This!

I am so chuffed to have gotten this shot - especially since I was neither expecting nor particularly prepared.  That said, I've seen a pair of Cedar Waxwings stopping by recently to check out the berries on our shadbush.  So it wasn't a total surprise when they silently appeared this morning while I was sitting on the deck.  What was a total surprise was that one had plucked a berry and the pair then began to pass it back and forth between them in the classic waxwing pair-bonding behavior!  I've seen this behavior only a couple of times and always from a distance too great to photograph.  So, having them relatively close, reasonably unobscured, and delicately passing the berry back and forth was a thrill!  I got a decent handful of shots but this was my favorite as you can see the delicate passing of the berry.  To my knowledge, they are the only bird that engages in this behavior of passing food (as opposed to outright feeding which is observed in many species).  They passed the berry back and forth maybe a half-dozen times and then took off.  

My second thrill of the day came when I looked outside and saw one of our resident fox in the yard.  I crept out with my camera and was focusing on the fox when it suddenly started running towards me!  Which spooked me just a bit, to be honest.  Turns out, however, the fox had spotted what I believe was a chipmunk under our cherry tree.  There is now one less chippie in the garden.  And while I hate to see a chippie get caught, I am aware that the fox is feeding babies who will die if they don't eat.  Nature.  

Hubs headed out to Queens (NY) today, about 70 miles from us, through monster traffic in/around Manhattan.  He wanted to visit the graves of his grandparents and the uncle for whom he was named.  His uncle was killed as a young man in WWII and Hubs recently learned that a tribute to all the veterans from Woodhaven, Queens is displayed once a year honoring each soldier who lost their life.  He found the Veteran's Center and the cross with his uncle's name.  Poignant. I'm so glad he decided to do this.  

Aside from "helping" me on the deck today, Jax has mostly been napping.  I took him for a ride and we'll go for a walk later.  Happy to let him nap for the moment, though.

thanks for the birthday wishes for my MIL yesterday.  We're grateful that she remains in such good spirits and that she is in a place where she gets wonderful care (and only 2 miles from our home!)

See Extra for a shot of the fox if interested.

I'm back to dark with orange today.

xo
Debbi