The Fateful Mile

Seems like it's been a long time since we had a weekend without either one of us traveling. It was nice to for Brian and I to spend some time together with no place we had to be or people we had to meet with.





Went to the Farmer's Market in Oxford, Ohio, on Saturday; passed a momentous mileage number on the way.



















Morty was very excited to go along with us












It was a beautiful sunny day in downtown Oxford

















Later that day, at HELP The Animals, baby wildlife rescue season continues (don't worry, they'll be released out into the wild when they're old enough)

East Bay State of Mind

We had a wonderful whirlwind weekend visiting Berkeley Friends Church recently. Great people, great food, great cities to visit, great places to bird. Here are some highlights:





Birding near San Francisco Airport
















Self-portrait with camera movement














Egret photographed from moving car on I-80















Looking up while standing in the entryway of Bette's Diner in Berkeley














Looking down while standing in the entryway of Bette's Diner in Berkeley















The lemon tree outside the home of our hosts, Cornelia and Giuseppe - you can't tell from the picture, but they were the biggest lemons I've ever seen











Sally and Joe's cat, Junior















Having a smoothie at the Sea Breeze















On the San Matteo Bridge


















Crossing the Rocky Mountains on our way home













Serendipity at the Denver Airport

Last Weekend at Marienbad

Another fun weekend in Chicago. Ate like a pig, did a little shopping, and saw a new print of Last Year at Marienbad at the Music Box. Here are some pics...





The view from Jason and Michael's balcony, looking north up Lake Shore Drive



















There's a DQ on Southport Avenue?!!??!?











Gas was really, really, really high at the BP on Clark and LaSalle

















Tourist guy I saw while riding the bus down to Union Station
















Crossing the river on aforementioned bus

Weekend activities

Here's Mort on sunny Saturday afternoon, watching me trim the hedges, trying to stay awake...

Originally uploaded by splaestro

And here he is this morning at Cope, after a long, rather muddy walk.

Originally uploaded by splaestro

Very proud of his accomplishments...

Originally uploaded by splaestro

Birding highlights included:

• A nice long look at a Veery;


• A few fleeting glimpses of a Scarlet Tanager;


• First-of-year observations of Common Yellowthroat & Eastern Kingbird;


• White-eyed Vireo (a lifer!)

Had two looks at the vireo, the first one quite close and several minutes long. Unmistakable gray-colored eye and yellow forehead markings. Something about the shape didn't say vireo, however, so it took me a long while to find it in Sibley's. Its song is somewhat catbird-like, in that it has a mewing note in the middle, but it's much more regular than a catbird's.

Springtime in Indiana

Baby Screech Owls arrive at the animal shelter...














All the purty flowders are blooming...
















The new Tim Horton's breaks ground (YEA!)















Morty looks longingly out the window.