Thursday, May 24, 2012

Backyard Birds


Cardinal
 Just like home in Wyoming, home in Florida sports a bird section with bath and feeders. Aside from the Doves and Blackbirds the varieties are different and fascinating to me. The blackbirds are either choosy about their grub or messy eaters so a partnership with the doves has been formed. The blackbirds slop away and the portly doves graze upon the dropped seed.
Ringneck Dove
Bluejay

In terms of pecking order it appears the bluejays trump all the regulars, next are the blackbirds though the northern Mockingbirds will get their backs up and run them all off.  The doves are peace loving but will fluff feathers in a bluff. The cardinals are ever ready to fly-kind of skittish.

Regular Customers
After our company last week, I quickly did a reload-washed the linens and Luila made the beds. She is so willing- I asked her to help me do it and she shooed me away.  The better I know her, the better I like her. Now that she is a citizen, her hubby is applying with her help. I sincerely hope he is a good man. Luila's dad left when she was 7 and she rarely saw him until she reached 17 when all of a sudden he became interested and she came to visit him in Florida. She was raised by her grandmother on the ground floor and her mother upstairs in Brazil so she did not suffer privation nor lack of guidance. Her dad quickly had her apply for a student loan for training in the health field but she lacked the English to survive. His hubby's wife was mean to her because she was maidenly and studied. She gained weight but stayed on the straight and narrow. Finally she couldn't stand it there any more and roomed with several families from her church. She lost weight and married and seems to like him and they make decisions together. She cleans (very conscientiously) has a sporty red VW Jetta of fairly recent vintage and they rent in Tivoli Park which is definitely not the ghetto. Imagine making your way in a foreign country when you are 17. She is kind and cheerful and plays gospel music on her cell phone while she cleans.  I admire her.

I have had good phone this week. Greg and Lew are enjoying their property in New York- more fruit trees planted, planting veggies, (it is just spring there-trees are budding out) catching their fish in their pond and elsewhere, harvesting asparagus as fast as they can (Greg has planted rows and rows) building a retaining wall,  and relaxing.

Matt called on his way to Sacramento for a workshop on I.D.s real and fake-they are getting more sophisticated. He will be the trainer for Oregon. He sounded good and is looking forward to his boat trip to Bimini with Jason in June.

Internet communiques with Delores,-(getting ready to decamp to West Virginia with Don and her granddaughter.)  They will take the train which is an adventure in itself. They have to drive to Granby, CO to catch it.  It is right pricey besides but she, like me, will do anything to avoid St. Louis in an automobile.

Also with Janet who was right newsy and sent me some excellent pictures of Branding this year. Her mom has me on her speed-dial in Lander, WY as well as another Steve she knows. So I get occasional calls starting out: "What on earth is going on over there!" or "I forgot to pay you for those eggs!" We have a good laugh and catch up on the news.
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