Birds of a feather...

We had a rare treat this week. Daughter Erin invited us to come to NW Portland to watch the Swifts swarm into a large chimney at Chapman grade school.

These little birds stay in flight all day eating insects and then at dusk congregate from miles up in the sky to dive bomb into this large unused chimney every dusk for several weeks until they continue their migration to Central and South America for the winter. They cannot perch like a normal bird during the day but they can cling to the inside walls of the chimney and evidently to each other. How tired and warm they must be after an average day in the air!

30 -40,000 birds cramming into one chimney brings a whole community of people out at dusk with their lawn chairs, blankets, dogs, supper and kids to watch this nightly event.

Cheers were heard as the last of the birds joined the main swirl into the chimney, boos and gasps as a hawk tried to swoop in for an easy supper 3 times.

We took friends back the next night...no movie theater could have offered such a show.

It was a natural air show of choreography, cooperation, and beauty. I can see God creating it to the orchestration of majestic music.

Pet Rules or Pets Rule?

My sister in St Louis sent this text in an email fwd.
I will share it for any other pet lovers.

PET RULES To be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door - nose height.

Dear Dogs and Cats,

*The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

* The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run. *I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm

*For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years --canine or feline attendance is not required.

*The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough!

To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Pets:

1. They live here. You don't.

2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That's why they call it "fur"niture.)

3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

(I still know the difference between people and animals but still a cute article don't you think?)

Water, water, everywhere.....

Just got back from Orcus Island, one of the San Juan Islands. Thinking back on what draws me back to that island I think it must be the water. It is about as close to the water as I get and I love it. The ferry ride over, the view of the water, building a fire on the beach.

Speaking of water, we shut off the water here at the house just to be safe this time only to come home to a flooded laundry room and tiles buckled and warped. I was just dreading unpacking the food for 6 people after 5 hours on the freeway but instead we were ankle deep in wet towels and moving heavy appliances around trying to mop up and dry the subfloor.

Windows open, fans on, 24 hours later we are ready to glue the tile back down.

What happened? All we know is the new washer was full to the brim with cold clear water and I had not turned it on before leaving. Maybe some sort of reaction to the sudden loss of pressure?

If you know about these things please comment, we don't want to repeat this!