While Nora Owl and Willa were having a beak-to-beak in a corral, Walter flew in.
“Banzai!”
Nora Owl: “We don’t want to see your willy Walter! Cut it out.” Walter: “But Mama!”
Willa: “Mama! He’s still doing it.” Nora Owl: “WALTER! How many times do I have to tell you?”
Walter sneaked up on Nora Owl and Willa.
“SURPRIZE! Ahahahaha!
Nora Owl: “WALTER! YOU JERK! You kids are impossible. I’m out of here!” Willa: “NO! Mama! Don’t leave me with Walter!” Walter: “Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Take a good look, Willa!”
When we checked on Walter and Willa tonight, all we could see was Willa. She was high in the tree, looking all around, hopping from limb to limb, climbing the trunk of the tree. She wore herself out, and Walter was nowhere to be seen. Willa laid down on the broken branch we first spotted her on, exhausted from her efforts. Then Walter flew in from another tree, all proud of himself. He was hopping and flying around, looking for Nora. They were ready for dinner.
Willa: “Hey, Paparazzo, do you see Walter anywhere?”
Walter flew in from another tree.
Willa: “Mama! I need dinner!”
As we were walking back, the badger made a mad dash from one hole to another hole. We stopped, and it came back out and listened to us for a bit. We were so close to it that I had to take a few steps back to get enough distance to focus on the badger.
Spunk has been watching Vintage SNL Shorts with Justin Timberlake on YouTube and got the idea to put his tail in a box.
Our guard hummingbird is vigilant.
Søren: “I handled the drive into town better than you did, stupid, impatient, cranky paparazzo!”
Søren went to the vet today. He had an irritated and swollen eye last Wednesday, but after I got the appointment and paid the deposit for the appointment, his eye was normal by Friday and is still normal today. The vet could see where he had scratched it. She gave us some ointment to put on his eyelid. That will be fun.
Since he is neurotic and doesn’t like change, we thought the drive into town would stress him out. Turns out I was more stressed out with all the stupid, slow drivers than Søren was with the car ride. He was saying, “Hello!”, making noises, and then laughing at me getting after the other drivers. My original plan was to take him to work with me when I normally go early and then take him to the vet. Since we had decided it was best for both of us to take him to the vet, I didn’t mention my idea of taking him to work with me until we were in the car and I was yelling at traffic. Laurie asked Søren if he would like to go to work with me, and he said, “No!” He was much more entertained by my getting mad at other drivers.
Søren was proud of himself after we got back from the vet. He did good.
Nora was in her favorite spot tonight before taking off to find food for Walter and Willa. We did not see or hear Osric tonight.
Willa on a branch far away, peeking over a twig at us.
Walter on a branch about six feet below where Willa was perched.
Walter
Willa flapping and hopping her way down to Walter.
Willa eagerly looking for Nora to bring her dinner. Walter just looking.
Walter’s tail among the tatones in a different tree from yesterday.
We couldn’t find Walter and Willa in their cottonwood tree this afternoon. And for good reason. They were not in it. They had both flown to the tree to the west of their tree. It will be very hard to see them at dusk from now on.
Nora napping way up high in the cottonwood west of the tree she nested in.
Willa sacked out after making the flight to the new tree.
Western Tanager
Swallow, House Finch, Robin
Mother’s Day Flowers
Silver napping
Marina’s Incognito Pear tree has become rather sculptural.
Night To Day. Lyrics and Music by Timothy Price. Vocals by Teagan Riordain Geneviene.
I played an unplugged version of Night To Day on my freshly restored Elvis Presley Harmony guitar in my farewell to 2023 video on New Year’s Eve. I later recorded the metal version and asked Teagan if she wanted to sing it. She wasn’t sure about singing metal, but Teagan is a good sport, and she is adventurous when it comes to art and music, so she dove into the metallic pool and nailed it. Her ethereal voice is perfect for the ghostly theme of Night To Day.
If you have trouble viewing the video, you can listen to the song on SoundCloud.
Night to Day
Lyrics and Music by Timothy Price Vocals by Teagan Riordain Geneviene
[Verse 1] I saw Sun crash to the ground It threw colors far and wide With yellows into reds consumed Swallowed up by ravenous blues
[Pre-chorus] Dusk sang dirges to the dark Clouds ignited a fiery show
[Chorus] See the darkness Nighttime’s falling Time to slumber, But ghosts are calling Feel the darkness Your skin starts crawling Who can sleep when ghosts come calling
[Verse 2] As embers meander through the night Shadows creep under bright moonlight Dawn wakes colors that light the sky Painting darkness red, yellow, blue
[Pre-chorus] Defeating darkness that’s Eos’ way She breathes life into one more day
[Chorus] See the light Ghosts dissolving Time to rise A new day’s calling Feel the light Your skin stops crawling When you’re up to see ghosts dissolving
[Bridge] Night to day. Day to night Flesh and spirits, in a moment, fight For the right to live or die Trading places, one sacrificed
[Outro] See the darkness Nighttime’s falling Time to slumber Ghosts come calling See the light A new day’s calling Time to rise, see ghosts dissolving
Rio Samba
Altissimo
Guard hummingbird en garde
Spotted Towhee in the tree. House Finch lands in the same tree. Spotted Towhee chases House Finch away.
Spotted Towhee was all proud of himself.
Nora Owl flew over where I could get better shots of her this afternoon.
Walter and Willa were in the top of the cottonwood huddled up together and dozing on and off.
Osric Owl was trying to sleep with the wind blowing his ear tufts.
We have had persistent high winds since Thursday night. Several thunderstorms blew through this afternoon dropping a quarter inch of rain, and pelting us with marble sized hail.
Walter and Willa were out of the nest and up on the trunk of the tree tonight. They were peeping up a storm, especially Walter. Nora was a tree limb over the horse stall hooting a grocer list. At one point, I looked back at Nora and noticed she was in a different position. A few minutes later, she was feeding Walter a gopher, as shown in the above video.
Willa and Walter up on the trunk of their cottonwood.
Willa keeping an eye out for Nora.
Walter is proud of himself
Nora hooting the grocery list.
I finally got Walter’s attention. “What now, you stupid paparazzo?”
Walter walking around in deep thought.
I finally got Willa’s attention. “Who’s that? Oh, hi, paparazzo!”
Nora feeding a piece of gopher to Walter.
Nora giving me Maddogs.
Willa stretching her wings
Willa walking around stretching her wings while waiting for Nora to bring her dinner.
Off Center & Not Even 