them.

Hopefully later this afternoon I can fix all that.

(I had to edit because my phone interpreted my use of "fiddly" as "cuddly." I pictured myself hugging and cooing over the porch railing.)

I have enough problem with autocorrect on my computer and various software I use. But the phone and texting or posting is the positive worse.

 

[Big Black Dog]

Dining aboard the Star of Honolulu last night was great! Here's what we were served:
Drinks! All you cared to partake. I had a couple of Buds. Then came the food:
They started off with Summer Canapés - Sun-dried tomato and boursin cheese crisps, Sesame Shrimp Herb Pastry, and Grecian Hummus atop English Cucumber followed by Chilled Corn and Avocado Crema Soup followed by Fresh Kampala Tomatoes and Green Papaya Salad, crispy pork rinds, micro greens and white balsamic soy vinaigrette. Then came the Air-Flown in live Maine Lobster with sautéed baby cabbage, garlic chips and beurre blanc. The Intermezzo was raspberry rose sorbet. Then along came the Highest Grade Prime Tenderloin of Beef (most tender steak I have ever eaten!!!) with seared foie gras, medley of summer vegetables, potato puree and demi-glace. They followed that up with Lilikoi Mango Cheesecake with yuzu orange blossom sorbet, matcha green tea macaron and fresh fruits. I was stuffed. The Captain was a delightful fellow and if he eats like this every trip out he takes I'm sure that pretty soon he will weigh 400 pounds! After dining Mrs. BBD and I danced to the nice music being played and I showed them all some of my finest "old school" moves. Then we went outside and took in the view of Honolulu after dark. It was a very nice time and a most enjoyable evening.

This afternoon at 2:15 we are heading down to the Polynesian Cultural Center to take it all in and attend the luau there tonight. Should be fun.

There's talk of a tropical storm nearby. Hope it doesn't hit us. If it does we will honker down and take it all in stride. Can't do anything about the weather - at least I can't.

 

[Ernie S.]

This talk of hawks and eagles reminded me that I saw our resident great horned owl Sunday about dusk. I'm assuming he/she is one of the pair that I first saw up in back of my property 5 years ago. The one I saw was likely the female since it was huge. It was just above the utility poles as I drove up the road so I have a fairly good point of reference. I judge the wing span as ca. 48".

 

[Kat]

My dad and I finished painting the porch this morning, put everything away, washed up, went out to admire our handiwork, and then noticed the spots we missed. The spindles of my porch railing are curvy, fiddly little things, and it's easy to miss a crease or crevice when painting them.

Hopefully later this afternoon I can fix all that.

(I had to edit because my phone interpreted my use of "fiddly" as "cuddly." I pictured myself hugging and cooing over the porch railing.)

I have enough problem with autocorrect on my computer and various software I use. But the phone and texting or posting is the positive worse.

 

[Ringel05]

Dining aboard the Star of Honolulu last night was great! Here's what we were served:
Drinks! All you cared to partake. I had a couple of Buds. Then came the food:
They started off with Summer Canapés - Sun-dried tomato and boursin cheese crisps, Sesame Shrimp Herb Pastry, and Grecian Hummus atop English Cucumber followed by Chilled Corn and Avocado Crema Soup followed by Fresh Kampala Tomatoes and Green Papaya Salad, crispy pork rinds, micro greens and white balsamic soy vinaigrette. Then came the Air-Flown in live Maine Lobster with sautéed baby cabbage, garlic chips and beurre blanc. The Intermezzo was raspberry rose sorbet. Then along came the Highest Grade Prime Tenderloin of Beef (most tender steak I have ever eaten!!!) with seared foie gras, medley of summer vegetables, potato puree and demi-glace. They followed that up with Lilikoi Mango Cheesecake with yuzu orange blossom sorbet, matcha green tea macaron and fresh fruits. I was stuffed. The Captain was a delightful fellow and if he eats like this every trip out he takes I'm sure that pretty soon he will weigh 400 pounds! After dining Mrs. BBD and I danced to the nice music being played and I showed them all some of my finest "old school" moves. Then we went outside and took in the view of Honolulu after dark. It was a very nice time and a most enjoyable evening.

This afternoon at 2:15 we are heading down to the Polynesian Cultural Center to take it all in and attend the luau there tonight. Should be fun.

