Steve and Judy's Travels!

 

At the Louisville house.

 

We put that pelican weathervane on the roof probably twenty-five years ago.  Nancy, who still lives in the neighborhood, just updated us with this photo.  After all these years, even as the house has changed hands, the pelican still stands.

 

 

 

 

It’s a kind of cockatoo that lives in Australia.  These are in front of a feeder cam on a lawn in New South Wales.  You can watch them live here:  https://australianbirdcams.com/evans-head-cam/ if you tune in in the afternoon or evening from the U.S.  Otherwise it’s dark because it’s night there in Australia.

 

 

Lockdown.  For weeks.  Not that lockdown is all that restrictive for us.  We have a house with plenty of room, warm weather and a deck for sitting, a yard for yard work, and a neighborhood with streets and no traffic for walking.

 

Judy, however, is feeling up to new projects.  And what does any new project require?  Yes.  That’s right.  More flowers!  And more rocks!  Time for some shopping.  But with social distancing.  Outdoor shopping only.

 

So we dressed up as stage coach robbers and off we went.

 

 

To the plant nursery and the rock store.

 

It felt good to get out.

 

 

And another thing.  This week we did something we have never in our lives done before.  We replaced a water heater that had yet to make a mess!  When we lived in Louisville, Colorado, the water heater, of course, was located in the basement which had no drain.  Our early warning system for water heater failure was when we stepped into ankle-deep water.  The old water heater here is rated for eight years.  It has been in service now for eleven with not a hint of trouble.  To honor its fine dedicated service and exceptional performance, we retired it and had a nice new 40 gallon heater installed.  Angel, our favorite plumber, came in, kept his distance, we all wore masks, and everyone doused themselves with hand sanitizer after.

 

Life goes on.

 

 

When we did the big day a few weeks back, I took a picture of a blackbird stealing a drop of water.  Really.  I didn’t blow the photos up enough for anyone to actually see, so I’m sending them again, a little larger.

 

Here he is, going in for the grab.

 

 

And he’s got it!

 

 

 

 

Baby California Condor.

 

You can just make out the little tiny bird peeking out from underneath mom in the first picture.

 

Condor nest cam

https://explore.org/livecams/birds/california-condors-redwood-grove

 

You may have to wait for daylight to click on the link.  Not much to see in the dark.