A Gathering of Grumpy Old Men

Yes, your friendly neighborhood walkers always know important stuff, like: Where do the turkey vultures hang out on their time off? But no, I'm surely NOT ready to be their next meal! They really DO look like a gathering of grumpy old men, though, don't they? I can almost FEEL the disapproval oozing off them, as they watch me walking by. Hey, you, over there, looking like roadkill. . . . .

I felt like I should shout out something at them, like "I'm not dead yet!" or "I'm walking here! I'm walking here!" (For the record, the latter is Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy; it is NOT DeNiro or Pacino!) There were actually six of them in the trees, but these three were sitting on the same branch, posing for a nice shot.

The scene somehow reminded me of that movie, This Is No Country for Grumpy Old Men. Or something like that. I didn't like it much. Actually, I hated it. (I didn't like Fargo at all either; understated drollness is not my bag, baby, and I don't find it funny at all.) But the title is good. Oh, and yes, we DO have more than a few grumpy old men in this country, even a couple of them running for the top office in the land. But I digress.

As a neighborhood walker, I have seen both turkey vultures and black vultures. They are part of the food chain. They help clean up the remnants when other critters die. It's a public service, though the thought of it may creep you out some. Turkey vultures have a great sense of smell. Black vultures don't, so they sometimes hang out with and follow the turkey vultures to carrion.

The vultures are also tremendously talented entertainers, and I have had front-row seats for both The Nutcracker and Fiddler on the Roof. Both were powerful performances, but I'm still holding out for Evita. Don't Cry for Me, Argentina is a personal favorite, and I think they could really do it justice. (Oh, Sinead, my dear, nothing compares 2 U. Never will.)

So I guess I'll just pull my coat up around my ears against that blowing wind and those flurries, and head for home. Nothing to see here, just a gathering of grumpy old men in the trees above, waiting to peck my eyes out if I should fall!

THAT took a sudden, unexpected, dark turn, now, didn't it!?

Our soundtrack song is Bon Jovi, with Wanted, Dead or Alive.