Hummingbird story

I'm posting today to Eileen's Saturday's Critters and to Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday. Thank you so much, Eileen and Stewart!  

New Pup at my Sister's House

A very big happy story is that my sister adopted a new puppy that was being "re-homed" (!) at the tender age of 14 weeks after an adoption gone wrong.  Apparently, the original adopters had Chihuahuas and the puppy was carrying them around proudly in his mouth, thinking they were his very own playthings.  I'll let you guess his breed mix.  

As my sister wrote in her email, "His name so far is Rocky but I think that might change. He has a bit of Zoe's brindle and sweetness, some of Tova's confidence, the white tail tip that Katy had, and a bit of Penny's devilishness that we all enjoyed."  Because of the white tail tip and the prominent upward-pointing ear, they have considered the name Tipsy and the suggestion of Hamilton came up as well (most likely to be rejected because of the inevitable shortening to Ham or Hammy).  Of course, if any of you have suggestions, it would be great to hear them.  As I write this, I've had a flash of brilliance (just kidding) that we should try to come up with a name that incorporates a letter or two of each of the family's former dogs. Let's see: Kazotopen..  or, ZoToPenKa..  hm.. well, maybe not.  I'm rather partial to Rocky myself, (he just looks like a Rocky to me) and the most recent message from my sister suggests they will probably stick with that name after all, though name suggestions are still welcome.  What matters most to me is that the whole family is already in love with him.  My sister says he is a wonderful little dog and doing really well with his adjustment to a new home.  He and her grandson are already very bonded.  

A long, happy, healthy life to you, sweet Rocky!

Stanley Park Heronry

We rode our bikes to the heronry on Monday.  

It's a very busy place right now.  We met a professional photographer named Jack using an 800 mm lens. (!) He shared lots of stories with us and gave me a few photography tips as well.  When he said, "There's nothing to see here," I was shocked.  "You're kidding, right?" I responded.   To me, there was so much to see that I couldn't decide where to look first.  

He explained that what he meant was that the many branches made decent photographs impossible.  The point was driven home to me that as much as I love taking pictures, I will never have the mentality of a professional.  For me, the photographs illustrate the stories and record the moment and I'm happy when they turn out well, but ultimately, they are secondary to the thrill of seeing the subject in the first place.  As we stood talking, a loud clap of thunder seemed to come out of nowhere, and so we put the camera away, bundled Black Jack into her basket, and made our very wet, windy way back to Yaletown.

A ride to Vanier Park on St. Patrick's Day

I am told that the eagle pair has been preparing the nest for a family, but the male has his work cut out for him to adapt to a much more aggressive female than he was used to in the past.  I am not sure what happened to his first mate (they raised healthy chicks together for quite a number of years before she disappeared, but it is thought that his second wife succumbed to an injury caused when she collided with a power line.  I caught sight of the new couple sitting together for a few seconds, but then they took off, chasing a juvenile (most likely last season's offspring) away from the nest.

We stopped by the pond beside Charleston Park on the way home.  Bill's sharp eye had noticed this turtle and we both were hoping to get a better look at him/her.

The seagulls meet every afternoon in this pond for public bath time.

The "Grand Central Station" analogy really came to mind.. 

as we watched a steady stream of arrivals and departures.

There was the occasional mild disagreement, but for the most part, 

everyone got along well.

Black Jack watched the action from her basket, but clearly wasn't impressed that..

not a squirrel could be detected in the area.  It wasn't one of her finer moments when she.. 

yawned and then her lips got sort of stuck behind her teeth :)

She looked a bit embarrassed at first, and then..

distinctly unimpressed when Bill and I laughed at her expression.

"Ah well, back to seagull watching.  Ho Hum."

This seagull appeared to be dressed up..

for a fancy ball as she shook out the water droplets from her feathers.

This young seagull dove over and over again.  S/he was the only one using that technique..

and I wondered whether bathing methods can be traced along family lines.

Feather care is one of the prime activities of most birds.  This site gave me quite a bit of information about the various ways birds bathe and preen.   Plunging head first at quite a high speed spreads the feathers, and that, I guess, gives a more thorough cleaning.  Apparently, it is the favoured bathing technique of King Fishers.  

One blue heron arrived.  It struck me that I've never seen herons bathing together, nor have I ever noticed them socializing with seagulls.  They really are loners except for those of breeding age during the couple of months when they move to the rookery.

