Category: Planets

Dancing With The Stars

Timothy Price43 Comments

Out at 4:00 am dancing with the stars and planets and La Llorona and Chupacraba

Since I got home late tonight, I didn’t do any redneck roofing. Instead, I went out to check on the owls. We had not seen any sign of the owls for the past 3 days. I think part of it was the fire department was running their super noisy airboat up and down the river all weekend watching for fires in the bosque. On Thursday, 30 acres of bosque burned south of Montaño Blvd., about 8 miles south of us. All was quiet tonight. The first bird I encountered looked like a juvenile Western Blue Bird. Then Daddy Owl came swooping through the property and landed on Susan’s tree. I thought he was going to get a squirrel squirreling around up ahead of me, but he didn’t go for it. But then our bunny came running out and he showed interest in the bunny. Laurie bravely stood between Daddy Owl and the bunny as we told Daddy Owl to leave our bunny be. We told him he can get all the squirrels and gophers he wants, but we draw the line when it comes to our bunny.

As we were heading to where the owlets hang out, a Cooper’s Hawk buzzed us and landed on a nearby tree for a few seconds. When I got up to the Tangle Heart Tree, Mama owl was just taking off to go shopping. The owlets were there peeping like crazy wanting Mama and Daddy to bring them food. A few minutes later Mama Owl returned and gave Mary whatever she caught. When I looked at what Mary had in her beak in the photo, it looks like a cicada, but I can’t say for sure. Mama, flew back to Wowlmart, as Shey calls it, but it was getting dark, so we didn’t stick around to see if she or Daddy Owl came back with anything interesting.

Mars and Jupiter

Western Bluebird

Daddy Owl on Susan’s tree eyeing our bunny. He gave up after we told him no.

Cooper’s Hawk

Mama Owl flying off to Wowlmart.

Smokey sunset.

Sliver moon

Redneck Roofer

Timothy Price72 Comments

Jupiter is making its way around Mars in the center of the photo. Venus is just rising on the left and Saturn is on the right. There was a nice alignment of stars that are at the top of the photo.

Since our cover over the deck was looking like it would rip anytime in the wind, Laurie suggested that we put a permanent roof on the canopy over the deck for our anniversary. We had thought about it for years but never did it. I ordered the supplies Sunday morning and picked them up Sunday afternoon. I started working on the roof at 7:00 am this morning and ran out of screws and energy at 7:00 pm. The vented part of the roof took a lot longer to build than I had anticipated. All my joints are complaining tonight.

Twelve hours of work with only water breaks.

Our pink Peony is blooming

I spied this beautiful rose hidden in the bush when I was on the ladder.

A spray of our anniversary Petunias

Owlets On The Tangle Heart Tree

Timothy Price62 Comments

Daddy Owl Shopping for dinner

Laurie was out before I was, and got Peter, Paul, and Mary on the end of the Tangle Heart Tree.

When I got up to the Tangle Heart Tree there all three owlets were in the tree, but Peter was in front of Paul and Mary was sitting on the backside of the left-hand branch.

Peter, Paul, and Mary from the backside of the Tangle Heart Tree.

Paul looking over Peter’s shoulder

The Owlets were frolicking in the Tangle Heart Tree (click on the gallery to see a slide show).

A pensive Mary

Jupiter rose a minute after Mars this morning. They were very close together. Stars in the early morning sky. The moon rose looking away from Venus.

Mama & Owlet Action

Timothy Price51 Comments

Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn at 5:17 am. Jupiter is catching up to Mars.

Mama Owl in the top of the tree above Paul and Mary. Peter in the tree across the ditch.

Mary was napping, but then she popped right up when Mama brought her a mouse.

Feeding Mary and little more of whatever Mama had in her beak.

Paul was feeling left out.

“I want another mouse, Mama!” “Enough already!”

Paul finally got up onto the same branch with Mary.

Mary testing her wings.

Mama looking for another meal. She flies off the catch something.

Jake-In-The-Box

Timothy Price58 Comments

Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn among the star, shining through thin clouds and smoke.

A Jake-In-The-Box

Lizard

Western Bluebirds of happiness

Iris

Blue Iris

Mother’s Day roses: Neil Diamond looks like Scentimental. Anna’s Promise, and Vavoom.

Ketchup & Mustard and Vavoom.

Beaker

Søren

Ring around the moon

It’s half the moon it used to be!

D-Wowl & Wowlet Action

Timothy Price52 Comments

Jupiter moved further around to the right of Venus this morning. Mars and Saturn are really spreading out.

Venus and Jupiter with three of Jupiter’s moons.

Owlet profile and then giving the Paparazzo “mad dogs.”

D-Wowl looking cool.

D-Wowl scratching an itch and nibbling on his talons.

Wowlet action series.

Tonight’s sliver moon.

Conjunction — Jupiter & Venus

Timothy Price46 Comments

Jupiter and Venus were sitting side by side as they rose a little after 5:00 am. Mars and Saturn were in line with Venus spread out at almost equidistance between each. The sky was smokey from forest fires, and Saturn was in the smoke lit up by the light pollution from the city.

Jupiter with two moons showing. Venus to the right.

Mars is a red point of light.

I was able to get the rings of Saturn through the light pollution and smoke. Saturn does not have good visibility right now. In June it will have excellent visibility, so I should get much better photos of the rings in June.

The early morning sky viewed directly above me.

I swept the floors this morning. Glenda thought I was making room for her to bring in more loads of dirt, which she did.

Mama Owl was perched on the edge of the nest at 4:30 this afternoon before she flew off in search of food. An owlet waited patiently.