May 30, 2012

At the Events Garden Café...

Untitled

... you could walk down the aisle.

60 comments:

chickelit said...

Where to does the Ol' brick garden road lead?

MadisonMan said...

It's STRAWBERRY SEASON IN WISCONSIN.

Woo Hoo!

Earliest one in the history of Carandale farms -- 49 years of Strawberry seasons, and this one is earliest by 3 or 4 days. (The latest start was June 24th!)

MadisonMan said...

Heh. Check out the Hawk Cam today.

Link.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

I always wondered what time of year one should plant one's events.

Anonymous said...

Here are the Peregrine Falcons in Salt Lake City.

Mom's feeding them right now.

On the right hand side under the picture, there are links for Cam 1 and Cam 2. Cam 1 is best right now.

It takes a long time to load in Windows Media Player, but it has sound, and you can hear them screeching to each other.

pm317 said...

Strawberry flowers are really beautiful and a well formed wild strawberry is too -- amazing how those little things can pack so much color and symmetry.

pm317 said...

MadisonMan said...
-------------

I was watching the cam when two guys came by and wrote that thing on the parking lot.

pm317 said...

@Quayle:

cute. where is the nest? Is there one at all?

Petunia said...

Apparently the FAA is now investigating the skydiving operation that almost killed that elderly lady.

Anonymous said...

@Quayle:

cute. where is the nest? Is there one at all?


That's their nest. On the main page it explains:

"Peregrine falcons do not build nests from grass or twigs. Usually, they create a scrape (a shallow depression in the substrate) on ledges, cliffs, or — in this case — a high, protected spot on a downtown Salt Lake City building. Once a nesting site is established, it may be reused year after year, although alternative sites have been utilized as well."

And this is worth noting:

"Peregrines are hunters extraordinaire that prey almost exclusively on birds caught in mid-air. Considered one of the world's fastest animals, peregrines can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour during vertical dives. The pigeon population of downtown Salt Lake City provides ample food, but, through the years, more than 35 other bird species have fallen prey to these magnificent, awe-inspiring flyers."

edutcher said...

I know you don't believe in it, Madame, but, if you and Meade were going to renew your vows, that's as nice a spot as one could imagine.

rhhardin said...

Path of retirement.

Chip Ahoy said...

The path of retirement stops abruptly at the Hazlewood Ravines.

Jason (the commenter) said...

chickelit: Where to does the Ol' brick garden road lead?

This is Wisconsin, so it probably loops back on itself to allow for continual protest marching.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Chip Ahoy: The path of retirement stops abruptly at the Hazlewood Ravines.

No, there's something cement sloping to the left. Probably a slide which leads to a pool of tar or something.

kcom said...

Three chicks in the nest again. I guess he figured out how to get back down.

pm317 said...

Where is lemondog?

There are three in the nest right now and one of them does not look like the mom. Did the fledged guy fly back? They are known to revisit the nest.

pm317 said...

kcom, yeah.. I was watching but left and come back to see the three. I guess he was not ready to fly yet but may be accidentally lifted up by the wind like someone else said.. Maybe mom pushed him down to the nest..I would have loved to see how he got back in the nest.

MadisonMan said...

It's not that far from the roof to the nest. 8 bricks in the vertical plus the flashing.

pm317 said...

Great! now the loner baby will not get any food with these two big eaters.

kcom said...

I just looked at the video archive. At 6:45:07 pm or so number three just dropped from the top of the frame onto the outside edge of the nest next to his siblings. It was all over in a couple of seconds. The other two gave him a non-chalant glance and went back to what they were doing. A few minutes before he arrived, it looked like the other two were looking at him up on the roof. They seemed to be focused up there. Like Mad said, it was a only a few feet away.

bagoh20 said...

Dinner time!

Chip Ahoy said...

Ann said the hawk lifted up like a helicopter, when I looked at that clip I thought, "hang glider."

The valley of Golden Colorado in front of the Coors plant heats up in the summer days and in the afternoon the valley releases thermal bubbles that are pushed against the base of the mountain range by the prevailing afternoon breeze. Hang glider pilots assemble. The topography around Golden allows for the breeze to line up the thermal bubbles and channel them like people going to a concert in a steady stream right next to the white M put there by the School of Mines. The point next to the M where the thermal bubbles line up is a well know hang glider launch site. You must hike up there with your glider on your shoulder so only the sturdiest can do it. They gather up there, assemble their gliders, brace themselves and take a run head first straight down the path. Of course they do not get one single step, the thermals lift them straight up, just like the baby hawk did, stretch, schwing, and up you go. It is breathtaking. Literally. Breathtaking like swinging as a child as high as you can go and then sitting up forward up on the apex of the backswing, the rush you get right in the gut that makes you clinch the swing chains, the baby bird felt that and went whoooooa! And landed on the roof above, then it had to think all day just to spread again and go, boink, back down.

bagoh20 said...

