This morning there were 20 or more deer down there by the river.  I'm starting to notice what goes on weather wise around when I see so many of them together.  It's more common to see them in groups of four or five.  Rain is in the forecast and I'm curious to see if that occurs when they are "ganged up".

Of particular fun of late - owls are hooting back and forth in the surrounding trees.  They hoot/coo beginning at dusk and I can hear them anytime I wake up during the night all the way to sunrise which is around 7:00 here.  I was visiting with a "bird spotter" (she counts birds for Cornell University) and she said it is mating season for owls.  She said that they call to each other.  I enjoy the sweetness of that.  I'm thinking about building an owl house for them ... all the examples I see on line look pretty simple to construct.
Last week I saw a hawk flying below and with a bunch of vultures.  That same day I chatted with a man who had like an 18" lens attached to his camera - he said he had heard there was a rare bird for this area being spotted and he hoped to capture a picture of him.  What kind of bird I asked - that hawk was his reply.  I told him that I had just noticed him flying with the buzzards a few minutes before.  He was very excited.  I like seeing birds but I don't get excited about them.

I'm actually wondering if not getting excited about anything is how I'm going to be now.  I haven't felt enthusiastic about anything lately.  Nothing seems very interesting.  I'm a little concerned about that because it's "not like me".  I really wish I could think of some hobby or activity to get interested in.  We had some neighbors over this week.

 

I cooked pork loin, Spanish rice and stuffed poblano peppers.
(fresh corn salsa, black beans, tomato, sweet potato, cheddar cheese  - rubbed peppers inside and out with olive oil before stuffing - 400 F for 20 minutes.  The parchment paper helped hold everything in place while the cheese melted.)

The lady neighbor brought up a thing called meetup.com  - I'd never heard of that but it turns out to be an at least National type thing.  People set up "meet ups" to do stuff ... like birdwatching it turns out.  In my local area there are quite a few things to choose from.  I really don't like to admit it but none of them sound interesting to me.  There's a meeting on essential oils ... another is an organized motorcycle ride group ... ladies who walk together etc.  I'll keep  on looking at it, something will probably pop up.  My neighbor friend wants to go for a psychic reading "meet up".  JoLi Farms has posted a aquaponic/organic farming meet up.  The possibilities are varied!

we have taken the new pup out on the kayaks only once so far - hoped to go tomorrow, but it's going to be in the low 50's ... a bit to cold to take a chance on a spill!