Back to the Birds

Back to my favorite photo subject today - birds.  It was raining this morning, and quite chilly, but I bundled up and sat in the hide with my tea.  The action at the feeders was non-stop and thoroughly entertaining.  We are continuing to have larger than usual numbers of goldfinch so today's choice of blip was easy.  Plus, I liked the lichen-covered limb it perched on.  I picked the branch Wednesday when I was out walking with my birder friend.  I'm always looking for interesting perches for my backyard birds and this fit the bill quite nicely.  

Did some random chores today and then ran out to get a pack of paper towels.  BIG surprise - the first store I went into had no paper towels on the shelves and very little toilet paper.  The next store had limited quantities of both and restrictions of two packages per person.  So it seems we are headed for loo paper and paper towel shortages again - what the heck!!!  I bought two packs of paper towels, one of toilet paper and a 5 pound bag of bread flower (just in case).  

I also made a bowl of no-knead bread dough which is sitting in a warm spot right now, brewing.  I threw some whole garlic cloves and rosemary in the dough and will bake it tomorrow.  Hubs is going to make meatballs and sauce, so the bread will be perfect to sop up some of the extra sauce.

Covid cases here in the US appear to be exploding now.  I expect we will see 200,000 per day in a matter of weeks if not days.  And, for the first time since the pandemic started this spring, the care facility where MIL lives has several cases.  We believe they are all in the independent living community there, but holding our breaths that the virus doesn't get into the nursing care wing where she lives.  I know that there are people out there who don't care if they get sick themselves, thinking that it will be "like a cold".  What angers me beyond words is that their carelessness puts people I love at risk.  It is, in my opinion, the height of selfishness and signifies a shameful lack of concern for other people.  We all know enough about this virus by now to know how incredibly contagious it is, and how dangerous to people in certain high risk groups.  

So my message is - be safe, for yourself and for those around you.  Be kind, be loving, be caring.

xo
Debbi