The Littlest Falcon

It was 76 degrees today. The down side was a 20-25 MPH wind gusting to 35. While the wind came from the southwest, it still had a bit of a chill at times because the humidity was only 25 percent. Quickly, I made my rounds and discovered the second Kestrel Hawk. Three days ago, I ran across the first one to have actually seen. Some of the bird photographers had talked about the little Kestrel being here or there, but I had never seen it myself. The reason why I call this one the second one is that miles in another direction I had again seen one perched in a tree. Then across the park on the other end, here was this one. My distance was to far for a really good closeup but I did get a couple of fairly clean shots enough to identify it as a Kestrel and  another first happened. That's two first in three days this season already. This one was not something that you really aim for, although, as it turned out, just as I was about to click the shutter, the darn bird pooped and as Murphy's law would dictate, the image was crystal clear! All I can say is Amazing! Simply amazing or the luck of the Irish since St. Pat's Day is  a week away after today. Where is my gold clover pin??
 
Then, as I was on the way home, I was buzzed by the old buzzards again. Now that's unreal to have that happen not only the first time but to have it happen again within three days. They are almost as evasive  as egrets to shoot. Never did get a clear shot, but the best one that I was able to get today was through the sunroof as he flew over head.

In between those two bird excursions  I have long joked about there not being a tulip on Tulip Lane or an Iris in Iris Hollow---and there isn't. But, I found a bunch of isolated daffodils on a hillside and went into the parking lot closest to the patch and then walked the road for a fair distance with the high wind. I got only a couple of shots that would work here and that sent me to KFC to get dinner and home bound I headed, tired, hungry and  wind blown. I've been a bit in a less than creative mood lately.

Kestrel Hawk or Sparrow Hawk

A cluster of daffodils on a hill side

The Ole Buzzard Is Back!

Sights, Unheard Sounds, Ramblings & Thoughts

One,  it took 73-days of the new open carry law in Texas before I saw my first two open carries. Yesterday on the way down to the bridge, two motorcycles pulled up along side me on Harry Hines Blvd. at the light. The first open carry was on the man. The second open carry was alongside him and was carried by a woman rider. My reaction to seeing an open carry under the new law was somewhat mixed until I actually saw these two. Surprisingly, there was more feelings of, "Gee! we live in an awesome country!" The cyclist changed into my lane ahead of me after the light change and were ahead of me for a few miles. My attitude was pretty strong that they were exercising their rights on Texas soil like so many pioneers before them and it actually felt pretty good, emotionally, knowing that, like Ronald Reagan, basically, people are good.

Two, it was an above average day with temps well above the average only to hear that tomorrow (Monday) they will be some 20-degrees warmer. We could be pushing near 90 folks! It's not even the Ides of March yet and St. Patrick's Day is still a day away (since this is being written on Monday, now). Every thing is green and colorful. The red-bud trees are awesome, the flowering crabs and dogwoods are bright and gleaming, even the magnolia blooms look great. The tulip beds along Caruth Haven in the Village are spectacular. Beautiful wine colored and yellow iris and,of course, the underrated daffodils that William Wordsworth wrote about in 1815 are still holding true to the poems.

The third was a symphonic sound of a soulful trumpet player under the Commerce Street Viaduct at the Trinity River, which is at flood stage and the discharge on the downstream side of the bridge was swift and could be deadly, yet the sound of the trumpet filled my soul with joy and delight for having heard that majestic, almost state trumpet-like sound bouncing off the walls of the bridge supports and the deck above. Who ever the trumpet player was-- he was a delight to hear and I only hope that he will play again soon.

William Wordsworth poem, Daffodils, 1815

The commercialized meaning of Easter

Patiently awaiting President Obama Motorcade nearing sunset.This image is available for personal use at Alamy.com from the live news archive.  order Image FMR3YC

Daffodils

by William Wordsword, 1815. 

First Verse

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the tree,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.