Christmas Is Coming!

All of the NorCal Kids are coming up in a couple of weeks (yay!).  That gives me hope that we can finally celebrate Christmas with those who didn't make it in December and I will finally be able to get rid of the presents and the tree with the Easter bunny decorations still in the living room (yay!).  I was beginning to think the tree was part of the permanent house fixtures.  It's possible my eccentric reputation had preceded me because Tecla and Bruno undoubtedly noted the wreath on the door and the tree in the room and never said a word.  That's a bit worrisome, don't you think?  Let's face it, my family marches to a different Little Drummer Boy.

I'm looking out the window in the early morning light at a very pregnant doe under the oak.  It's a good time of year to give birth to a fawn as there is plenty of high ground cover to hide the little one.  Ohmigosh, there are two of them, both with heavy bellies.  How cool is that?

Even with a very exciting race at Talladega yesterday, Bess and I took a short break out on the deck.  (Talladega had lived up to its hype as "The Big One."  Only 21 cars out of 40 were in shape to cross the finish line!)  Enjoying the sunshine and watching birds, I was struck by how different the wing movements are on different breeds.  Vultures are the most energy efficient, mainly floating on the breeze like giant kites.  The hawks put on a burst of speed and then coast.  Ducks flap with a rowing motion, one wing forward, then the other.  There are two types of doves locally, the band-tail (actually a pigeon) makes a loud clatter, and the mourning dove takes off at the slightest sound, but is definitely more quiet.  Geese just get down to business and speed from here to there.  Quail flocks almost zing, they go so fast, but nothing like the hummingbirds.  I understand their wings move in a figure-8, but who could tell?

On a beautiful sunny day, dark clouds started to pile up over the mountains in the afternoon.  In the blink of an eye, those clouds slid down the hill over us and put on another spectacular thunder and lightning show.  That put an end to any plans to finish getting the little pen finished. 

I really need to get the chicks moved outside.  Those silly, silly creatures.  One would think they'd be used to me by now, knowing that I bring their food and water umpteen times a day, but no.  They dither and screech every single time I open the cage as if I were on a par with hawks and mountain lions.  And messy?  Clouds of pinfeathers swirl through the nursery, having been replaced by their true feathers.  That doesn't even begin to measure up to the everlasting droppings.  I need my head examined.

I guess I'd better reprogram the telephones to play Jingle Bells again.  The Christmas spirit is once again upon us.