Starship Asterisk*

How’s your day?
A day to offer profuse apologies.
Day of redemption.
Greetings
César

César! Are birds singing where you are? If so, what kind?

From where I sit, I can see a Blue Jay on the branch of my chestnut tree. Jays often stop by hoping to score leftover cat food. I haven't fed the feral cats yet, so the jays are out of luck at the moment. For that matter, so are the cats, poor beasties! Jays are handsome birds and I am always glad to see and hear them.

I saw a small flock of juncos (so cute, these little birds!) this morning when I went out to the shed.

Guess it's time for me to mosey into the office...

(Yes, I'll feed the cats before I go.)

owlice wrote:César! Are birds singing where you are? If so, what kind?

From where I sit, I can see a Blue Jay on the branch of my chestnut tree. Jays often stop by hoping to score leftover cat food. I haven't fed the feral cats yet, so the jays are out of luck at the moment. For that matter, so are the cats, poor beasties! Jays are handsome birds and I am always glad to see and hear them.

I saw a small flock of juncos (so cute, these little birds!) this morning when I went out to the shed.

Guess it's time for me to mosey into the office...

(Yes, I'll feed the cats before I go.)

I get Jay's over here also; but usually over the pleasant months. The Cardinals don't seem to like them. The Card's are supposed to be an all season bird; but I rarely see them over the cold months.

orin stepanek wrote:I'm a big proponent of Pluto is a planet.

Hi Orin,

I grew up with Pluto as a planet so I’m fine with that… I think it’s funny that they changed its designation but so far haven’t changed “planetary nebula”.

owlice wrote:Hi, Ed!

emc wrote:My wife is after me to take up bike riding, we have some nice bike trails not too far from our house.

You should listen to her, especially if you have trails you can ride, and when you get to wanting a $5,000 bike, you can look at her and say, "But honey, you wanted me to take up biking, remember?"

(For the record, I do not own a $5,000 bike, nor even a $500 bike.)

Hi Owlice,

Well, I finally went bike shopping today… man you weren’t kidding about that $5k… there are lots of bikes in the thousands… I’m looking more at the less than $200 range… not sure if I will last at this biking thing at age 59.

mexhunter wrote:How’s your day?
A day to offer profuse apologies.
Day of redemption.
Greetings
César

Hi César,

My day is driving me crazy… and it is a very short trip! I am trying to add several high frequency clocks to an already busy circuit board… I will get it done but sometimes I am full of doubt.
Regarding posting in SA*… I also worry about offending people… it is so easy to do even if intentions are good. I hope that anyone that I offend will send me a PM, email or something so that I can learn from my mistakes. I think you are thoughtful and kind and read your posts as such. In my opinion, it is better to read all posts as good intentions.

owlice wrote:César! Are birds singing where you are? If so, what kind?

From where I sit, I can see a Blue Jay on the branch of my chestnut tree. Jays often stop by hoping to score leftover cat food. I haven't fed the feral cats yet, so the jays are out of luck at the moment. For that matter, so are the cats, poor beasties! Jays are handsome birds and I am always glad to see and hear them.

I saw a small flock of juncos (so cute, these little birds!) this morning when I went out to the shed.

On the subject of birds and cats… We have bird feeders so we get lots of feathered visitors… chickadees, titmouse, cardinals, crows, jays, woodpeckers, goldfinches, etc we even have a neighbourhood hawk but he doesn't feed at the bird feeders. My wife believes in feeding the entire neighbourhood of animals… even opossums. We had an opossum visitor last evening on our front porch partaking of our cat’s food. When we returned from our walk we startled it so it rolled over and did that “play dead” thing that opossums are so good at. It’s funny to watch them “wake up” from playing dead! Say, maybe opossums would make good space travellers!

I tell my wife that it’s tempting fate to feed cats and birds on the same porch but she doesn’t listen. It actually has worked out quite well, no cats eating birds, at least on the front porch.

After a poor start, today was good. Had Thanksgiving dinner with my daughter and her family. Met my great grand daughter for the first time. She likes my beard. Such a pretty girl. She obviously takes after me. Today's high was 78, tonights low is supposed to be 22, high tomorrow 36. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you very much for your words Ed
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
Many greetings
César

orin stepanek wrote:I get Jay's over here also; but usually over the pleasant months. The Cardinals don't seem to like them. The Card's are supposed to be an all season bird; but I rarely see them over the cold months.

Orin,

I don't see jays and cardinals hanging out together, either. Cardinals are definitely year-round birds here; here's one during one of our "snow events" last February. I like seeing them, and love their "cheeer cheeer cheeer" song.

emc wrote: Hi Owlice,

Well, I finally went bike shopping today… man you weren’t kidding about that $5k… there are lots of bikes in the thousands… I’m looking more at the less than $200 range… not sure if I will last at this biking thing at age 59.

