Well, this is different!

Ok, how about a kind of dull story?  Usually my wife and I drink decaf coffee because she has a problem with the caffeine.  Today she didn't want any coffee so I decided to drink some instant with caffeine (Starbuck's Colombian) that I bought for our daughter-in-law back in 2013.  Turns out there were six packets left and I've had them all.  I'm actually high!  I'm so wired I can't believe it.  This is like being drunk without the alcohol.  I'm amazed.  Ok, it doesn't take much for me but really this is bizarre.

There is a danger of this becoming a bird blog but I've got to share another bird photo.  Our new hawk friend showed up again yesterday but not for lunch. 

He came by for a bath!  What a deal.  Like I said, it doesn't take much for me these days does it?  LOL  Anyway it was great seeing this lovely creature enjoying himself. 

To balance all the bird photos I've been posting; here is one of a shadow I spotted this morning.  We have this little wooden figure of a coolie carrying water.  It's been in the family for quite a while.  It's just a cheezy souvenir kind of thing but it certainly has sentimental value.  It also casts a great shadow!

Aren't you glad you don't have to earn your living carrying water in barrels?  I am!  Have a good one!

Deja vu all over again!

Happy 3rd day of the new year!  I'm sure most people are like us:  up to their ears in leftovers.  Wow.  Even when you try to reduce the proportions in a recipe there still seems to be a lot.  Of course there are those times when my wife says 'should I make a smaller amount of X' and I say 'no, that's really great.  I can deal with the leftovers'.  Hmmm.  Does the word 'idiot' spring to mind? 

We were happily dealing with some of the afore mentioned leftovers yesterday at lunch when my wife looked outside and saw another hawk-pigeon interaction.  Yep, another pigeon lunch for the hawk. 

This time at least he/she was dining on the rocks so we didn't have a bunch of blood to clean up!  I was shooting through the venetian blinds so that's the reason for the blury parts of the photo.  The hawk was keeping a pretty good eye on me!  Apparently it prefers to dine in private.

It's a pretty bird though.  Because of the varigated chest feathers we assume it is rather young.  After being sure the pigeon was no longer going to escape the hawk took it's prey off over our wall out into the desert to finish eating.  You might think this would give our back yard a bad rep with the local pigeons.  Nope!

This was taken 3 minutes after the previous shot.  Pigeons sitting on the electric line as though nothing had happened.  Hmmm, kind of sounds like some people.  Turn your head and what you can't see didn't happen. 

Can you tell that things are a little quiet around her these days?  My big deal is hoping this old laptop keeps on running for a while.  I'd like to go directly to a Windows 10 model but that might be a while.  As in so many things only time will tell.  Thanks for stopping by.  Have a good one.

Happy New Year!

Here's wishing a safe, healthy and profitable new year for everyone!   2015 sure came around quickly.  It takes me about six months to get used to a year then we have to start planning for the next.  It's confusing sometimes. 

Just in case you saw the post about the hawk and his/her lunch, I'd like to point out that there are plenty of birds left in the 'hood. 

We typically have a pretty low-key New Year's celebration and this year was no exception.  My wife and I celebrate it alone and mostly talk about the past year and plans for the next.  I used to be pretty good at having a 5-year plan; lately that's gone by the wayside but I'm hoping to resurrect it this year.  There are always the lose weight kinds of thoughts but also places to go and things to see.  I'm 67 this year and realistically traveling around for another 10 years is posibbly optimistic.  Who knows.  I had a nephew die this year and it's not like I live such a superior lifestyle! 

Our plans for 2015 include travel of course.  We have tickets to visit Ireland; that's the big international trip.  We've spent quite a lot of time visiting 'mainland' Europe but missed out on Ireland and we each have ancestors who lived there.  That should be fun.  We are also hoping to make visits to some of our 'local' sites like Yosemite, San Franscio and the Grand Canyon.  The last time we visited the Grand Canyon was over 30 years ago!  Not that I expect it to have changed but it is certainly worth a re-visit.  Also we have another one of those 'special' birthday years coming up so that will probably involve travel, maybe even extended travel.  We'll see how that works out.

I don't really have a 'bucket list' but there are certainly places I want to visit and re-visit.  We spent a week in our nations capital back in 2003; we both want to go back for at least two weeks this time.  In spite of living in New Jersey for a couple years, we haven't seen nearly enough of New York City.  All of Western Europe is calling to me.  Australia and New Zealand are on my list.  We talk about Central America but I have to admit the media attention about the drug cartels has us a little gun-shy (so to speak!  Sorry about that!).  A trip to Alaska via the water is definitely on the list.  My wife has known for years that an Alaska Cruise is about the only one she is going to get me on.  Even better, I'd like to visit using the Alaska Ferry system because then you choose the amount of time you stay in various areas for yourself  rather than have the cruise line 'help' you.   We'll see:  there are certainly 10 years worth of destinations.

There are also plenty of things I'd like to do here; chief among them managing to contribute to the community in various ways.  Good thing I'm retired!  I wouldn't have time to do all this stuff if I was working.  Gotta go.  Thanks for stopping by.