USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Dajjal]

 

[Foxfyre]

View attachment 271787

Cute pic but I've watched baby chicks being hatched and they don't emerge from the egg all dry and fluffy. It takes awhile outside the egg before that happens. Miraculous but not exactly a thing of beauty to behold.

 

[gallantwarrior]

I'm a pushover for birds of all kinds. I just like them. However, I've noticed that a lot of friends do not care for bluejays because they make a lot of noise and seem to be rude. I'm providing this little video in hopes that because of the beneficial and good things they do, if a bluejay seems disgusting, you might give them some slack once you see what they actually do that helps nature. OK, OK, all the peanuts WILL disappear when Blue Jays are around hogging them up...the little larceny-directed punks...but see if you find out that they make up for it:

​

We don't have blue jays here, we do have gray jays, also know as Canada jay. They have earned the nick name "camp robber" for a reason.
Canada Jay

 

[gallantwarrior]

View attachment 271763

Spooky!
It must be dinner time.

 

[Foxfyre]

Okay today's homework is to solve this riddle:

 

[gallantwarrior]

I'm a pushover for birds of all kinds. I just like them. However, I've noticed that a lot of friends do not care for bluejays because they make a lot of noise and seem to be rude. I'm providing this little video in hopes that because of the beneficial and good things they do, if a bluejay seems disgusting, you might give them some slack once you see what they actually do that helps nature. OK, OK, all the peanuts WILL disappear when Blue Jays are around hogging them up...the little larceny-directed punks...but see if you find out that they make up for it:

​

I was enthralled by the Cardinal. Because they don't have them where I live.

Also,listening to the morning doves while sitting in the garden, in the early Virginian morning.

Hey Mindful. Happy you found your way back here. I love the cardinals too. We had lots of them in Kansas, especially southeast corner of Kansas where we lived for awhile. One of my favorites. But I also love the mourning doves. There is something about them that is gentle, peaceful, soothing.

I've been ill, badly. Summer flu' I think. Not helped by jet lag.

I remember freaking out at the sight of my first Monarch. I was so excited. Because we don't get them here either. Except at the butterfly farm. I'd love to visit where they all assemble en masse, in Mexico.

About blue jays. We have a version of that bird; much larger than the American one. Very noisy, aggressive and imposing. Called simply, a jay.

I've lived in Monterey, Ca twice in this lifetime and have been privileged to live through the monarch butterfly migrations both times. What a sight! Trees festooned with millions of those beautiful bugs. Much prettier and lots quieter than cicadas.

 

[gallantwarrior]

I'm a pushover for birds of all kinds. I just like them. However, I've noticed that a lot of friends do not care for bluejays because they make a lot of noise and seem to be rude. I'm providing this little video in hopes that because of the beneficial and good things they do, if a bluejay seems disgusting, you might give them some slack once you see what they actually do that helps nature. OK, OK, all the peanuts WILL disappear when Blue Jays are around hogging them up...the little larceny-directed punks...but see if you find out that they make up for it:

​

I was enthralled by the Cardinal. Because they don't have them where I live.

Also,listening to the morning doves while sitting in the garden, in the early Virginian morning.

Hey Mindful. Happy you found your way back here. I love the cardinals too. We had lots of them in Kansas, especially southeast corner of Kansas where we lived for awhile. One of my favorites. But I also love the mourning doves. There is something about them that is gentle, peaceful, soothing.

I've been ill, badly. Summer flu' I think. Not helped by jet lag.

I remember freaking out at the sight of my first Monarch. I was so excited. Because we don't get them here either. Except at the butterfly farm. I'd love to visit where they all assemble en masse, in Mexico.

About blue jays. We have a version of that bird; much larger than the American one. Very noisy, aggressive and imposing. Called simply, a jay.

Remind me again where you call home. You're just visiting in Virginia? I had it in my mind that your were from the northwest? (Don't hold me to that as my memory isn't always entirely reliable when it comes to names and places.) But you don't have to go to Mexico. Just go to Monterey CA where they arrive every October. I believe large colonies are also in Los Osos, a bit south of there--near Gracie's old stomping grounds?

My daughter lives and works in the Monterey area and we were blessed to see the Monarchs there once. An amazing things to see.

Actually, I heard about a Monarch festival in California.

Never made it to the west coast. Not yet.

I live in Central Europe, and soon will be making my way to the eastern Mediterranean.

Virginia for me, is so colonial, with so many reminders of England, where I come from.

