The Cardinal, Candy Apples and Guest Writer Michelle and the Motorcycle.

ENDING WITH A SMILE
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PIC OF DAY

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ANOTHER BIRD HITS THE WINDOW!

I've had birdfeeders on my deck for over 25 years. They will, from time to time, fly away in a panic and in their haste they will hit the sliding glass door's window.

This year, for some reason, I've now had FOUR different birds hit my deck's sliding glass door and only two of them lived.

Hawks.

That's mostly why the birds fly away in a panic. You get some birds of prey decide to land on a nearby tree as they peruse their own meal offerings all sitting about on feeders enjoying sunflower seed.

One of the feeding birds will see the hawk and birds do ten to work in flocks. You get one bird flying off in panic they will all soon be flying off in panic.

Above is the most recent victim of my window, a handsome cardinal. He did survive the window. Earlier this year, a goldfinch and a Junco died from injuries sustained from flying hard into the window.

I don't know why there are so many bird-window collisions this year but it's tough to look out your window after an ominous sound of something hitting the window, and see a bird sitting on the deck floor, confused and hurt. It's why I go out and pick them up, to get out of the way of curious dog nose. Yes I get a picture of them cause how else will I get a picture of a bird in my hand?

So spring will b e here soon. I've stopped feeding the bird fellows as I don't think I can handle any more hurt birds.

We'll try again next year.

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Cool Idea


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The picture shows what is a cool idea. At top is an apple, cut in half and cored. One would assume there would be two halves to every apple.

After melting caramel you then pour it into the halved apple. The halved apple is then cut into wedges indicated in the picture below the halved apple, AFTER the caramel cools.

I am going to do this come the fall. My granddaughter will love it.

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Drivel: BMW Journey

It took us a bit longer than we wanted, but the new motorcycle is home.

Originally we were shooting for last Wednesday, expecting to take in two older bikes and come home with one new one. That plan didn't work out. Ever have one of those days when you feel like it might be a sign you're not supposed to do something? That's what last week was like.

The dealership, owned by a family friend, is three hours away. We were going to tow in the 1983 R80ST and the 2001 K1200RS, and Harry would most likely ride his new bike home. I would drive the Tundra back (with empty motorcycle trailer attached). I got the day off from work to do this.

Prep, though, didn't go as expected. Harry's time has been hard to come by so far this year, but on the Saturday before, we rearranged our overly full garage to make room for the new bike - and find one of the two that were going away. When Harry pulled that motorcycle out of the garage, he was disappointed to see that it didn't come out the same way it had gone in . . . 8 or 10 years ago.

Stuff had been piled on it, we'd had rats out there a time or two, and we live in the country (sort of) so we get a lot of dust and leaves in places you wouldn't expect.

The garage-bound 1983 R80ST wouldn't run (of course; we knew that) because the battery had been sitting too long, unused. The gasoline in the bike would be old, too; not a good idea to use it. But the tires were also flat, the brakes were apparently seized, and it was missing the saddlebags and the headlight cowling. We did not find the cowling part in the garage, either.

The pink slip was in a safety deposit box 45 minutes away and where was the key to the bike?

Between Saturday and Tuesday, along with two long working days, Harry had to also prep the 2001 K1200RS.

That bike was at the ranch, about half an hour away. It is the one Harry has been riding on those rare occasions he has free time to ride. Not as many issues with it, except that it wasn't at home. The motorcycle trailer was also out there. This bike's pink slip was with the other one.

Harry checked on the trailer and found it wasn't ready to go, either. Someone had borrowed it awhile back and crunched one of the railings, making our two-motorcycle trailer into a one-motorcycle trailer. It could be straightened out, but that would take time.

The tires needed air, too. Do you get the feeling we spend our lives gasping for air out here?

When Harry got those obstacles taken care of, and I picked up the pink slips, he went to hitch the trailer to the Tundra and found that we'd only apparently ever towed with the Dodge van . . . the Tundra hitch is higher than the trailer expected and it would only hook up at a steep angle. Don't want the bikes sliding off! A new drop hitch was in order.

Wednesday snuck up on us and we weren't ready. All these little issues added together to a massive delay and it felt like Wednesday just wasn't meant to be. So we rescheduled for Saturday, and we used Wednesday to finish the prep.

A new hitch was purchased, and Harry found out the safety chain was too short so he replaced that, too. Then he hooked up the trailer. No lights. We had to get that fixed, as we intended an early morning departure.

One bike got washed, the other stayed dirty. There are only so many hours in a day.

Harry had Frank come over Saturday morning to help load the first motorcycle on the trailer. It was 5am, cold and dark, but they had the bike loaded quickly. Within an hour, we had traveled to the other location, Frank assisted there, too, and with two bikes on the trailer we were on our way.

At the dealership, Harry's new bike was the centerpiece of the showroom as the K1600GT wasn't yet readily available.


We spent time learning about it, signing paperwork for it, browsing (and buying) some extras, and then Harry rode it home. The motorcycle trailer folds up at the wheels, so driving the Tundra with the trailer behind it was easy.

It's been three days since then, and every day Harry has spent some or all of the day on his new bike. I'm thinking this year he might make some more time for riding.

Wonder if he's ready for dinner . . .

Where has that boy gone now?


Michelle
The Desk Drawer writer's exercise list


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ENDING WITH A SMILE


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