...a new birdwatcher in our family?

GOOD FENCES
linking to Good Fences


Fencing along the walkway toward the jetty at Zahn Park/Beaches and Packery Channel boat ramps.



WILLY NILLY 5
linking to: Willy Nilly Friday 5

1] ..-. .- .. .-.. ..- .-. .   Right off the bat I must give my critique of The Ghost of the Mary Celeste written by Valerie Martin. Now for me, it is my understanding that the ship was found in the 1870s...abandoned. With no one on board. The ship was still intact, and towed to Gibraltar...with a mystery that has never been solved. Now, I was captivated by the title and really looking forward to reading an historical novel about the crew and the ship. But this published work was highly disappointing. Yes, I read the entire book. Even tho it continued to go down hill. Instead of the story of the ship itself, the author struck an idea and went off on several different tangents having nothing to do with the disaster/mystery at sea...concentrating on spiritualists, a journalist, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [who in real life wrote a short story of the Mary Celeste]. And the abrupt ending ...the last few days of the life aboard the Mary Celeste left me hanging...so, who is the ghost?  The seer? The spiritualist?  In part, the author has one person disappearing days before it was abandoned [according to history chronicled dates and time].   I'd give it one star out of five. It did keep me turning the pages in hopes that the 'tide would turn' to the ship instead of its babbling on and on about nothing to do with the disappearance of the passengers and crew. In my opinion, the book itself was a disaster. I was expecting more on historical fiction, but came up short. I'm very pleased of one thing....that I didn't buy it off the bookstore shelf; borrowing it from the local library was a wise move. What's the distress signal for failure? [ see above:  dot dot dash dot / dot dash / dot dot / dot dash dot dot / dot dot dash / dot dash dot / dot]

2] We, here at Hootin' Anni's home, seemed to have acquired a new bird0watcher enthusiast!!   Click on images to enlarge to see what he sees....

...Winston

3] I first heard about this when we retired to Arizona. There is a legend throughout the Sonoran Desert  about cicadas. Once you hear them 'singing' while they're well hidden in trees and surrounding areas -- the legend states it will rain soon! The Southwest is 'famous' for their monsoon season, their haboobs [blinding dust storms], and flash flooding. After I learned of this folklore and cicadas, I began to pay attention. Sure 'nough within a few weeks of hearing my first cicada calling, it rained. The monsoons began. Much relief to the parched desert. The lightning shows are something to behold! Scary...and CLOSE. We had lightning strike our house once,......went through the roof/attic space down the entire electrical system. We lost all appliances, including TVs and computer. The computer had a surge protector...this doesn't work with lightning...just power surges after power outages. No matter...my #3 tho should state, the cicadas are singing up a storm here!!! Storm did I say? Not yet. Wondering if the legend is part of Texas lore?!!

4] Speaking of insects. Here's a couple of groaners: a] "A centipede is an inchworm that has switched to the metric system." b] "One fly to another fly: 'Your human is open' "

5] I'm keeping tabs on all the Republican AND Democrat hopefuls for 2016. Reading some of the newsworthy sites online about all the scandals, etc. one reporter stated this...and I quote from the website in condensed version: "....in 2016 every single candidate will have some sort of politically motivated attack on them"....I say: "ummmm, y'think? And this is news? In what way?"


SKYWATCH
linking to:  Skywatch Friday


...the two dark spots seen are Swainson's Hawks!! Autumn migration is just around the corner. Yes!!!!


CRITTER FOR SATURDAY
linking to: Camera Critters - Saturday Critters

Anxious to get back to the car from our two mile walk...you'd find us venturing down by the river and the ponds for birding early one morning. It was sultry by the time we turned around and began our leaving the area. I wore a large brimmed hat and had decided to wear long sleeves and a pair of jeans to ward off a whole swarm of mosquitoes feasting on me through the tall grasses as we traipsed through the woodlands. Of course I was soaking wet with perspiration by now...stopping in the shaded areas to cool down and head back out into the sun. Once we stopped at an old abandoned bird blind, I happened to look through its opening and spotted something I wouldn't like to see in my dreams even!! A huge Yellow and Black Garden Spider. They're not lethal to humans, but still dark and sinister looking!!! We stayed there long enough for me to focus my lens on it and left!!!