Circle of Life

Mayoayee is hosting this week's mono Monday with the theme "Now!"  I can't think of anything more NOW! for this house finch as it struggles for it's life in the jaws of the Arizona Black Snake.  The snake suffocates its prey before eating it. It was a weird sight. The snake was long and the finch struggled mightily.  After I got a couple of shots, this being the best of the lot, a man came by and we watched together.  Then to our shock, the bird got away and flew off.  The snake disappeared off to our (my) left.  As we continued chatting, the snake whizzed past us to the bushes on my right, much closer to him than to me.  He saw it first and  jumped at least a few inches up and a foot backwards. It was funny.

The day began sunny and warm but grew more cloudy and windy as time passed.  I mentioned to someone in the afternoon that it felt like it was cooling off. When I checked the temperature it was 81°/27°. Perspective is everything. There's a 50/50 chance of rain tomorrow.  I have developed a new problem.  It's called precip disappointment syndrome (or PDS).

First light at the moment is about 5:15 am (chirping and squawking begin) and sunrise is a half hour later.  No matter what time I go to bed (tonight will be after 2 am) the dang light wakes me up.  I keep one of those eye masks on my headboard (where when I was a kid I stuck my gum). Pulling the pillows over my head only cuts off my air supply. Live and learn.