A Caribbean Safari????

 We love animals!  Our safaris in Africa have been some of our best experiences while traveling.  Who would have thought that the highlights of a Caribbean Cruise would also be seeing wildlife!

Alligators right by our walking path in the Everglades!

Manatees circling our ship as we were pulling away from the dock

A fish feeding frenzy in the Bahamas!

Sloths in Roatan, Honduras.

The guide assured us that they were every bit as lazy as we had been led to believe.

But could anything be any cuter? 

The workers lift them up by their arms and sort of hang them on you.

Also McCaws

And spider monkeys

They are the opposite of the sloths - perpetual motion machines who look in pockets and will take glasses and anything not attached firmly.

The guide put food on our heads which the monkeys loved!

These animals were all rescued from illegal sales and have found sanctuary in this wonderfully run place.

Schools of fish off the coast of Roatan

Colorful starfish in 'Star Fish Alley'.

Dolphins welcoming our snorkel group to Belize

A cooperative Moray Eel

Pelicans

A family favorite thanks to Grandpa Lewis's Pelican poem!

The fishermen were cleaning fish and the pelicans were looking for any scraps that might be thrown their way.

Standing in shallow water with stingrays and nurse sharks!

The sharks have rough sandpaper like skin

The rays feel like squishy mushrooms.

Seeing a Seahorse in the ocean

They hide among the roots near the shore because according to our guide, everything likes to eat them.

Feeding Tarpons

They are aggressive, stealth hunters.

And yes holding that little fish out there was a bit scary!

Of course iguanas in Mexico.

And finally in Key West, Hemingway's cats - well actually the descendants of his polydactyl cats or cats with extra toes.

They live at the house where he lived during his time in Key West.

And have free rein of the house and gardens.

The cruise was one memory making day after another.

 

Birds of Prey

Johnny, Monica, Isabella and I took advantage of the beautiful spring weather and made a trip to the World Center for Bird's of Prey, which happens to be right here is Boise, Idaho.  During all the years that I have lived in Idaho, this is only my second visit.  One of their most well known success stories involves this beautiful bird - a Peregrine Falcon.  They were removed from the endangered species list in 1999 thanks in part to the efforts right here in Boise.

Another success story is the, not quite so beautiful, California Condor.  They are in a fenced enclosure and are difficult to photograph so I found this photo on line. 

At the end of the 1980s there were only 22 left in the wild. Those birds were captured and put in breeding programs.  In 1993 such a program was started in Boise.  The program was very successful and now when they are old enough, the hatched birds go to release sites in Arizona, California, and Baja Mexico. There is a free flying population of about 100 condors that go from the Grand Canyon into Utah.  Matt was lucky enough to see one in the wild just as he reached the summit of Angel's Landing in Zion National Park. 

Phoenix, the Red Tailed Hawk was a star of the bird show.  She hatched in the wild but injured her wing and was taken to a raptor rehab center where she imprinted on people so can't be released.  As she and the trainer entered the room she was very excited because she knew this was her free flying space.  It was obvious that she knew exactly what the trainer wanted her to do BUT wasn't always sure if she wanted to!  Kind of like a child!

My favorite bird was the Harpy Eagle.  They are native to South and Central America.  When we were on the Napa River in Ecuador they told us that Harpy Eagles like to eat sloths.

I think they look like they are wearing pants and should be a character in a Harry Potter movie.

His name is Grayson and he was hatched in Panama and released into the wild but because the tour guides fed him, he lost his fear of humans and for his own safety had to be recaptured.  I would think it would be for the human's safety too.  Just imagine the damage that could be done with those talons if he thought you should feed him and you didn't?

Isabella loved the binoculars I brought for her to use and enjoyed counting how many butterflies she saw. 

 I did talk her into posing with Bob, the American Kestrel.  I saw one of these small raptors on a fence post in Eagle last week.  Bob was found outside of his nest, raised by people so he never learned to hunt and relies on humans for his food.  

They are quite striking.

A very fun afternoon with some of my favorite people plus some very interesting birds!

   

Birds

I admit that I have a rather lengthy bucket list.  Since I'm not getting any younger, I decided I should try to check a few things off.  For several years I've wanted to learn more about birding. Yes I know that birding is often considered a nerdy pastime of list-keepers and early risers but did you know that 70.4 million Americans say that they go outside to watch birds? Birding has become one of the fastest growing hobbies in North America.  And I AM a bit of a nerd when it comes to keeping lists but I am most definitely NOT an early riser.  I won't be making lists of many 'early birds'. 