You travel a lot? I miss Europe in many respects but don't think I would enjoy it nearly as much as I did when I lived there. I visited Okinawa for the first time in March, my second trip to Japan. Despite the numbers of people, I really liked it a lot. Just proves that if everyone is courteous, lots of people can co-exist. Japanese are courteous in the extreme but it is a pleasant change from the hurley-burley found in our larger cities.

 

[gallantwarrior]

View attachment 271787

OOOHH!!! BABIES!
Have any of you noticed that birds hatched on the ground, or close to it, hatch "ready-to-go"? Tree birds are hatched nekkid and blind.

 

[Ringel05]

Okay today's homework is to solve this riddle:

How much pancake mix would you need to re-shingle your roof?

Summer or winter?

 

[Ringel05]

View attachment 271787

OOOHH!!! BABIES!
Have any of you noticed that birds hatched on the ground, or close to it, hatch "ready-to-go"? Tree birds are hatched nekkid and blind.

Raptor prey.........

 

[Mindful]

I'm a pushover for birds of all kinds. I just like them. However, I've noticed that a lot of friends do not care for bluejays because they make a lot of noise and seem to be rude. I'm providing this little video in hopes that because of the beneficial and good things they do, if a bluejay seems disgusting, you might give them some slack once you see what they actually do that helps nature. OK, OK, all the peanuts WILL disappear when Blue Jays are around hogging them up...the little larceny-directed punks...but see if you find out that they make up for it:

​

I was enthralled by the Cardinal. Because they don't have them where I live.

Also,listening to the morning doves while sitting in the garden, in the early Virginian morning.

Hey Mindful. Happy you found your way back here. I love the cardinals too. We had lots of them in Kansas, especially southeast corner of Kansas where we lived for awhile. One of my favorites. But I also love the mourning doves. There is something about them that is gentle, peaceful, soothing.

I've been ill, badly. Summer flu' I think. Not helped by jet lag.

I remember freaking out at the sight of my first Monarch. I was so excited. Because we don't get them here either. Except at the butterfly farm. I'd love to visit where they all assemble en masse, in Mexico.

About blue jays. We have a version of that bird; much larger than the American one. Very noisy, aggressive and imposing. Called simply, a jay.

I've lived in Monterey, Ca twice in this lifetime and have been privileged to live through the monarch butterfly migrations both times. What a sight! Trees festooned with millions of those beautiful bugs. Much prettier and lots quieter than cicadas.

South of France is the place for cicadas

 

[gallantwarrior]

Morning, Everyone!
Cooler today, much more normal. And, we've had rain almost every day this week. I'm hoping they'll lift the burn ban so I can continue burning the slash, which is a problem for wildfires abatement all by itself. I still haven't gotten very far with my winter firewood but will be taking a week off next week when the partner comes here to recuperate. I know I'll want some alone time so outside work will give me that opportunity. And since pard is only semi-ambulatory, he won't be making too much of a mess in the house. I'm anxious to see whether his recent bout with a stroke will improve his approach to personal relationships. I'll see...
I'm hoping for a ride to town to bring the Lexus out here. We don't need the third car and leaving it at the partner's place is begging for vandalism. His house isn't in one of the most stellar neighborhoods. I also plan on dropping the insurance on that car, too. I have to find ways to cut back expenses. I'm also using this opportunity to clear out some of the messes and accumulations of junk. I've given him notice about several of these projects, he objects, but there isn't much he can do to stop the process of cleaning and purging. I suppose cleaning his messes, clearing out his precious treasures, is my way of taking revenge on him.
I have a black, evil heart, I suppose...

 

[JustAnotherNut]

I'm a pushover for birds of all kinds. I just like them. However, I've noticed that a lot of friends do not care for bluejays because they make a lot of noise and seem to be rude. I'm providing this little video in hopes that because of the beneficial and good things they do, if a bluejay seems disgusting, you might give them some slack once you see what they actually do that helps nature. OK, OK, all the peanuts WILL disappear when Blue Jays are around hogging them up...the little larceny-directed punks...but see if you find out that they make up for it:

​

Blue jays are a sort of enigma for me. We don't see them often here in the city but there were lots and lots of them where we lived up on the mountain: Mountain jays--no crest but beautifully all blue, scrub jays--no crest and mottled blue and brown which were the most common--and the occasional Stellar jays that are the big beautiful crested blue ones. And they were bullies driving the little birds away from the feeders and such. Our neighbors two parrots got loose one time and the animal shelter folks could have caught them except for the jays who kept harassing them pushing them--the vet said they would likely eventually kill them.

The mourning doves, also prevalent on the mountain, were the one bird that did not tolerate the jays and would run them while they peacefully shared the feeders with all the other birds. Jays, like all bullies, cut and run when challenged. So the jays rarely bothered the feeders.