There's talk of a tropical storm nearby. Hope it doesn't hit us. If it does we will honker down and take it all in stride. Can't do anything about the weather - at least I can't.

You're going to honker down........? Is that the yankee version of hunker down.......?

............

 

[Ringel05]

The wife had a job interview this afternoon for a part time job in NE, something for now until we get properly settled. On the trip back saw the Swiss Alps Bakery and had to stop........ big mistake that we won't be making again anytime soon. We picked up some pop overs, carrot cake and tres leches cake......... single servings each. I just finished the leche...... OMG was it good!!!

 

[Foxfyre]

Good night darlinks. I really do love you guys.

And we continue to pray and/or send good vibes and/or positive thoughts and/or keep vigil for:

Harper (Save's granddaughter),
Pogo’s friend Pat and special comfort for Pogo,
Nosmo's mom,
Rod, GW's partner,
Kat's sister,
Ernie!!!
Boedicca, her dad, brother, and family,
Kat & Mr. Kat in transition,
Hossfly's knee surgery,
Sherry's Mom for treatment to be successful,
The Ringels in difficult transition
Dana!!!! (Foxfyre's friend recovering from heart transplant.)
Mr. and Mrs. Gracie in difficult transition
Special prayers and/or positive thoughts for Mr. Peach and Peach143 in the coming days and wellness for them both.
Ringel's injured shoulder,
ricechickie's injured shoulder
And for our job hunters.

And the light is left on for Noomi, Freedombecki, SFC Ollie, AgainSheila, Ridgerunner, and all others we hope will return.

Desert monsoon sunset

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hey BBD!

Monk Seals, jellyfish and king tides... They say timing in life is everything, and what is a vacay without a few complications... Its been 35+ years since I was at the Polynesian Culture Center, but I appreciated it most over all the other touristy things. We lived in a beach house a couple of miles away from PCC in a little burg called Hauula for a 2 years back in the 80's... Hope you are enjoying the Aloha State...

Warning for beachgoers as jellyfish influx hits the south shores

 

[ricechickie]

Shoulder is feeling much better. I have full range of motion. I'm trying not to strain it, but I can do what I need to do.

The kittens under my freshly painted porch are being caught by a Good Samaritan with a trap. She feeds them wet food and waits with a string a few feet away ready to release the door. She has caught 3 out of the 5. But mama cat is very skittish. Hopefully, she will be caught, spayed, and released back outside.

 

[blackhawk]

Good advice.

 

[Ringel05]

Droped the wife off this morning where she's doing volunteer work, ran a couple of errands then decided to go to the MVD to look into switching my driver's license over to New Mexico. No information desk, took a number and an hour and a half later my number was finally called. They entered all my info in the computer and took my license picture, half an hour later I had to leave to pick up the wife, I'll have to go back tomorrow to actually get my license........ I have never had to wait more than 45 minutes (when the DMV was the busiest in Virginia) for anything especially a driver's license, hell in Texas it only took 20 minutes total. I could go to one of the MVD expresses but that's an extra $30 out of pocket........... Amazing, absolutely amazing.........

 

[Foxfyre]

Droped the wife off this morning where she's doing volunteer work, ran a couple of errands then decided to go to the MVD to look into switching my driver's license over to New Mexico. No information desk, took a number and an hour and a half later my number was finally called. They entered all my info in the computer and took my license picture, half an hour later I had to leave to pick up the wife, I'll have to go back tomorrow to actually get my license........ I have never had to wait more than 45 minutes (when the DMV was the busiest in Virginia) for anything especially a driver's license, hell in Texas it only took 20 minutes total. I could go to one of the MVD expresses but that's an extra $30 out of pocket........... Amazing, absolutely amazing.........

At the risk of going political in the Coffee Shop, can't say I didn't tell you so. Even the MVD Express--Wyoming and Paseo--takes appointment times to go through the Driver's License process here. The New Mexico MVD is the closest thing to government hell we've found so far.

 

[Montrovant]

About 10 minutes until I take my 4th proctored A&P exam. Fingers crossed I get another A and can skip the final.

 

[peach174]

About 10 minutes until I take my 4th proctored A&P exam. Fingers crossed I get another A and can skip the final.

Good luck!!!!!!