Missed the first two plays of the Music Circus season (don't ask) but should catch the last few. Last night I saw Annie - the musical based on the comic strip. I'd say it was an ancient strip, but I remember it from my childhood so I'll shut-the-eff-up. The most memorable thing about Annie was I seldom see so many little girls all in one place. Everyone and their mother brought along their ensie daughters, nieces, friend's daughters, & any other creature in mary-janes and a frilly dress they could get stuff into a car. On the other hand, little boys however were in very short supply; don't think I saw two all evening.

Great little play, it was nicely performed and the lead kid, Annie had a tremendous voice. One of the other ushers suggested the young actress was actually a 45 year old torch singer stuffed into a kid's suit costume. For me the main thing about Annie the musical is - no surprise here - the music. My favorite is the tough Hard Knock Life, and the runner-ups being Something was Missing and Maybe, both of which get me all misty. Oh, and mustn't forget Sandy the dog (a male dog). Sandy was played by a big old bitch mutt named Lola. With a name like that, old Lola was bound to end up on the stage.

National Night Out for the Shut In

I traveled far from home tonight - all the way across the street to a National Night Out barbeque. All the neighbors were there, kids, dogs, the lot.

I usually scurry in and out of my house through the garage like a light phobic mouse. So I imagine with all the chattering I did, there were probably several people at the barbeque tonight who may have thought I was channeling Whoopie Goldberg - I mean, I could not shut my mouth for more than a few seconds at a stretch. Oh well. Perhaps after 15 years in my house I am finally comfy enough with to chat with the people in my neighborhood.

The weather tonight was pleasant - cool and slightly breezy. No, I am not hallucinating. It is still AUGUST here in the Central valley. Last Saturday it was 100 plus degrees, the following day the
thermometer plummeted 27 degrees into the seventies and there it remains. Pinch me - I must be dreaming.

On to a new topic - ok, not that new. I have decided since I still have loads of pictures and stuff I want to post from last May's vacation I may as well post it, but will do so whenever I danged well feel like it - which is how post to this blog anyway. I decided to post under the not-especially-original title: Tales of the North Woods, which will be my own birdie version of a Prairie Home Companion. I think two, maybe three more vacations posts should do the trick. Anyone tired of my tales is #$&% out of luck.

This Barn Owl has nothing to do with this post other than I took its pic on Monday morning at the Fazio Wildlife Refuge and want to show it off,.. And heck, what's a Post without a Pic?

Owl Be Danged!

Shortly after sunrise this morning at the Fazio Refuge I shot myself a nice mess of owls. To put that in a more dignified manner, 'I photographed a parliament of owls'. And yes, I used the same tired medieval collective noun yesterday, but come on, when else will I be able to use parliament like that in a sentence?).

Has this Barn Owl a sweet face or what?

Most of the photos came out horrible, then it occurred to me that I am the Mistress of Digitals, and I began to finally mess about with the settings. I set the ISO to 400 - or at least I think I did. The results below came out in focus, but dark; it was shot in the same amount of light as the photo above. However, as these owls are nocturnal hunters, the dark in this unaltered digital is rather serendipitous. I mean, the final product looks like I had a clue.

Owl on Prowl - click on either pic for the BIG picture


Same as above photo, corrected for lighting; not too shabby!