 I enrolled in the National Geographic Guide to Bird Watching in North America.  The teacher is James Currie, a South African expert with a charming accent!  I love it and I've already learned a lot.  Like many things, the more I have learned the more I realize how much I don't know, but at least I have gotten started. Best of all I've been able to practice the skills I've learned.  

The ponds in our neighborhood are home to many Canadian Geese and Mallards but I've seen three new duck species in the last week - and yes I have added them to my 'Life List'.  You can call me a nerd if you want to.

First the very showy 'Hooded Merganser'.

The female's 'hair-do' and wide eyes give a perpetually surprised look.  

The male merganser is a show stopper for sure.  They are diving ducks so that is fun to watch.  Oh, how I hope they stay around and raise their babies here but I suspect they are migrating through.

Next 'ring necked ducks'....I haven't figured out why they have that name.

And finally the Wigeons.  I've seen these many times before but never knew what they were called.  Already my class is helping me!

I found this cute quote on line and thought I'd share.  Our neighborhood recently outlawed feeding the water fowl so the 'bread' isn't forthcoming anymore here in Lexington Hills.  I know it is healthier but it was so fun to watch the ducks come swimming to us like racers when we threw out the first crumbs. 

COVID-19 - Week #10

I just counted and this is the starting of the 10th week since we got home from our Dubai trip to start 'sheltering at home'.  Some days I feel a little stir crazy but mostly I have survived.  My house has never been so organized.  I've finished going through and redacting my old journals and organizing my memorabilia into notebooks.  Our children will thank me for this someday.

I finally got my brow and lip waxed which was wonderful....I know vain and frivolous but still wonderful!  I've been knitting again, or more appropriately TRYING to knit.  I have managed to figure out how NOT to make my knitting so tight and also isolated the mistake I was making to add stitches.  I ordered some new yarn and can hardly wait for it to come in so that I can see if I can actually follow a pattern now!

I just finished making my photo book for the Kenya 2019 trip.  I've done 2 Zoom Bookclub meetings and 2 Kenya Keys Zoom board meetings.  Technology is great!

I'm still baking a lot and everyone is happy with that.  Bread and rolls and cookies - actually lots of cookies and we now have a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe!  I was also happy to learn that even with all the baking, I've only gained about 4 pounds! 

Our evening walks have helped me not gain more.  Plus I've been doing some AARP exercise.  They make me feel young and fit, unlike the other exercise videos I've tried.  Most of them make me feel old and fat!

On our nightly walks we have loved watching the baby ducks and goslings. It was chilly here last week so we saw this cute little duck family huddling together for warmth.  The mom has a large family of 13 and has done a wonderful job of keeping them safe.  With cats and dogs plus foxes and herons, it is not easy keeping ducklings together and alive.  Oh and storm drains...they say that a huge number of calls to our fire department this time of year are to rescue baby duckling caught in storm drains.

 Also fascinating to watch the geese.  There is one large group of what appears to be 3 families that have formed a community and are always together.  

This family has the youngest babies.

Then in this photo you can see the two families - one with 'teenagers' that are almost as large as they are and the other with middle sized tweens!  You can't get too close or the ganders will hiss and act threatening.  Geese make great parents.

Speaking of birds - we have so many that I fill the feeders daily.  I love watching them so it is worth the effort and expense.

Matt and I were thrilled when we had several days of visits from the very striking Western Tanagers as they migrate north to the McCall area. 

Other frequent visitors to our feeder - American Goldfinch, Lesser Goldfinch, House finches and the show stopper Western Tanager!

Matt got this great shot of one of our hummingbird visitors.  I love them!

Thanks to Matt,  the little garden is ready to be planted.  Normally in Idaho, you plant on Mother's Day but this year the following week had temperatures into the upper 30's so I'm glad we waited.

And of course we are spending a bit more time with Isabella and her Mom and Dad.

Chick-fil-A delivery

Pretty exciting when you and Grandma have matching shoes AND you find a painted rock that perfectly matches!

The kite I bought years ago in China was a popular diversion one afternoon. 

And we even did a little fishing in the ponds by our house.

Another fun fact is that I filled up my car on April 9th and have used a little less than a 1/4 tank.  Fred Meyer grocery pick up continues to be the way I feed the family.  It is easy and efficient.  They do a good job picking out produce and I am happy.

The church is making plans to reopen soon but the guidelines at this time say that they don't suggest attendance for people over 65 so I guess we'll be enjoying 'home church' a while longer.  

All in all, it hasn't been a difficult time for me.