I did enjoy putting out little piles of raw peanuts on the deck though. Within minutes the first jay would spot it and somehow got the word out because dozens immediately showed up. They would grab one, dash to the ground, set it down, pick up and put a pinon cone or something on top of it to hide it, and come back for another. One was so excited he left with a peanut and came back with the peanut still in his beak. Fun to watch.

We only have the Steller Jays, that I'm aware of or have seen. They are beautiful but definitely bullies. They also make quite the mess at the feeders, but that allows the smaller birds like finches & Juncos to feed on the ground. We also have the mourning doves. The calls can be haunting. Owls, hawks, even a Partridge & a Canadian goose have come for a visit in our yard and bald eagles have been known to circle overhead. But I've never seen Cardinals here before.

 

[gallantwarrior]

View attachment 271787

OOOHH!!! BABIES!
Have any of you noticed that birds hatched on the ground, or close to it, hatch "ready-to-go"? Tree birds are hatched nekkid and blind.

Raptor prey.........

No doubt. I have that tom turkey around, though. Whenever a raptor or raven flies over he sounds off. The other birds run for cover or hunker down and he stands out, challenging the enemy. Had an eagle fly over the other day and that tom went nuts!

 

[Mindful]

I was enthralled by the Cardinal. Because they don't have them where I live.

Also,listening to the morning doves while sitting in the garden, in the early Virginian morning.

Hey Mindful. Happy you found your way back here. I love the cardinals too. We had lots of them in Kansas, especially southeast corner of Kansas where we lived for awhile. One of my favorites. But I also love the mourning doves. There is something about them that is gentle, peaceful, soothing.

I've been ill, badly. Summer flu' I think. Not helped by jet lag.

I remember freaking out at the sight of my first Monarch. I was so excited. Because we don't get them here either. Except at the butterfly farm. I'd love to visit where they all assemble en masse, in Mexico.

About blue jays. We have a version of that bird; much larger than the American one. Very noisy, aggressive and imposing. Called simply, a jay.

Remind me again where you call home. You're just visiting in Virginia? I had it in my mind that your were from the northwest? (Don't hold me to that as my memory isn't always entirely reliable when it comes to names and places.) But you don't have to go to Mexico. Just go to Monterey CA where they arrive every October. I believe large colonies are also in Los Osos, a bit south of there--near Gracie's old stomping grounds?

My daughter lives and works in the Monterey area and we were blessed to see the Monarchs there once. An amazing things to see.

Actually, I heard about a Monarch festival in California.

Never made it to the west coast. Not yet.

I live in Central Europe, and soon will be making my way to the eastern Mediterranean.

Virginia for me, is so colonial, with so many reminders of England, where I come from.

You travel a lot? I miss Europe in many respects but don't think I would enjoy it nearly as much as I did when I lived there. I visited Okinawa for the first time in March, my second trip to Japan. Despite the numbers of people, I really liked it a lot. Just proves that if everyone is courteous, lots of people can co-exist. Japanese are courteous in the extreme but it is a pleasant change from the hurley-burley found in our larger cities.

Travel right now is a necessity. It's complicated.

Last 'holiday' for me was in the Canary Isles. Perfect Climate.

And a road trip to England two years ago. The best time!

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Morning, Everyone!
Cooler today, much more normal. And, we've had rain almost every day this week. I'm hoping they'll lift the burn ban so I can continue burning the slash, which is a problem for wildfires abatement all by itself. I still haven't gotten very far with my winter firewood but will be taking a week off next week when the partner comes here to recuperate. I know I'll want some alone time so outside work will give me that opportunity. And since pard is only semi-ambulatory, he won't be making too much of a mess in the house. I'm anxious to see whether his recent bout with a stroke will improve his approach to personal relationships. I'll see...
I'm hoping for a ride to town to bring the Lexus out here. We don't need the third car and leaving it at the partner's place is begging for vandalism. His house isn't in one of the most stellar neighborhoods. I also plan on dropping the insurance on that car, too. I have to find ways to cut back expenses. I'm also using this opportunity to clear out some of the messes and accumulations of junk. I've given him notice about several of these projects, he objects, but there isn't much he can do to stop the process of cleaning and purging. I suppose cleaning his messes, clearing out his precious treasures, is my way of taking revenge on him.
I have a black, evil heart, I suppose...