Ride to Lost Lagoon

The next day we rode along English Bay, parked our bikes at Stanley Park's Lost Lagoon and were lucky to see our second turtle of the season.  

I caught a feathery shot of a Canada Goose and liked the feeling..

of its birds-eye view as it passed over the water and along the edge of the pond.

We had walked almost around the lagoon (one of Black Jack's favorite walks) when we came across this American Coot.  

S/he seemed to be posing for me, rather like the seagull in the party dress.

Black Jack was excited to see this Douglas Squirrel..

but it was this Snow Goose that really caught my eye.  We don't usually see them at Stanley Park and there was only the one.  I had caught sight of it when we first arrived at the park,

foraging for food in a grassy area..

 and seeming to want to get to know this Canada Goose a little better..

 though the goose didn't appear to be keen.  That may have been wise.  I have just discovered this news story saying that thousands of snow geese fell from the sky in Idaho, during their annual migration to Northern Alaska.  Avian Cholera was suspected.  I wonder if this was a lone survivor.  

The Snow Goose swam up to us as we completed our walk around the lagoon.  Such a beauty.  I hope s/he is not ill and will make it to Alaska. 

I have to add just one more party-dress shot.  This cormorant was on the sculpture close to our apartment (where I never tire of watching them).

RIP - Dalrey

We learned some very sad news two weeks ago when we attended a Jazz Vespers concert.  Dalrey, a regular and favourite concert-goer had succumbed to suddenly diagnosed Cancer.

Dalrey was not a therapy dog but could well have been.  I don't know the details of her story.  She arrived with her two humans every single week, was quiet during the musical performances, but sometimes barked her approval during the applause (I think she had to be particularly impressed to grant that honour.) She was loved by those who sat near her and admired from the other side of the church (where we sat with Black Jack) by many others.  Her presence was often acknowledged by the liturgist, Reverend Dan Chambers, and when it was announced that she had died, there was a gasp of shock from all of us.

These photos were taken just a few weeks before her death and she was definitely feeling well at that time.  She greeted her favourite people and moved, as was her habit, from the floor to the pew, with perfect confidence that she was welcome wherever she chose to rest.

Bill and I expressed our sympathy to her human when he walked by us and stopped to pat Black Jack.  We still don't know his name nor even his relationship to the man in the wheel chair.  But, we do know that Dalrey was deeply loved, and that her period of illness was very short.  She had a couple of pain-free weeks after her diagnosis, but the end came quickly.  Her suffering was short-lived and her passing was gentle.  The tears rolled down his face as he described her last days, but he told us that is okay.  He knows it is a good thing to be able to cry.  You are deeply missed, Dalrey, by everyone who knew you.  RIP  

One of the most beautiful aspects for us of the Jazz Vespers concerts is that dogs are not only accepted, but heartily welcomed.  Black Jack gets hugs and kisses by several regulars each time we go. This is another dog who comes every once in a while to the concerts.  

There is something else that I love about Jazz Vespers and that is the welcoming attitude.  Between each musical selection, the liturgist speaks.  Sometimes, there is a reading from The Bible, sometimes, a story is told, and sometimes, a poem is read.  We never know quite what we will hear, but Reverend Chambers thoughtful words always come from the heart and they always carry a message that can be applied to daily life, no matter one's beliefs.  Two weeks ago, he told a story about a hummingbird.  It was a true story and a powerful one that described what happened when a hummingbird mistakenly flew through the doors of a church during a service.  I liked it so much, I went on line and found the full transcript of the sermon that you can read at this link (the document will load at the bottom of your page).  I've copied the part here that applies to the hummingbird.  I think you will love it.  Even if you don't have time to read it now, perhaps you'll come back to it later.  In the mean time, here is a hummingbird we saw on one of our recent treks, 

and here is Reverend Dan Chambers.  Below his photo is the story (with the hummingbird making an entrance in paragraph 4).  Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone.  Thank you so much for stopping by!

Reverend Dan Chambers: The Hummingbird Story

I.                The Way Forward

As we attend to our own work of integration, our work of faith, we do so in a social context that is dramatically changing.  While the road of Christiandom buckles and crumbles under our feet, we’re driven to be open to new ways of being disciples of Jesus in the world: we need, for example, to move from a culture of collegial competition to collaboration and cooperation.  We need to think creatively and as entrepreneurs.  We need to want to be better than we have been because something we care passionately about is at stake.

