I See You

I could see it and it seems to be looking at me.  It is the largest of the flying forest birds I might see.  A Kereru/New Zealand Pigeon.  I was out the door early today because there had been a frost overnight that had settled on the garden.  I was hoping for arty shots of frost.  That idea went out the window when on the tree line I saw this beautiful creature perched enjoying the sun.  I walked up the back of both neighbouring houses but there where always branches in the way.  This is the best of my shots and heavily cropped.  If anyone has a security camera they will be bemused to see me in hat and scarf pointing my camera at the tree tops.  While in Amy's backyard I asked why she was home from high school.  The answer is twenty staff are away with covid or the flu and so her year group are learning from home this week.   The extra is the snow on the top of the ranges.  
This afternoon we had coffee on the deck with Andrew's house sitter and Kasper came too.  I praised him for chasing a cat across the garden on his way up.  
I am going to write to Santa for a Go Pro camera.  Today Byron was the stand in instructor at the pool.  He was in all his tattooed glory in singlet and shorts.  He has been in England for three weeks and must have forgotten it is winter here.  Our usual instructor Briony is having a belated honeymoon in Rarotonga.  A news item reported the Passports Office has put on more staff to cope with the increased demand for passports.  Petrol, food, rent are at record highs but people want to travel.  The news is confusing at times. 
I nearly gave up on a song but Google found this one which is new to me although it was on the album Empty Sky in 1969.

Skyline Pigeon                Bernie Taupin and Elton John

Turn me loose from your hands
Let me fly to distant lands
Over green fields, trees and mountains
Flowers and forest fountains
Home along the lanes of the skyway . . .

. . . For just a skyline pigeon
Dreaming of the open
Waiting for the day
That he can spread his wings
And fly away again
Fly away, skyline pigeon fly
Towards the dreams
You've left so very far behind . . .