Dang, One chick eats a whole bunny in about a minute. Half in one bite.

The others just stand there watching, like: "Dude, pace yourself!"

pm317 said...

Mom is in the nest with food again. She is a little bigger and browner in the feathers.

Chip Ahoy said...

I'm tempted to photoshop a baby hawk flapping into the picture, getting into a fight with a rabbit, losing the fight, returning to the nest, but I'm busy right now. So now that you've seen it, that counts for doing it.

Chip Ahoy said...

This one time on the teevee I saw a hawk attack a bunny. It hit the bunny, pow, and knocked the bunny off its path but missed the capture and landed on the ground. They both tumbled and immediately a fox comes flying into the frame and attacked the bunny a second time. They tumble again. The fox misses the capture and scampers off. Both predators blew their attacks on the same bunny within seconds, and the bunny is dazed thinking, "man, what a rough neighborhood."

Petunia said...

It looks like runty hawk baby didn't get any of the bunny dinner! The other two ripped it apart and ate it while he watched and now they're settling down to sleep and the little guy is still looking for food.

Poor little guy!

Mom just came back but it doesn't look like she brought dessert.

Sorun said...

They've been eating a lot of bunnies. Good thing there wasn't also a bunnycam. That'd be depressing.

kcom said...

Does the mother (or father) spend the night with them? Part of the night? Anybody know what the normal behavior is?

Petunia said...

Have the hawk babies had lots of bunnies? This was the first food I've seen today, but I haven't been watching regularly.

I wonder about bunnies sometimes. Every summer I have two or three Darwin award winners at my place. Somehow they get through the fence...they must be going between the gate post and the gate because the holes underneath the fence are all blocked so my skittish mini-wienie dog doesn't get out.

One would think, that with all of the unfenced yards around, the bunnies would avoid the fenced, dog-infested yard. But no, every year the dumb bunnies end up in the yard, and every year, I end up with a dog trying to bring half a rabbit into the house.

Petunia said...

Last year I managed to rescue one. Three dogs and the crazy cat chasing it across the yard. Got my critters in the house, opened the gate, and tried to shoo the bunny from behind the wheelie bin, to the gate a few feet away.

The bunny then ran into the corner and started trying to climb the fence. With the open gate literally two feet away.

Eventually he figured it out, but geeez.

pm317 said...

kcom said...
-----------

Watching NYC cam last year, my information is that the mother is always with them, day and night, that is when not hunting for food. The mother is missing a lot these days in the WI cam. She is there now.

I don't think the little one got any dinner. I don't see the mother feeding it either.

Revenant said...

Climbing the fence is probably how they get in (and why they can't quickly get out when the critters come for 'em).

Paul said...

What a magnificent sky!

Anonymous said...

Just got back from the DNC-WH-Hll-Super K-street-Media shindig at the Oval Room. It is over for Romney. The word is that no one likes him and slowly each week we are going to reveal him to our voters. We also will encourage celebrities to ask questions to Romney. This will make him sweat. So, when our esteemed POTUS faces him in the debates, Mitt is shaking like a weakling.

It is over for the GOP. It is over for the Romney campaign.

GOP is nothing. Romney is nothing.

GOP is finished. Romney is finished.

Join us, we are the true victors. We are the destiny. We shall prevail, all the way up to Mt. Rushmore.

madAsHell said...

In 2008, I saw Obama bumper stickers everywhere here in the Soviet of Seattle.

In 2012, just a hand full....I'm starting to think Obama is fugged.

yashu said...

It is over for the GOP. It is over for the Romney campaign.

GOP is nothing. Romney is nothing.

GOP is finished. Romney is finished.


America's Politico, I love your mantras. Let me join you and the blonde in your chanting:

Barack Obama Barack Obama
Obama Obama Barack Barack
Barack Hussein Barack Hussein
Hussein Hussein Barack Barack

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Here's to the transcendental vibration of Obama consciousness!

pm317 said...

Will they put him on Rushmore even if he loses now?

edutcher said...

madAsHell said...

In 2008, I saw Obama bumper stickers everywhere here in the Soviet of Seattle.

In 2012, just a hand full....I'm starting to think Obama is fugged.


FWIW, a couple of weeks ago O'Really was talking to Morris and Morris was talking about states in play (he was looking at WI and MI), but mentioned OR speculatively and then dismissed it.

Now Mad talks about WA.

I'm of the opinion any state that elected a Republican governor and/or state house where it was Demo before is in play.

I'm wondering what would put the Northwest in play. Are things that bad there?

AlanKH said...

My election mantra:

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

AlanKH said...

