I call that patch of color 'yolky'; I love it, and every bit of them.

I'm glad you enjoyed the grackle story. I used to stand in the yard under a tree with my arms outstretched an a seed in my mouth for a black-capped chickadee, and he'd come so close to taking it, then zoom off, come back in and close, take off... I wasn't strong enough to stand like that indefinitely, but if I had, imagine... Still, the tufted titmice, the nuthatches, the brown-headed cow birds, so many others were a joy to watch and be near. Lovely memories.

He actually named the chimp after Tallulah Bankhead, so I may change it to one of those during December. Good idea! I knew I rustled your curtain for a reason.

I suspect everyone who`s still in touch with their inner kid would experience a flash of warmth looking at it

*waves*

Thanks, Owen, for taking the time to read about my hobbies, and then taking more time to let me know what you thought of them: I was hoping someone like you would do the first; I'm grateful you did the second. (I enjoyed reading yours, too; and thought of all the birds I 'identified' in the mid-90s, Ohio, when I would stand literally for hours at my kitchen window watching the feeders Gromit and I had put up, and jotting down what I saw: 28 or so different birds, including a grackle who ate everything but a piece of one feather from a sparrow she'd killed, though 'expert birders' wrote that grackles only eat the brain, and leave the rest: it pays to be patient, quite often.)

thankyou

And pipe-weed?

Anything for a fellow appreciator of Tom Bombadil's bearded awesomeness.

You made me nostalgic and remember the old coot's house theme song from that online LOTR game. Also the feeling of sitting around in the Prancing Pony, listening to the ambient sounds of fire crackling and chatter, while enthusiastic roleplayers flex their imagination to impress and connect.

I'll take that over going to the club any day.

2 posts more!

Well, I apologize to you for that.

But I suspect the Diet Coke had it coming.

I'd secretly replace all their pamphlets with "Welcome to the Army" brochures.

I'll think of starlings differently now.

That is extraordinary. I remember seeing something about that phenomenon years ago, and the narrator saying that how the birds seems to know when and how to turn, and why they suddenly turn, is one of the great mysteries of biology. It would be incredible to be under them in that field.

Hm, I don't know. I feel a little more foolish each day

You're welcome Owen.

Thank you. I was thinking as I wrote, "Ahh... here at last is a poem worthy of Owen's attention."

You seem like a good person.

Your presence in this thread had a sobering effect on me. I am less inclined to use frivolous words.