We Have A Pair!

I opened the patio door when I got up this morning and heard a hawk call so I stood at the screen to listen and watch.  Soon I saw one fly across the yard from the right and land up in a big tree in the next yard and rustle behind some branches.  Pretty soon I heard more hawk calling and another one flew from the opposite side to join the one in the tree, then they both flew to perch on top of LJ's power pole.  Naturally it was a hazy morning so they look like silhouettes but, look, there are two Red-tailed Hawks right there.  About an hour later one of them sat on the fence for the longest time and a robin was having a conniption fit, hopping around the lawn chirping with the feathers on top of its head standing straight up, at one point it even buzzed the hawk.  We supposed that it has a nearby nest.  The hawk was cool, though, it eyed the robin and ducked when it zoomed by its head but didn't budge.  It stayed there for a good 20 minutes before flying off.  Man, they're gorgeous, mottled brown and white with snowy white bellies and fluffy white feathers down to their knees.  They're big too, way bigger than the other hawks that come around.  One came "for supper" last night too, sitting on the fence while I was broiling the tuna steak.  I'm loving this.

There are two blossoms on the spaghetti squash plant.  I hope we get more than 2 squashes but I'll settle for two if that's all that grow.  I'm keeping an eye out for blossoms on the gourd plant.  I've never grown gourds and I want one I can make into a birdhouse.

The last surviving yellow lily that Mom and Dad planted along the retaining wall is blooming but it looks like it got trampled by a squirrel or a rabbit as it's fallen down, still blooming but just lying down.











I got another repeat of the mosaic hat knitted yesterday and the next one begun.  It's about 5" and needs to be 7" before I begin the decreases for the top.  I sure like the way this looks.  I can't wait to finish and try another design.  (If anyone's looking to buy me a gift, say for Christmas, I happen to know there's a mosaic knitting design book in my Amazon wishlist...)

July 3--Christopher Talbot Frank, Mountain Lightning.  The storm clouds were so low they looked like they were caught on the mountaintops.  Grace and the hands were out in the yard getting everything loose put in the barn or tied down.  She chased the last stubborn chicken into the henhouse and used a piece of wire she found in her slicker pocket to secure the door.  Todd and Leo made sure the horses were in their stalls and all the vehicle windows were closed.  Grace thought these storms were sent her way to force her to clean up the yard.  It was too easy to leave a broken wheelbarrow or a three-legged chair next to the shed instead of either fixing it or dumping it.  The first lightning bolt hit the lone tree in the pasture filling the air with the smell of ozone and burnt wood.  She felt electricity buzz the air and ran for the house.

I need to go to Menard's or someplace like that to get a new flapper for the toilet.  It keeps running for a few seconds every once in a while and I think the flapper's the problem.  I took a picture of the toilet works just in case I need to get the whole kit and kaboodle, then I want to stop at the AT&T store to have one of the children working there help me with more phone features.  I love my phone, I don't understand my phone but then I don't really understand Durwood and I love him too, in a different way than my love for my phone, of course.  I'm off.  Supper's defrosting, Durwood's napping, and I have errands.  Ta-ta!
--Barbara