I care passionately that Canada has a vibrant and faithful progressive Christian community; I care deeply that children can attend a church where they’re accepted and loved for who they are, and where their spiritual life is nurtured by our Biblical story, questions and affirmation of wonder.  It genuinely matters to me, as I suspect it does to you, as well, that there is a Christian voice that speaks out with respect for women, for gays and others with minority status in our society, for people of other faith traditions, for the place of science, and where the heaven we hope and pray for is not only after this life but more importantly in this very world of God’s, right here, and right now.

We know that we cannot live as if it’s still 1964 and most of society either attends church or at least has respect for it.  This is no longer our reality, and this is not ground-breaking news.  But we do need to find a way forward.  And I don’t have the map.  National has not yet provided each of us with our own GPS, so I’m not sure exactly how you should be or in what direction I should start sprinting.  But I think it has to do with how we integrate our faith, how we bring together prayer and public witness.  I think it has to do with how we work creatively together, collaborate and care for each other.

There was an event that happened on one of my visits that embodied how we might find our way ahead.  The people from Fraser Presbytery have heard this story, and those from Kootenay Presbytery are likely to remember this event as I was visiting a Presbytery there about a year ago.  In the closing worship service, I was asked to offer the sermon, which I did.  In the middle of the sermon, I heard something fluttering above my head.  I also noticed several people in the congregation had shifted their attention from me to the ceiling. 

So I, too, looked up to the ceiling to see a wild thing flapping about.  It was small, and at first I thought it was a Kootenay- sized moth.  But upon closer examination, I saw that it was a tiny hummingbird.  On this fine May morning in Nakusp, we had the doors of the church open, and a hummingbird had flown into the sanctuary to grace us with its presence.  I thought this was really cool and perhaps a lovely symbol of the Holy Spirit descending upon this faithful crowd.

But it became quickly apparent that this hummingbird was in distress.  It was not thinking about blessing or prayer.  It just wanted to get out.  You could feel the attention of the whole room focus on the  hummingbird, who was now bashing itself against the florescent light thinking that was a window for escape. 

We didn’t know what to do.  Someone tried to reach up with a broom and guide the hummingbird out, but that only freaked him out even more. 

Someone else suggested we turn out the lights so it wouldn’t be fooled by the light.  We did that.  Someone else suggested we all quiet down so we don’t startle it even more.  We did that too.  Some else suggested we pray and imagine the bird to safely fly out the door.  We did that. 

As you can see, by now my sermon was trashed.  We had another sermon on our hands and talking wouldn’t do; we needed to act.  One person had the clever but wishful idea that perhaps if we took the red flowers that were at the front of the church and lifted it to the hummingbird, the bird would be attracted to red and follow the flowers outside. So they tried it.

It didn’t work.  It also probably didn’t help that the flowers were plastic.

Then someone had the smart idea of mixing sugar with water, and baptizing the flowers with sugar water.  Very clever.  So we tried it.  It didn’t work. 

Easily ten minutes had passed by this time.  The person with the plastic red geraniums sprinkled with sugar water was standing by the door, trying to visually entice the hummingbird while the rest of us concentrated on imagining the hummingbird safely making his exit.

Suddenly Jeff Seaton had an idea.  It too was a far-fetched idea but why not try it?  Jeff remembered that just the other day he had downloaded a “bird call app” on his iphone.  So he checked to see if he had a hummingbird call.  He did.  But he didn’t know if it was the right kind of hummingbird or if it was perhaps a competitor who would mostly scare the bejeebers out of our already dazed and petrified bird. 

So Jeff walked back to the plastic red geranium sprinkled with sugar water and let his app do its thing.  Still quiet, we all heard, “tzch, tzch, tzch!”  It got the bird’s attention.  Again, “tzch, tzch, tzch!”  And incredibly, amazingly, it worked.  It was a wonder to behold.  The hummingbird flew to the flower, perched, and allowed itself to be carried out the door like an emperor on a throne.

We all broke into wild applause.

That was the sermon for the day.  And the message is this: a familiar way of being church was suddenly and unexpectedly interrupted.  We were presented with a challenge to which no one knew the answer.  We collaborated, cooperated, people brainstormed, we tried several ideas, several of them didn’t work on their own, but we kept building on the ideas until, to our amazement, all the pieces came together and the bird was rescued, leading to a spontaneous celebration.  Beautiful!

