Spectacles

It's late in the season to be seeing this species so I was caught a bit by surprise when I saw the flash of yellow in the shadbush.  I believe this is probably a hatch year bird, and it's definitely a Blue-headed Vireo.  The buttery flanks, the bluish head, the stout beak and the Harry-Potterish spectacles all diagnostic for this species.  And I got exactly 2 shots before he was gone.  Didn't make any exposure edits to this but did sharpen it just a bit and cropped it.  

I am reveling in being almost completely pain-free!  I did take a couple of Tylenol this morning, but just to knock back a bit of mild pain in neck and fingers.  I could have tolerated it, to be honest, but figured why should I? I shouldn't be going on and on about this, but honestly, it feels so good to be moving around without pain!  

Hubs and I took Jax for a walk after lunch, giving him lots of freedom to sniff everything.  Including a squashed mouse on the Lane (yuck).  One of the things I am grateful for is that Jax shows no desire to eat dead things (or poop), nor does he attempt to roll around in them.  Our collie, Carrie, used to live to eat deer and rabbit poo and I lost count of the times we had to treat her for parasites.  Jax just wants to carefully and thoroughly sniff everything.  

I'm making a new recipe tonight - garlic shrimp with tomatoes and cannelloni beans and an arugula salad.  It sounds yummy.  

Counting down the days until I leave for Oregon and my parents!  And it even looks like the weather is going to be nice enough to allow us to get out and do some walking while I'm there.  

Dark with nuts today.

xo
Debbi