School's In....

GOOD FENCES and CRITTERS

Turkey Vulture on a Fence

This photo of a vulture on a fence post was taken last year during the Whooping Crane Migration to Goose Island, near Lamar, Texas and Copano Bay. To its front side it would be facing a small pasture where there are a few cattle. It seems on ranch land, where there is cattle you'll sure 'nough spot vultures. Why is that, you wonder?
linking to Good Fences - Camera Critters - Saturday Critters

SKYWATCH

...after a storm front moved out all too quickly without a trace of rain :-(

Late, Sunday Afternoon, with sun peeking from behind the Storm Clouds

linking to:  Skywatch Friday

WILLY NILLY 5

1] There are beginning to be signs of Autumn!! For that I'm happy. It's not really the weather per sé. But over the past week my weather app on my smartphone has been advising of drier air and fire dangers with the gusty winds picking up. With a drought, fire hazards are a sure thing. Anyway, Bud and I were at a park in town the other day and some small amounts of migrating birds heading south for the winter are showing up. We saw a Buff-bellied Hummingbird, a Chuck Will's Widow, and a sure sign...a male Yellow Warbler. I'm telling myself..."soon, SOON Anni, cooler days ahead." Oh and not to forget, Autumn clothes and decor are found while out shopping.

2] I finished reading the book "A Woman in Berlin". I posted about it a couple of weeks ago....saying in that post that for me it perceived to be a good read. Well, my critique is just mediocre. Sure, it was good. I'll give it that. But before I finished I thought it became a bit redundant and somewhat boring. I was more than happy to be finished. Now I started reading a newly published book: The Ghost of the Mary Celeste, that I borrowed from the Library next to the park mentioned in #1. [Yes, this is a ship...a real ship that was mysteriously abandoned at sea by its crew and passengers and salvaged in the 1870s]. I haven't read too much of it as of this post, but I'm getting the gist of a girl who can 'see things' that others can't. An historical novel with a different twist for me. A thriller mystery. When I finish I'll give my review. From Amazon Booksellers comes this:

...young writer named Arthur Conan Doyle hears of the Mary Celeste and decides to write an outlandish short story about what took place. This story [Doyle's] causes quite a sensation back in the United States, particularly between sought-after Philadelphia spiritualist medium Violet Petra and a rational-minded journalist named Phoebe Grant, who is seeking to expose Petra as a fraud. Then there is the family of the Mary Celeste's captain, a family linked to the sea for generations and marked repeatedly by tragedy. Each member of this ensemble cast holds a critical piece to the puzzle of the Mary Celeste.

3] Made up my own recipe for a 'new' smoothie. LOL Thing is I had some kiwi fruit in the 'fridge and they needed to be eaten before they get too soft and thrown away. They're not expensive, but I still don't like to throw food out if possible. Okay. So, I peeled TWO kiwi fruits and sliced them into my blender. Next I added 4 ounces of Vanilla Yogurt...6 ice cubes and a TBSP of lime juice for tartness. Set my blender on ice crusher speed...and the smoothie was delicious. A sweet, tangy, cold and refreshing mid afternoon snack. Bud said when I poured it out into my smoothie mug that it looked like "lungers". Well, la di dah!!

4] I have a free Yah00 email account for my family members to contact me if necessary. Tho I don't like emails much [I'd much prefer texting] ---I opened it a couple of days ago and now they have "SPONSORED" Advertisements - in the INBOX no less? I just went to ad block and added that and found a new add-on through Firefox. "Yah00 Mail Hide Ad Panel". I haven't been back into my account since, so don't know if it really blocks it at all. Sometime soon.

5] First day of school in our city's district is August 25th. There is a plus to this...not as many young whipper-snappers out on the streets racing their autos...at least during the day. And not too many out in the malls. The negative is remembering to slow down through the school zones.....it takes me a while to get used to it 'cause some aren't marked with the flashing school zone lights.
linking to: Willy Nilly Friday 5