I'm sure that's how HE feels...….but in reality it never should have gotten that bad and you are now having to fix it. Don't be so hard on yourself. You are doing him a good thing......even if he doesn't realize it

 

[gallantwarrior]

Saw some sandhill cranes the other day. I pointed them out to the co-worker standing with me and we watched as they landed at the end of an active runway. I was calling the airport fin & feather guys when two more landed. Bad choice for the birds, worse if they decided to take off at the wrong time. Watched for over an hour while they paraded back and forth while the planes soared heavenwards right over them. The wildlife guys didn't seem too concerned, they finally turned up as our plane took off and I was leaving the ramp. Sandhills are pretty large FOD.

 

[Mindful]

Still on the birds.

I'll never forget watching the pelicans, on a Florida beach, flying and diving in perfect formation. Sometimes 12 at a time.

A wondrous sight.

 

[Ringel05]

I'm a pushover for birds of all kinds. I just like them. However, I've noticed that a lot of friends do not care for bluejays because they make a lot of noise and seem to be rude. I'm providing this little video in hopes that because of the beneficial and good things they do, if a bluejay seems disgusting, you might give them some slack once you see what they actually do that helps nature. OK, OK, all the peanuts WILL disappear when Blue Jays are around hogging them up...the little larceny-directed punks...but see if you find out that they make up for it:

​

Blue jays are a sort of enigma for me. We don't see them often here in the city but there were lots and lots of them where we lived up on the mountain: Mountain jays--no crest but beautifully all blue, scrub jays--no crest and mottled blue and brown which were the most common--and the occasional Stellar jays that are the big beautiful crested blue ones. And they were bullies driving the little birds away from the feeders and such. Our neighbors two parrots got loose one time and the animal shelter folks could have caught them except for the jays who kept harassing them pushing them--the vet said they would likely eventually kill them.

The mourning doves, also prevalent on the mountain, were the one bird that did not tolerate the jays and would run them while they peacefully shared the feeders with all the other birds. Jays, like all bullies, cut and run when challenged. So the jays rarely bothered the feeders.

I did enjoy putting out little piles of raw peanuts on the deck though. Within minutes the first jay would spot it and somehow got the word out because dozens immediately showed up. They would grab one, dash to the ground, set it down, pick up and put a pinon cone or something on top of it to hide it, and come back for another. One was so excited he left with a peanut and came back with the peanut still in his beak. Fun to watch.

We only have the Steller Jays, that I'm aware of or have seen. They are beautiful but definitely bullies. They also make quite the mess at the feeders, but that allows the smaller birds like finches & Juncos to feed on the ground. We also have the mourning doves. The calls can be haunting. Owls, hawks, even a Partridge & a Canadian goose have come for a visit in our yard and bald eagles have been known to circle overhead. But I've never seen Cardinals here before.

Try having a flock of Grackles land in your back yard..........

 

[gallantwarrior]

Morning, Everyone!
Cooler today, much more normal. And, we've had rain almost every day this week. I'm hoping they'll lift the burn ban so I can continue burning the slash, which is a problem for wildfires abatement all by itself. I still haven't gotten very far with my winter firewood but will be taking a week off next week when the partner comes here to recuperate. I know I'll want some alone time so outside work will give me that opportunity. And since pard is only semi-ambulatory, he won't be making too much of a mess in the house. I'm anxious to see whether his recent bout with a stroke will improve his approach to personal relationships. I'll see...
I'm hoping for a ride to town to bring the Lexus out here. We don't need the third car and leaving it at the partner's place is begging for vandalism. His house isn't in one of the most stellar neighborhoods. I also plan on dropping the insurance on that car, too. I have to find ways to cut back expenses. I'm also using this opportunity to clear out some of the messes and accumulations of junk. I've given him notice about several of these projects, he objects, but there isn't much he can do to stop the process of cleaning and purging. I suppose cleaning his messes, clearing out his precious treasures, is my way of taking revenge on him.
I have a black, evil heart, I suppose...

I'm sure that's how HE feels...….but in reality it never should have gotten that bad and you are now having to fix it. Don't be so hard on yourself. You are doing him a good thing......even if he doesn't realize it

I was talking with another guy at work who confessed that he wished he had said at least two phrases to his wife before she finally walked out on him. I feel the same way about my partnership, which is going on over 16 years now. Two magic phrases are: "Thank you" and "I'm sorry". They have to be sincerely expressed and the speaker has to mean what he/she says. 16 years and the first time I heard "I'm sorry" was the day after my partner had his stroke and I'm pretty sure he was feeling sorry for himself. I can predict some things from here on out, one of the reasons the partnership has held together is because he has a killer work ethic. He builds and builds well. (If it can be cast in concrete or welded, he's your man!) This stroke has destroyed his ability to work, at least for the interim. How he heals will determine how the partnership develops. I'm still hoping for a good outcome, he's determined to come back physically.

Large caliber rifle fire close to the house, I need to go investigate...back later.