That’s how we’re called to be Church in the 21^st century.  There it is, in the story of the hummingbird: when we work creatively and passionately together with one heart and mind, we may by the grace of God stumble upon a way forward.

We might all be encouraged by the words of Wendell Barry:

It may be when we no longer know what to do,

We have come to our real work,

And when we no longer know where to go,

We have come upon our real journey.

I believe we’re called to the life-work of integration.  I believe we’re in a time calling for collaboration, cooperation and creative thinking.  I don’t know exactly what we should all be doing to discover the life-giving path for the United Church in the 21^st century.  But in our not knowing, I sense we’re being ushered into our real work, and it’s possible we have come upon our real journey.

Birds, Critters and the Letter "I"

My long catchup post today was originally supposed to link to ABC Wednesday's letter "I" but I'm way passed the deadline.  That meme is now accepting posts for the letter "J" but I will leave my letter "I" content, for you to Investigate, as it has been sitting in a draft for days.  Many thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt, Roger Green, Reader Wil, Leslie and Trubes for Inspiring lots of creativity with the various letters of the alphabet. I missed Eileen's Saturday's Critters this week as well, but if you enjoy birds and critters, or better still, if you have taken lots of photos of birds and critters, her meme is a must visit.  I'll post today to Our World Tuesday (only one day late).  My thanks go out to Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer  for their Immutable loyalty to that meme.  And, depending on your sense of timing, I guess you could say I'm (almost) on time for Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday :)  It would be well worth your time to stop by his meme as well.  This link will take you to a very interesting article in "Wild" Magazine about Stewart.  His perspective on the difference between "wilderness" and "wildness" was one of several points made that gave me food for thought.  To each volunteer, my heartfelt thanks for the gift of your time and talents to keep these Impressive memes thriving.  

Two "Isaacs" are featured this week.  The first is a musical one.  I love this heartbreak song by Isaac Hayes: "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You" (5 "I's" in that title!)  And yes, I'm dedicating it to Bill :)

The rest of the post is mainly critter highlights, but before that, here are a few Interesting and/or "unusual words that begin with I" that I found at the Phrontistery site:

1. irenology - the study of peace

2. interrobang - combination of exclamation point and question mark.  It looks like this: 

3. interramification - Interweaving of branches

4. intellection - act of thinking.  Exercise of the Intellect

Tuesday, March 3 - Coal Harbour Pond

The red was Illuminated.. 

for just an Instant in this Anna's Hummingbird.

Four American Wigeons flew over our heads in Impeccable formation, and..

this robin Inspected us for a few seconds before returning to the job of searching for worms.

Wednesday, March 4th - Jericho Park

I posted about our bike ride to Jericho Park, but didn't show you these Ring-Necked Ducks. The reddish-purple ring around their necks that Identifies them is.. 

 pretty much Invisible (but I think that is because of their tucked-in necks.)

Not sure of this one's Identification.  Maybe a Gadwall?

Friday, March 6th - Near Granville Island

The textures and symmetry in this Image Inspire a feeling of Imperturbation (calm) in me.  Maybe something about the way the decaying leaves are under an umbrella of new life. 

It is Impossible to Ignore  the Canada Geese lately.  They are very vocal and not in the least shy about expressing their Interest in potential mates.

Saturday, March 7th - Olympic Village Park 

The Iridescent head of Mr. Mallard brings him a lot of attention, but I think the.. 

Indigo patch in Mrs. Mallard's wing feathers is worthy of just as much respect.  Together, they are an Item for sure :)   

I must Include two other common species that were all around us.  Red-winged Blackbirds..

and House Sparrows were finding an almost Inexhaustible supply of food in the trees and on the ground.

Sunday, March 8th - David Lam Park

This goose couple had a long discussion that wasn't Inhibited at all by the need for privacy.

After Insanely loud honking, they finally..

took to the skies, ironically landing just seconds later on a terrace,

all the while proclaiming their Imminent arrival to anyone who would listen.

To me, there's something Incongruous but ultimately loveable about their goofy expressions and magnificent wings.

I feel quite sure there will soon be a family of goslings taking their Initial flight from the terrace.  Though, I've never seen that event, I've been told it happens every summer.

On another terrace, a second couple called loudly to them.  We weren't sure if the conversations between the two couples were friendly in spirit or more of a warning.  Irenology (the study of peace) should be required learning for all neighbours.

A lone cormorant by the edge of the creek Ignored the geese, perhaps Involved with more pressing concerns.