On another note: when I saw the second photo in this Althouse post, the song "Harper Valley PTA" immediately popped into my head.

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

About the bumper stickers in Seattle, guys: the bloom's off the rose, sure, and they're not screaming in the streets for Obama like they once were, but that doesn't mean they're gonna vote for Romney. Have lots of family and friends back in the auld country (i.e. Pugetopolis) and Republican-hate is alive and well. They might vote for the president with less enthusiasm than last time, but they'll vote for him.

Simon said...

Here's a little cover of Floyd's "Breathe" if the cafe would like some music with their coffee.

Michael K said...

" Republican-hate is alive and well. They might vote for the president with less enthusiasm than last time, but they'll vote for him."

They don't even have to vote for him; just find enough votes in some political hack's trunk. That worked for Governor Gregoir.

The captcha is back to idiocy

Saint Croix said...

Holy crap, New York City is outlawing Co-cola!

Revenant said...

It is nice of New York City to remind me that California does not, in fact, have the most insane government in America.

edutcher said...

Erika said...

About the bumper stickers in Seattle, guys: the bloom's off the rose, sure, and they're not screaming in the streets for Obama like they once were, but that doesn't mean they're gonna vote for Romney. Have lots of family and friends back in the auld country (i.e. Pugetopolis) and Republican-hate is alive and well. They might vote for the president with less enthusiasm than last time, but they'll vote for him.

As I've said, just because they won't vote for the Romster doesn't mean they won't stay home because they can't afford 4 more years of President Choom.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon in early summer. She had a big white smile and curly hair that ran down past her shoulders, wearing a party dress and the kind of shoes they used to call Mary Janes. She was gleeful and vivacious and she would patrol the neighborhood and talk to anyone who would listen, and everyone did, because she was six years old and the girl who lived next door or down the street. "My Daddy said that when my dog dies I get to buy a new one." I smiled down at her as best I could. And off she went, fully pleased to have the approval of yet another grown-up, skipping along her way to the next house to deliver her happy news.

ricpic said...

The clouds are tearing, tearing away,
As if to say, to say, to say,
Come fly with us across the blue
Where all is clean and bright and new.

ricpic said...

Bloomberg doesn't like the big gulpers. They're so uncouth, donchyaknow.

Bob Ellison said...

Jay Carney this morning: "There is so much shared experience between, uh, so far the men, and one day the men and women who hold this office [Presidency of the USA]..."

Good job, Mr. Spokesman, erm, spokeshuman, erm, guy/person/female/life-form!

MadisonMan said...

I watched an eyass swallow down a whole chipmunk this morning.

Greedy thing didn't offer any to its two siblings.

pm317 said...

Yes, the two well fed chicks are looking good and third is not bad. They are starting to look like Obots, not wanting to leave the nest and hogging all the benefits that their parent proffers.

rcommal said...

How appropriate, that picture! My widowed dad, almost 75, starting dating a nice lady, of his age, a few months ago, and so yesterday we traveled to WV for the wedding, which is this Saturday. People (including my mom's siblings) are gathering from all over, which is very cool, and my dad is over the moon. It's going to be a great weekend.

Love is a wonderful thing. Seize the day!

Laura said...

So when will NYC move on to banning taxis, elevators, subways, buses, et cetera?

Oh and no viewings of Mary Poppins with that radical agenda of a spoonful of sugar and all...

Patrick said...

Let me guess, rcommal, she's in it for the money, he's in it for the sex!

Congrats, and safe travels.

Toad Trend said...

Not sure if anyone is keeping track of DNC events/fundraising - but I joined their mailing list long ago to monitor some of their messages. Here is a fundraising email I got from BHO today:

Subject: Hey

(Name)-

I need your help today.

Tonight is the May fundraising deadline, and it matters.

Please donate $3 or more before midnight:

https://my.democrats.org/Deadline-Tonight

Thank you,

Barack

I just love the 'Hey' in the subject line. Amateurish and rightfully so.

Toad Trend said...

Simon

Nice job with the Floyd -

Toad Trend said...

More dem fundraising fun, just in -

Subject: I'm going to take a break from emailing you

(Name)-

We've been emailing you a lot lately -- I know.

But we're only doing it because this year matters so incredibly much.

What we have on hand at midnight tonight determines how hard we can fight, for both President Obama and other Democrats in close races nationwide.

Our organizing program, press outreach, and digital teams are waiting for tonight to see what they'll have to work with this June, July, and August.

The critical FEC fundraising deadline is just hours away. What we do with it is up to you.

Can you chip in whatever you can to help Democrats before midnight?

https://my.democrats.org/May-Deadline

Thanks,

Debbie

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Chair
Democratic National Committee

Can you say 'desperate'???