You might see if you can get a used bike from one of your local bike stores. Fit is the most important thing; you won't ride a bike much if it isn't a good fit for you. I have a Giant Sedona, which is a "comfort" bike. Supposedly not great for riding long distances (that's what I've read, anyway; maybe it depends on one's definition of "long distance"?), but good for trail riding, general riding-around riding, and so on. Sturdily built, fat tires, good components. I've had a total of four flats in eight years, two of them this year, and one of them last year. If you don't take to biking, you can always sell the bike you buy.

You might be surprised at how many people take up biking in their 50s! It's not uncommon; I participate in a bike forum for (mostly) women, and the forum is always getting new riders in their 50s. And last year when I was doing my C&O Canal ride, the guy who owns the first place I stayed told me all of his biking guests are in their 50s, 60s, 70s. (I opined that the younger bikers likely ride three 60-mile days, so stay further down the canal.)

emc wrote:On the subject of birds and cats… We have bird feeders so we get lots of feathered visitors… chickadees, titmouse, cardinals, crows, jays, woodpeckers, goldfinches, etc we even have a neighbourhood hawk but he doesn't feed at the bird feeders. My wife believes in feeding the entire neighbourhood of animals… even opossums. We had an opossum visitor last evening on our front porch partaking of our cat’s food. When we returned from our walk we startled it so it rolled over and did that “play dead” thing that opossums are so good at. It’s funny to watch them “wake up” from playing dead! Say, maybe opossums would make good space travellers!

I tell my wife that it’s tempting fate to feed cats and birds on the same porch but she doesn’t listen. It actually has worked out quite well, no cats eating birds, at least on the front porch.

Good to no cats eating birds! Unfortunately, this spring I found a blue jay wing on my driveway, and this fall, a cardinal wing. I haven't had bird feeders since getting the current crop o' cats. I used to have a lot of feeders out, and in my previous house, had feeders right on my windows. That house backed up to woods, and I had all kinds of birds coming to my feeders. I had a hummingbird feeder with perches, and the hummingbirds used to just sit there and hang out. Such very cool little birds!

Hi Owlice:
What do these cadenales in Washington? should be in St. Louis.
In my resent trip, I had the opportunity to photograph two of the 3 birds native of South Africa, I hope you like:
Lourie (Tauraco corythaix) Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophaps pictus) Greetings
César

What lovely birds, César!

Ann

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
I shot with my camera a this wild turkey on the farm of a great friend in Tamaulipas, Mexico, four years ago.
Greetings
César

César, thank you very much for the bird pictures; they're great!!

I saw a turkey recently on my commute to work standing by the side of the road in the park. I see plenty of other birds in the park -- herons and ducks and raptors and all kinds of perching birds -- but never before had I seen a turkey along that route.

Had a nice Thanksgiving! Hope everyone else did too. Sounds like Bystander did.

Cesar,
Those are some cool bird shots, I like the wild turkey and the South African birds are beautiful.

Orin,
We only see a couple of cardinals and they’ve been around all year. But we also see Blue Jays which is what I think you and Owlice are referring to as Jays. I don’t know that I have seen them TOGETHER but certainly at different times.

Owlice,
Thanks for the bicycle tips! I still haven’t committed to buying anything, first I have to commit to riding. And about the cat eating of birds… Just to be clear, there have been casualties out in the yard, just not on the front porch where there are bird and cat feeders. We added bells to our hunters which help the birds.

emc wrote:Had a nice Thanksgiving! Hope everyone else did too. Sounds like Bystander did.
Orin,
We only see a couple of cardinals and they’ve been around all year. But we also see Blue Jays which is what I think you and Owlice are referring to as Jays. I don’t know that I have seen them TOGETHER but certainly at different times.

Yes! I was referring to the Blue Jays! The Jays and the Cards visit my garden pretty often; and sometimes at the same time; but they don't get along. I did see one of the Cardinals the other day. The sparrows are the most common bird around here. There have been some Bald Eagles along the Platte and during the summer it is fun to watch them soaring high in the sky. There is so many different birds around that it would be difficult to name them all.
How's my day? It is snowing right now.

emc wrote:Had a nice Thanksgiving! Hope everyone else did too. Sounds like Bystander did.

Yes, thanks Ed, I did. Besides meeting that beautiful young lady, Emma, who was so enamored with my beard, and getting my fill of turkey and trimmings on Wednesday at my daughter's house. I spent Thanksgiving Day with my step-daughter (I still claim her even though her mother is long gone) and her new hubbie with more turkey and trimmings only to arrive at home to a feast of ham. Not sure I've recovered yet.