Wednesday, March 11th

Not a critter to be seen in the next three photos, but a visit with Bill's sister, Phyllis, and her two grandsons, was Important for a few reasons.  Their Irrepressible energy puts a lot of..

merriment in one's day, and we see things through the eyes of children that sometimes are lost in our adult lives.  Instructions to make a paper airplane were the first ones that actually stuck with me (ever!), and learning to adapt a plane gone a bit askew to a tugboat is a lesson in Imaginativeness,  Inventiveness and Ingenuity as well as a reminder to keep an..

Insouciant approach to life's twists and turns.     

The second Isaac in this post is an artist and "Isaac" is his family rather than given name..

We saw an article about him in Arabella magazine.  We Investigated that publication during our afternoon outings at Harrison Galleries. 

The details in Terry Isaac's work are so Intrinsically accurate, 

one comes close to Imagining his paintings could be photographs.

Bill was Indulging me by holding the magazine up as I took photos of Terry Isaac's work (love this photo!)..  

and at first, I didn't notice Zoe watching us.  She is approaching 15 years of age, but as you can tell, she was Intently curious about us. She had probably noticed Black Jack as well, but it seemed there was an unspoken agreement..

between them to Ignore each other.

I approached Zoe, gave her a small treat, and then returned to photograph more of the article about Terry Isaac.  Two "I" words appear in the excerpt below (sorry it's blurry). 

His passion to expose the "Individual" uniqueness of his subjects comes through Incontestably in his paintings.

His "Impressionistic" brushwork behind his subjects adds to the feeling of awe as we take in his extraordinarily detailed observations.

As I finished taking photos of the article, my attention returned to Zoe.  Her humans were talking with Chris and Jennifer Harrison, and at first, didn't realize I was taking photos.  I decided to Indulge in a few Images and then ask permission :)  

We had noticed them with Zoe In the past, and..

it was clear to me that she has an Ideal life, one that I would wish for every pet. 

The lady then noticed the camera.  I Interpreted by her smile that she wasn't worried about the photographs and after taking a few more shots, approached to ask permission to post them. Though I didn't learn their names, she and her husband spent a few moments telling me about their beautiful Zoe.

They told me that they had asked their vet what age Zoe might reach, and that the response was, "Every day with Zoe is a gift."  I'm Inclined to feel that attitude is the best way to..

approach life, whether it be for ourselves or for our loved ones (human or critter).  Resisting the Impulse to be saddened by the Inevitable losses of aging is something dogs don't have to worry about.  They keep on keeping on, and the older I become, the more convinced..

I am that we should take a lesson from their book.  Zoe, you and your humans Inspired some Intellection but even better, it was fun to make your acquaintance.  I hope we meet up again very soon. 

Thursday, March 12th

On Thursday morning, the Industrious Bushtits were active in the tree by our balcony.

   As I watched them, I heard the cry of an eagle, and it was a thrill to see this pair Involved..

in what I Interpreted as the Spring mating dance.  I guessed they were most likely from the Vanier Nest (the closest one to our apartment).  This link (it has been down for a few days, but is a great one when working) takes you to the David Hancock page, with forums and web cams and all sort of Information about Vancouver's Bald Eagle nests.  I was excited to see this pair in the sky, having observed them, I thought, for many years.  In fact, I read in one comment on a forum that the female is new to the nest.  I hadn't heard that something happened to the last female, but that will Inform my observations as I try to follow their story.

But the foremost thought in my mind is how awe-Inspiring it is to live in a city where I can stand on the balcony and watch eagles. 

Though not an everyday event, it sure is Impressive when it happens,

and is a privilege Indicative of the many reasons why I love Vancouver.

A third eagle appeared, a juvenile, most likely offspring from a previous season.    

The eagles moved on and my attention returned to the bushtits.  Looking down on them from the balcony, I had a great view of the Intricate patterns in their wings. 

Their Itty-bitty black feet hooked onto the branches and grasped them tightly.  Perfect for..  

hanging upside down. .  I wonder if the food tastes better from an Inverted position.

Foraging for food is serious business.  Not an Instant to waste!

Later in the afternoon, we rode our bikes to Stanley Park.  The Parks Board Office sported an array of Incarnadine blooms around it.

The heronry across from the office has been active since 2001 but I don't think I've ever seen quite such a large number of Industrious herons.

