04.17.2022 Happy Easter!

 It is a beautiful morning with blue skies and the sounds of birds with Spring fever!  Happy Easter to everyone. We will enjoy the day with a walk and a nice Easter lunch. We all are enjoying the chance to be outside in the sunshine. The gardens are starting to bloom but I wish I had more daffodils. There was a time when the gardens were full of a variety of daffodils but over time they disappeared. Could the squirrels be eating my bulbs? And every Spring I make a mental note to plant more bulbs in the Fall. And every Fall I find a good reason why I just cannot do that! Maybe this year.

The lily will be planted outside once it has finished blooming. In the garden, they tend to bloom in the summer.

The boys are doing reasonably well but we have had a couple of issues and Gunnarr goes back to the Vet in a couple of weeks. If there is something seriously wrong, he doesn't show it - he runs and plays and eats and is full of energy and life and love as always. But he had some abnormal tests so we are waiting to see if things improve. 

Before the Easter bath. Gunnarr wears the red collar and is having a good time.

My little Houdini Gunnarr. We have to watch him all of the time. He is trying to sneak through the gate - he does this in his pen in the house and has more often than not managed to open the gate. Fionnegan waits to see if they will be freed. He follows Gunnarr closely during these escapades. Fortunately, this is the gate between the front and the side yards, so they are safe no matter what. Shorty is reclining on the porch, he has learned that this will not work.

            

After the bath. They now smell so good and fresh. Even Shorty takes notice and sniffs the twins. He too smells good as he gets a rub down with their towel from the bath. Fionnegan is in the middle.  Shorty loves the camera and starts to pose and tries to smile at times. He also lets me trim the hairs on his paws without a fuss. And he gives Fionn and Gunnarr kisses. What a pack!

Everyone is waiting for dinner. Fionn  Gunnarr Shorty

        

Wishing you all a very Happy and Blessed Easter Day. May you all stay safe and well.

Until next time..........

04.03.2022 A very quick trip to Tel Aviv

 Without a doubt covid has affected all aspects of life, not the least of which is travel. I had a research presentation in Tel Aviv and am happy to report that all three of my covid tests done within 5 days of each are all negative. Hope never to need another nasopharyngeal swab for a very long time. 

The meeting was at the Convention Center and was excellent with presenters from all around the world. I presented our research and moderated a session, so it was worth the time and effort to get there and back.  The one thing I missed was the chance to do a little sightseeing but hope to do that again sometime. Everyone had to quarantine for 24 hours upon arrival or until the airport performed covid test returned. It is hard to sit still in a hotel room - so it was good that I needed to work on my presentation! Once test results were reported I walked for a couple of hours just doing a bit of exploring. It felt good to stretch after such a long airplane ride.

My hotel was about 1.5 miles from the convention center, so I took the opportunity to walk back and forth through a lovely park. And yes, I did a bit of bird watching along the way. The weather was warm and there were only a few sprinkles to dodge. The park was not crowded so it was a really peaceful adventure. And an adventure it was as the first time I walked to the center, shall we say, I took the long way there! An extra mile and a half long way there! 

One thing worth mentioning is the food. From breakfast at the hotel to the food at the convention center it was always fresh and delicious. Even the snacks during the breaks at the conference were healthy - fresh fruit and vegetables. Sweet snacks were bite size - just big enough to satisfy a sweet tooth. I really did enjoy the local menus.

Here is a melodious myna bird. There were many of them everywhere and were fun to watch.

There were beautiful doves in the park - here is a Eurasian collared dove.  I have developed a new fondness for doves these past few years, Maybe I just like to observe birds that I can easily see!

Also watched many, many parrots flying and feeding on the ground.

The handsome bird is the state bird of Israel - the hooded crow.

  

A nice stream meandered through the park. I found a heron doing a bit of fishing and followed her for a while, but she didn't catch anything while I was there. 

 

  

A handsome pair of Egyptian geese were feeding in the park. Will little geese be far behind? It is Spring! I like the pink legs.

The US requires a covid test within 24 hours of departure. Fortunately, I was able to have a testing service come to the hotel. But the results were available just three hours before departure - a bit if a stress as the results arrived as I was leaving for the airport. 

It is always good to come home. I can sleep on the airplane, and I do enjoy watching the Bollywood movies. The boys were happy to see me and life goes back to normal. 