Glad you enjoyed yours.

TODAY is a "MOODY BLUES" day, or at least the "After-Noon" part,anyway. Yeah--The Moody Blues--

beyond wrote:TODAY is a "MOODY BLUES" day, or at least the "After-Noon" part,anyway. Yeah--The Moody Blues--

http://asterisk.apod.com/vie ... 89#p135789

bystander wrote:

beyond wrote:TODAY is a "MOODY BLUES" day, or at least the "After-Noon" part,anyway. Yeah--The Moody Blues--

http://asterisk.apod.com/vie ... 89#p135789

I have an excuse!! I was away from the Asterisk then and didn't see that post.
Besides -- Sometimes you just can't get enough of a GOOD thing--right

bystander wrote: http://asterisk.apod.com/vie ... 89#p135789

beyond wrote:I have an excuse!! I was away from the Asterisk then and didn't see that post.
Besides -- Sometimes you just can't get enough of a GOOD thing--right

Wasn't criticizing. Just pointing you in the right direction.
You aren't alone. There is never too much Moody Blues.

http://asterisk.apod.com/vie ... 50#p136050
http://asterisk.apod.com/vie ... 52#p136052

Rainey,windy,damp,cold,dreary. Really puts the 'nice' in being in a nice warm house.
I was going to mention that wednesdays are Prince Spaghetti days, but i had spaghetti on monday.
Oh, it's almost 12:30pm. The day is more than half-over - YEA!!

Hi Orin,

We have sparrows too. Lots of birds also, my neighbor has an owl box way up in a tree with a couple of residents. I like to watch them especially peeking out their hole. We are fortunate to have so many animals around.


Hi Bystander,

Your granddaughter is precious. I’m trying to imagine her with a beard so as to get an impression of you but its not working. I have a pretty good imagination too; it’s just that it is difficult to imagine a cute man with a beard. Is your beard white by chance?

Hi Beyond,

Glad to learn of more Moody Blues friends at SA* This is one of my many favorites... I couldn't find where it had been posted before.

Moody Blues - The Story In Your Eyes

I've been thinking about our fortune
And I've decided that we're really not to blame
For the love that's deep inside us now
Is still the same

And the sounds we make together
Is the music to the story in your eyes
It's been shining down upon me now
I realize

Listen to the tide slowly turning
Wash all our heartaches away
We're part of the fire that is burning
And from the ashes we can build another day

But I'm frightened for your children
That the live that we are living is in vain
And the sunshine we've been waiting for
Will turn to rain

Listen to the tide slowly turning
Wash all our heartaches away
We're part of the fire that is burning
And from the ashes we can build another day

But I'm frightened for the children
That the live that we are living is in vain
And the sunshine we've been waiting for
Will turn to rain

When the final line is over
It's certain that the curtain's gonna fall
I can hide inside your sweet sweet love
For ever more

Today is a good day for me… Peyton is becoming more playful and less ferocious! My wife, who is an avid animal lover, caregiver, etc. is not fond of Peyton... his antics try her patience... I'm trying to "tame" him but cats are quite stubborn. Today he is less aggressive so either he is coming 'round or ate a bad chipmunk.

Yes, Ed, my beard is white, mostly. And a correction, Emma is my great granddaughter (my grandson's daughter).

For the Moody fans: http://www.youtube.com/artist/The_Moody_Blues#

• Isnt life strange
  A turn of the page
  Can read like before
  Can we ask for more?
  
  Each day passes by
  How hard man will try?
  The sea will not wait
  You know it makes me want to cry ...

Thanks once again Bystander!... for the link to the Moody Blues online video library…
I just listened to Watching and Waiting… haven’t heard that in a while… such a beautiful song!

Today has been light but it’s getting darker…

It happens like this every single day. Light then dark then repeat. It’s like we’re in some sort of cosmic routine. I wonder what it means… is it some sort of higher order message… or some kind of trigger mechanism that I keep missing… Why isn’t it dark first for a change… you know, break up the monotony… it would give us something else to stress about besides contrails and geography.

Start your day earlier, it's dark then it gets light.

It's been a Roy Orbison day for me, reminiscing. Hard to believe it's been 22 years since it was over.

Ok - I can get up when it's dark but that only changes me not the cosmic timer we're encountering. Actually, never mind... you'll just tell me to move to China.

22 years maybe we should do something about that accelerating clock while we're changing the cosmos ... at least Roy Orbison's music lives on... one of the great ones!