I read at this site that the Parks Board has set up a web cam on two of the nests.  I visited it and watched one heron stand up, turn around, and resettle on her three (possibly four) eggs.  The cam appears to be popular. Each visitor has a one-minute opportunity to control the camera; the number of people waiting to do that is posted.  There were 39 people ahead of me, but just a few minutes later, that number was down to 17.  

Not much privacy for those more Intimate moments!

Tin bands around the bottom of the tree keep (most) racoons from Invading the nests. 

Remember that word, Interramification?  I sure think about the Interweaving of branches,

as I watch the herons try to manoeuvre their Immense wings through them.

To add to the confusion, they are often trying to deliver a branch that they picked up from a tree just across the path.  A good branch will Indeed please their lady loves.

One thing for certain, the grace and skill of herons as they fly is Indisputable.

We got back on our bikes after watching the herons and continued to Beaver Lake.  I guess you could say we both..

enjoyed ourselves.

The beaver home had reached Impressive size.

but Black Jack was more obsessed with Imminent potential for excitement underfoot.

The Wood Ducks were Irresistible, as always, 

with their Inlay of colourful geometric shapes and eye-catching textures.

Bill was Intent on sharing the supply of shelled sunflowers seeds and unsalted peanuts.. 

brought with us as Incentive..

to convince a few Intrepid birds/critters to emerge from the woods.

Our Ingenious Idea worked :)

There is something Intimate about the feel of little bird feet clasped around one's fingers.

Both Bill and I have remarked on the Illimitable pleasure of their trust in us.

When there was no room on my hand, a few birds moved along my arm.

"Well..  I'm here, so where's the food?!"  

(Perfect place for an Interrobang but I can't figure out how to insert it.)  

As we walked back to the spot where Bill had locked up our bikes, we saw our first Hooded Merganser of the day.  A beautiful little fellow to Include in our day's sightings. 

But the fun wasn't over.  We rode from Beaver Lake to the Coal Harbour Pond, and were Intrigued to see, for the first time ever at that location, a Stellar's Jay.   

There were lots of Redwings as well.  It seems they love cattails, both for food (seeds in winter and Insects hidden Inside in the summer) and for the leaves to weave into their nests.

At this site, I learned that a researcher found 134 leaves wound into a single nest!  

 This Iridescent hummingbird was the tiniest critter we spotted,  

and we estimated these geese to be among the largest, but no one had Informed us that..

there was one more rather Irregular flyer to arrive.  We were both a bit Intimidated by its low altitude, but I guess it was just preparing for an Imminent landing.

Friday, March 13th

The next day, we had another Invigorating ride, this time to Jericho Park. 

There are large flocks of American Wigeons in every pond around Vancouver these days, but it was the herding Instinct ..

of a lone but most Insistent crow that really amused me.  Perhaps, the crow was worried that there would be nothing left for him/her to Ingest after the Wigeons were finished dining. The amusing aspect was that not a single Wigeon challenged the crow.  They all obediently moved to the right, as Instructed.   

You could be forgiven for thinking there are no critters in the photo below, but in fact, a loud chorus of frog song Induced us to approach the edge of the pond.  I hadn't heard a choir like that at Jericho for years.  Unfortunately, as soon as we reached the edge of the pond, the song came to an end.  Though I waited for quite some time, sure that I was going to see at least one frog, I had to admit defeat in the end.

In this photo, I almost convinced myself that I was seeing froggy eyes just a bit lower and to the left of centre.  My Imagination, perhaps.

Two herons flew to a tree just past the pond.  Each year, one or two heron pairs choose to start a family at Jericho, though most go to the heronry at Stanley Park.  I think these two were enjoying their bird's eye view of one of their favourite dietary Indulgences.  (The photo is very poor, but I'm wondering if they are already raising a youngster here.) 

We came across some tree-climbers and Bill recognized Immediately that we had seen them before.  In fact, I posted about them here.  This site will give you lots more Information about the "Climbing Arborists" If you have the time or Inclination to climb trees.

The tiny white dog at the bottom of the tree was reminding everyone that s/he was NOT Impressed with the Idea of his/her human going WAY up Into that very tall tree.  The person on the ground was trying to comfort the dog, but no comfort was to be had until both..

humans were safely on the ground. "Both humans?" you may wonder.  Well, yes.  On a closer Inspection, we see that..

all was again Ideal in this little dog's world.  Just as I hope it is, today, for each one of you!  Many thanks for stopping by!