This is just to say

Thursday while I was working on my computer I looked out the window to see a squirrel climbing down from a bird feeder on the deck and another squirrel skirting the edge and then bam! a groundhog acting nonchalant: the Return of the Native; the Prodigal Groundhog returns; Ord the Obscure. I immediately tapped at the window and then headed outdoors to see what was happening. The flat cat was nowhere to be seen (though the squirrels seemed a bit cranky). 

Speaking of cranky the past two days have seen a sharp decline in bird activity. Song is missing in the morning and the whole neighborhood feels off. I notice that at the end of the cul-de-sac one of the trees is dying. I was trying to figure out if my neighbor was praying as he kneeled beside it or weeping. I can't blame him either way, it was a nice tree. Are the birds out mourning the tree as well? They're welcome to do this in my yard, a little mournful song in the lilac bush would be okay.

Here's a bored looking polar bear from the Saint Louis Zoo taken on our anniversary. We went to the zoo for people watching and to get out. This guy just seemed to be enjoying the cooler weather that day. Every once in a while he'd flex a mitt and look around. We definitely saw more action from the humans.