Black and Shining

 
It's hard not to think of spring when the temperature is in the 50s. I thought I was going to get an interesting picture of a bird, but it's only a crow. However, the tree does have swelling buds already. That's probably not good, this early.



He was hanging around the fenced wetland, which is breaking free of its ice, and shining in the sunlight. It's awfully tempting to think warm thoughts.



In other news: Work was long, but that was good. We haven't had many hours since Christmas. Then I spent time trying to sort out the insurance stuff from Joshua's accident in November. Such a hassle! Grocery shopping after that, and I seem to be done. Had hopes of more accomplishments, but I've mostly sat around and read a book.

	See Patterns in the Fenced Wetland
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Three Crows, No Murder

 
Today was very busy, but I did get out for a little skiing, which was really good today. No wildlife except the crows.



In other news: It's almost all other news. Did a lot of getting ready for errands, then I did the errands, and grocery shopping. I did the concept cover for The ABZ Affair so Linda would have something to work with for the cover art (will show you soon- maybe tomorrow). Watched more canning factory videos. Had a meeting partly about the Writer's Rendezvous, then had Writers' Group. Tomorrow the "real" job.

	See Murmurings of a Murder
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Murmurings of a Murder

 
No, it's not the title of a new mystery. Before the rain began there were birds congregating in the tops of the trees.

Not quite enough starlings to call it a murmuration of starlings.







And definitely two crows short of a murder. Can you find Mr. Crow in one of the pictures above?



Wet dreary day. Ice tonight. Hmmm. Hard to play outside much this way, but the birds are entertaining.

	See Three Little Jokes See Those Starlings Again
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Critters at Indian Pete Bayou

 
Have to post this quick. I forgot I won't be home later!

Driving past Indian Pete Bayou on Hamlin Lake today...



Thought I'd get a picture, but I got better than that. Enjoy the critters. Mallards, a black squirrel and two crows enjoying the ice to get to open water for a quick drink.









Gotta go! I work tonight and have a meeting first.

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Three Craw Sat Upon a Wa'

 
I've been hoping to find "three craw" sitting around somewhere for quite a while. Sorry, I don't have a "wa," so they are just in a tree, but I get to share this song. We used to sing it at Scout camp, and I have always thought it is particularly funny. It's a traditional Scottish children's song. I think there are several versions, but they are all similar.



Three craws sat upon a wa',
sat upon a wa',
sat upon a wa',
Three craws sat upon a wa', On a cold and frosty mornin'.

The first Craw fell an' broke his jaw,
fell an' broke his jaw,
fell an' broke his jaw,
The first Craw fell an' broke his jaw, On a cold and frosty mornin'.

The second craw couldna' flee at a' ,
couldna' flee at a' ,
couldna' flee at a' ,
The second craw couldna' flee at a', On a cold and frosty mornin'.

The third Craw couldna' find his maw'
couldna' find his maw'
couldna' find his maw'
The third Craw couldna' find his maw' On a cold and frosty mornin'.

The fourth Craw wisna' there at a',
wisna' there at a',
wisna' there at a',
The fourth Craw wisna' there at a', On a cold and frosty mornin'.

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Birds on a December Day

Did assignments all day long, worked all evening on the reporting. Tomorrow will be ditto, and I just got 11 more cases that are due by the 29th. Let's see... I can go out tomorrow (already in the plan). Then Loretta comes tomorrow night. I can go out Wednesday (don't want to right after she comes, but you'll see why it may be the best plan). Can't on Thursday- Josh has cataract surgery. Can't on Friday. Josh has followup. Theoretically could on Saturday, but the day before C-mas... I'd rather not. Saturday night we go to GR to pick up Steve. Sunday- C-mas. Steve can stay till the o-dark-thirty on the 28th. So I don't want to go out on the 26th or 27th since we haven't seen him for two years. I guess I could go out on the 28th, but there's no wiggle room there for errors. Yikes!

Let's talk about more fun things than schedules. How about birds of the day?

First we have an ordinary crow, but I caught it flying.



Next we have some wild turkeys. I missed the chance to bring you a really funny video. One turkey, near the back of the pack, kept sticking its head straight up and then taking a jump... a straight up popcorn jump! I finally figured out it was pulling autumn olive berries off a bush, but when I turned the video camera on, of course he wouldn't do it again.



Here's a little tufted titmouse at someone's bird feeder. I wish it would have stood in silhouette to show the crest, but instead you get a front view... makes him look like he has a Mohawk!



Those are all pretty typical, gray, December pictures. How about something brighter and funnier? Not wild birds, but these made me laugh. The ducks were quacking, the hens cackling, and the rooster even crowed for me!



I actually have something really nifty to show you, but I have to locate some pics from earlier in the year to go with the ones I took today. That will be a good thing to save for a "slow news day!"

I'll be out taking more pictures of houses, and hunting for surprises for you tomorrow.

	See Backyard Birds
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Three Little Jokes

 
I couldn't quite decide what to post today, but finally decided on three little funnies. None of them is a real belly-buster, but they tickled my funny bone just a bit.

Joke #1


I think Maggie was so honored that she had become a blog queen yesterday that she had to announce this morning that she is an e-dog!

Joke #2


The crows show up every so often, pushy and loud, but shiny black and bigger than I always think of them until I see them up close. Doesn't this just remind you of Heckyl and Jeckyl? Of course one of them needs a cigar... I suppose it's a non-smoking section of their log. Backing out, you can see that they have a couple of friends nearby too.




Joke #3

I saved the best for last. I was snowblowing the driveway this afternoon, and of course the plow has filled in by the mail and paper boxes again. So I started to blow an alley through the mess. Whoooooop- a newspaper thwaped through the blower chute and landed on the snowbank. (The paper guy often just throws it onto the snowbank if he can't drive to the box, but that is not one of the elements that makes a quality day for me.) Anyway... so there was this completely wet, and now shredded remnant of a newspaper sitting on the snowbank. Look closer and check out the headline...

	See Crows Take a Hike
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