Sunday, February 14, 2010

If I know what love is, it is because of you

I am so blessed that God sent me Phil.

Happy Valentines Day, darling.

Monday I went over to Quinta Mazatlan to look for the Crimson Collared Grosbeak. It took us about two and a half  hours but  we finally saw him. He is a beautiful bird.

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Not the greatest picture but considering he was way up in a tree and I was shooting through a fence 50 yards away, I wasn’t too unhappy with it.

I also got to see a Nashville Warbler

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Monday evening Phil took me to see the Green Parakeets at 10th and Dove in McAllen. 300 green parakeets and numerous great tailed grackles fly in and land on the electric wires. This is called staging. They don’t roost there, they just fly in at dusk and hang out for a few minutes before  going to their roosting places. Apparently they have been staging in this area for a few years now. It is an unbelievable sight. It was too dark by the time we got there to take any decent pictures but here is a small, very small, sample of the birds.

I would like to get there early enough to see them fly in and then see what photos I could get.

Wednesday we took Yvonne out to dinner. Yvonne bought a house over in Martin Valley, which means she won't be my neighbor anymore. I am so happy for her that she got a beautiful house to live in in an area where she has lots of friends but Phil and I are certainly going to miss her!

We  went to Logan’s to dinner and it was delicious.

Thursday we  got things ready to go, or at least we thought so, when we found that neither the lights nor the jacks were working. Phil worked on them with help from Dennis and Rocky and Sheri helped me get things stowed away inside but by late afternoon we knew we weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

I needed a break so  I headed over to the park for what I thought was my last birding fix. There was a few people looking for the Rose-Throated Becard and he finally did make an appearance,

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There were lots of birds at the feeder, they are keeping the peanut butter feeder full and the birds love it.

Clay Colored Thrush

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Cardinal

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Goldenfronted Altimera1 Kiskadee cardinal greenjay  Altimera

Last night Phil took me to dinner  for Valentine’s Day. Texas Roadhouse had a Valentine’s Day Special, I don’t think either of us was real impressed with the food. But it was nice being alone together.

Today we made orange cookies.

These are the best cookies!  Made with the juice of two oranges and the rind, they are so light and crispy and have this marvelous orange icing on top.

Orange Cookies

2 cups sugar

1 cup shortening

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 oranges, juice and the rind

4 cups flour

1 tsp soda

2 tsps baking powder

½ tsp salt

Cream sugar and shortening together. Add eggs and juice and zest from one orange

Beat then add milk and dry ingredients alternatively

Drop by spoonfuls and bake at 375 for 9 to 10 minutes

Icing for orange cookies

Add powdered sugar to juice and zest of one orange till spreading consistency. Add a sprinkle of salt and a lump of soft butter. Ice cookies while still warm.

Making these were a great way to spend the day.

This evening we went up to the clubhouse  for a Valentines party. We had a chocolate fountain with things to dip and  Joe Jackson was kind enough to take pictures of the couples that  wanted their picture taken. I was thrilled because we never have our photo taken together, I’m usually behind the camera.

I did find this quote about Valentines day amusing.

I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day.  When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon.  ~Author Unknown

We have parts ordered and the lighting problem is now fixed so as soon as the parts get here and are installed we should be headed for PA.

I hope….

2 comments:

  1. I really love all these birds that you find. I hope to be able to get into birdwatching much more in the future. I don't have that much variety in my backyard right now, but I sure do love those little guys!

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  2. Kathy,

    If you are still in Mission this was posted by the ABA on 2/16.

    Dawn and Bob Scranton and Madeline and Hans Van der Zweep found an Aztec Thrush (Ridgwayia pinicola), ABA Code-4, at Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park near Mission, Texas, on 16 February. The bird is an adult male and it was photographed.

    Might be worth a trip to Bentsen.

    BirdingRVer

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