 

Hope you all are well and safe. Life is getting back to normal as covid restrictions are lifted. Discussions regarding a need for a fourth vaccination should give us a sense of security that we can protect ourselves and enjoy life.

Until next time.....

03.27.2022 Say a prayer

 Please remember the people of the Ukraine who have lost their family, friends and home. Pray that this violence ends there and elsewhere and that we as a people on Earth may experience peace everywhere. This is a humanitarian request to take just a few minutes to say a prayer. 

02.21.2022 February - A favorite month

 February is a beautiful month.  It is one of my favorites.

"What?" you say - you like February? "Isn't it cold in New England in February?"

Yes, it is cold. Bitter cold sometimes, very bitter cold. Cold enough to freeze pipes. And then sometimes it is warm.

"And doesn't it snow in February?" Yes, it can snow 2 feet or more at a time. And then I have to shovel it, of course. But there is something very peaceful and romantic about shoveling the snow in a snowstorm late at night. No one else is outside and it is quiet. Very quiet. One can just move back and forth, scraping the shovel along the pavement, making designs in the driveway to make the shoveling a bit more interesting. I can entertain myself even when shoveling snow.

February also holds much promise. The skies are bright blue when it isn't snowing, the days can feel relatively warm and the snow begins to melt. Spring is in the air! The days are appreciably longer, we have morning and afternoon sunlight and the birds are returning. Yes, we now hear the songbirds chirping away in the early morning hours. During the last snowstorm a female goldfinch was feeding at the suet feeders. I wonder if she blew in on the warm tropical winds we had a day earlier. It was unseasonably warm and delightful, Then the temperature dropped dramatically, and it was bitter cold again. We now have a flock of bluebirds here and our little Carolina wren is back. Not to mention the pair of robins and our usual cardinals, juncos and bluejays and of course the pileated woodpeckers and mourning doves. Our feeders are quite busy. O yes, Spring is almost here. You can feel it. And even if it snows three feet, you know it will soon melt. So, yes, February is one of my favorite months.

Views of the Charles River in Cambridge, MA. There is a wonderful bike path hidden under the snow - a great place for a walk any time of year. There are gardens that are in full bloom in the summer as well as an inlet where you can watch the little painted turtles sit on the logs. The river is also quite busy with kayakers and canoers and college rowing teams.  It is quite the place - and the park is ready to begin the Spring renewal soon.

                                    

A flower box with icicles from the holly ivy.

The boys have had lots of fun outside - they do like to play in the snow. Here are Fionnegan nad Gunnarr with their nose pressed against the window, making sure I don't forget them outside.

Shorty loves the snow - a bit of a surprise for a dog from the tropical island of Yap. But he has grown a very thick winter coat so no doubt he is quite warm. He, too, seems to enjoy February. he is my constant companion when I am working outdoors. No doubt he is hoping for another escape through the gates to go visit Tuukka, the neighboring dog. But I now keep a watchful eye on him.

This is our lady goldfinch at the suet feeder in the midst of a snowstorm

She is sharing the feeders with the bluebirds.

Our resident Carolina wren. They build their nests in our yard - not very sturdy. The last one was close to the mailbox. Maybe they get better with experience. The one on the wreath of our door was missing a back wall. Thank heavens the wreath rested on the door as did the nest!

She is a gorgeous little bird, males and females have the same markings. I'll be these small birds also have spring fever!

Fionnegan and Gunnarr. 

Look at those big canine teeth. He is just calling to Tuukka. And Tuukka is answering him.

He loves the snow. He rolls in it, sniffs it and eats snow. He also tracks the mice or voles that hide in the snow. I do believe he has a great time.

Even the pups get Spring fever and were having a great time in the snow and sunshine. A perfect February day!

Lined up for a group picture, they were really more interested in running and playing. And looking for Tuukka. Sometimes I just shovel just enough so we can get out the door!

They run and play and chase each other and jump on each other and just have one great time.  To be without a care in the world! Gunnarr loves to be chased and Fionnegan loves to bark to chase after him and Shorty just jumps into the fun. Good boys, all of them.

Yes, Spring is almost here. We can feel it in the air! And that is why February is so special.

I hope you all are well and preparing for the beginning of Spring. 

Until next time.....................