Ducks & Owls

This morning we went to the Wildlife Sanctuary to feed the geese, but there weren't a lot of Canada Geese there which was a good thing.  They're too tall for a 2-year-old, but there were hundreds of ducks, Mallard ducks that aren't too tall, that were just as happy to eat our corn.  IA had a good time feeding them and wasn't afraid to wade into the middle of the flock.  He got pecked a couple times when he had a handful of corn but he got over that quickly and moved on.









In cages behind the feeding area next to the lagoon are the raptors and owls.  Most of them stay outside all winter.  I love seeing them; they look back at you with such an assessing stare.  Except for the Short-eared Owls, they just looked peeved.  Unfortunately their enclosure is glass so there was no way to take their pictures with the glare of sunlight behind me.  But here are two other owls.  The white one is a Snowy Owl and I think the other one might be a Barred Owl but don't quote me.




 




I measured the amaryllis today.  It's shot up over 3 inches in the last few days, now it's about 7 inches tall.  Any day now I expect to see a stalk start growing up from the bulb.  Any day now.

Again today I spent naptime knitting another training sock for the Advent garland.  Now I need two socks and two mittens.  I'm getting there.  I'll be knitting on my hat once I post this.









22 December--Barbara Malcolm, Spies Don't Retire. 

Since Bonaire is a desert island rather than a tropical one, Billie was thwarted in her plan to have palm trees and hibiscus around her pool.  She had to settle for potted palms and a cactus fence with bougainvillea growing over it in a multitude of colors.  Her landscape designer had installed a white nylon sunshade, like a sail, that could be drawn out with a series of pulleys to shade the tables.  He had also planted a windbreak of tall candalaria cactus to deflect the persistent trade winds from blowing the tableware, food and guests down the hill.

For her spur of the moment luncheon to try and rekindle the Cold War, at least on Bonaire, Billie chose, with Minerva’s help, a palette of soft yellow and lilac for her decorations.  She was so tired of the saturated reds, corals, and turquoises that so many decorated with, those colors made her feel overheated.  She preferred the soft pastels, thought them more ladylike, cooler, more appropriate for a ladies’ luncheon.

In the invitations she sent out she asked her guests to come in garden party formal, hoping that they all understood that meant pale colored dresses with flowing skirts and strappy sandals.  A couple of the invitees could be depended on to keep the grapevine humming so she made certain to mention to them quite emphatically that she was aiming for a certain overall look for this party so she depended on them to get the word out.  She did not want to see one of her guests emerge from their car in a garish Hawaiian print sarong with flip-flops.

Billie was also perfectly aware that alone among her guests, Irina would look dreadful in soft pale colors.  Someone with the Russian’s dramatic pale skin and stark black eyes and hair would look like she was in the final stages of consumption dressed in pastels.  Billie didn’t care; she thought that making Irina look bad was the least she could do for Queen and country.

It was nearly 40 degrees when we went to feed the ducks today.  Sunny and 40, who could ask for more on the first day of winter.  Do you realize that means that the days will start getting longer?  That December 21st marks the rebirth of the light?  Hallelujah!
--Barbara