Resplendent Roseate Spoonbill

There's nothing quite like glancing out your living room window to discover a pink bird about three feet tall wading along the edge of your lake.  

Even though my camera couldn't capture the beautiful pink color, I knew I was seeing a Roseate Spoonbill.  I was "tickled pink" that I did capture a good view of the spoon shape of his bill. 

Here are two photos from the web that show you the color a bit more clearly.

    The wing feathers range from bright red to magenta, depending on the age of the bird.

Click this link/title for an interesting article.  

My Favorite Florida Birds, The Roseate Spoonbill

Seeing something like this in a zoo is one thing, but seeing it in your own backyard is radically exciting to me.  Rah, rah, resplendent roseates!

Puerto Rico - Robinson School Reconnections

I was attending the Welcome classes in preparation for joining the First Methodist Church of Port St. Lucie (FL).  The associate pastor, Dr. Rad Orlandi, was leading the class and started to introduce himself.  I knew he was Puerto Rican but when he said,  "I went to a small private Methodist school named Robinson School,"  I almost fell off my chair!  I raised my hand, quietly saying (but felt like yelling),  "I taught there!"

We were both sooo surprised!  We figured out that he was a senior the year I taught fourth grade in 1971.  He brought his yearbook in and I scanned lots of photos, which brought back MANY forgotten memories and people.

This is Dr. Rad Orlandi and MaryMay Angelil today:

 And in 1971:

 

People in the church might be surprised at what a heartthrob the young lad Rad was.  (He's still a heartthrob.....just a more mature version!)

Look at all that hair! 

Here's Miss May (AKA María Mayo) and her class: 

 To add to this story, Robinson School is celebrating their 110 year anniversary next weekend.  Rad is going and I'm already looking forward to his photos and report.

More to follow on Robinson School memories...

Blanche, the Bolter

Blanche Devereaux (my Cornish Rex kitty), in spite of training and consistent use of a spray bottle, bolts out the door in a flash when I least expect it. She goes further away each time she escapes and it was all I could do to catch her last week.

I fixed HER little red wagon! She got her very own bio-chip "installed" by her vet yesterday. He said most pets have chips nowadays.  If a pet is found, every vet has a scanner, which reads a phone number and the number assigned to the animal.  The pet is registered so if a call comes in, they can locate the owner.  

Between having alligators around who might consider Blanche a tasty morsel, living in a hurricane zone (knowing that pets cannot go with you to a shelter), and traveling with the cats, I decided I needed to take action.

I feel so much better about Blanche and her safety!

p.s.  Pepper, my other Cornish, is older, calmer, and well behaved.  I don't have to worry about her.

Can't Boil Water

I was spoiled during my years with Ed because he did all the cooking.  When he started getting weaker, I made some food.  He laughingly told people he thought that cooking would be like riding a bicycle, it would come back to you .....but, that hadn't happened with MaryMay.

I had some Weight Watcher points left one evening recently so decided to make some popcorn.  It must have been old because, not only did it barely pop, it burned very badly.  I rushed it outside but the microwave, kitchen, and house were filled with a strong burnt smell.

My Facebook friends gave suggestions and I googled it.  After using the vinegar, baking soda, and lemon along with boiling potpourri, buying spray odor remover, and leaving all the windows open with fans overnight, the smell was still there.  One especially helpful "friend" suggested cooking fish.  A week later, after boiling cinnamon water in the microwave daily, the odor is finally starting to dissipate. 

Maybe I'll give up my meager cooking and just eat out --- cooking for one isn't worthwhile anyway.  More importantly, I think I'll forget about EVER making popcorn again!