At dusk tonight, Daddy Owl was sitting under the moon. The moon is almost full at 93.9%. The full moon is on Wednesday. He was very patient with me getting very close, kneeling under him on the levee to get the moon circled around his head. At first, I was inside the minimum focus range of 11 feet for the Bazooka, so I have to scoot back a little.
In the conjunction of Venus and Mars this morning, Venus rose 6º 34′ north of Mars. When I went out at 5:30 am Venus had risen above the trees, but Mars was still in the tress with two stars.
Crows and Sparrows sound like it could be a game, but they were hanging out in Susan’s cottonwood just before sundown.
Sparrows taking flight
another group of sparrows
Mama Owl was doing some routine maintenance on her nest tonight.
Venus at Dawn
Crow highway at dusk
Home late
Dusk turned clouds
To lavender mist
Portal formed
Below the moon
Primordial blue
Savored light
Long faded
Borrowed from the moon
Daddy Owl going “Aak! Aak! Aak!”
Daddy owl let me get close again tonight, and he paused from posing to puke up a pellet. I felt honored to be part of his pellet puking circle.
Back to posing.
The moon is a little over half full tonight at 64.3%.
Since we had cloud cover for the first two days I would have seen the sliver moon, I only have the seven moonshots so far in February.
Catching air
From the Ministry of Silly Walks on Water.
Sunset looking to the southeast over the Rio Grande.
Trees and clouds at dusk looking northwest from the levee.
Meet Buddy. He’s a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and he’s our newest staff member. We have not been able to find sufficient staff, so we’ve gone to the dogs for new hires. Buddy is young and impressionable, therefore, we can train him in his office doggie duties.
Being so young, he’s not quite up to full-time work and fell asleep on the job. Buddy is Ailene’s dog. Her husband died last month after battling cancer for a year. She got a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel because they are easygoing, people-oriented dogs. Buddy spent the morning in my office while Ailene was at a meeting.
I took a walk around the long block (about a mile to get all the way around) at the office today. The clouds were excellent from the east and the west.
Daddy Owl at dusk.
Purple Dawn
Dusk
Gwendolyn looking vampire-like.
Icy wind picks up
Pulls leaf free from snowbound hold
Underfoot no more
Today’s wind was favorable for the leaf that was snowbound last night. The leaf was blown free of its icy hold, left lying peacefully off to the side of the trail no longer underfoot. Below is The Who’s “I’m Free” live in 1977 to celebrate the leaf’s luck of the draw.
Daddy owl eyeing me through a tangle of twigs.
This American Coot was foraging on the sandbar. Then it started to take flight and decided against it.
pTerodactyl trying to hide behind a tumbleweed.
Venus at dawn under clear skies.
After having cloud cover for most of the day, these were the last few clouds hanging around at sunset.
Blown by icy winds
Tumbled to the ground
On edge stuck like a knife
Snow rough, trodden
Out of reach
Sun’s warming grip
Snowbound waits its fate…
Snow melts sets it free
Or…
Stepped on, crushed underfoot
A kitty print. Which kitty remains a mystery.
Purple ice mimicking the pTerodactyl on the clearwater ditch.
pTerodactyl flying over the clearwater ditch
Sandias and cranes at dusk.
Purple Tangle Heart with crescent moon
Dusk
Dusk and crescent moon
Persistence of dusk with crescent moon
Crescent moon
Off Center & Not Even 