Over the top

 Monday, an over-the-top day.  A decent night of sleep, wordle, crossword puzzle 2 eggs and coffee, and then a walk around looking for whatever there was to look for.  I noticed a lot of birds singing and it seemed that there were some stress calls...then a lot of stress calls.  At the top of our neighbor's trees that are very, very tall I noticed some birds flying up and down, in and out.  Then it came in focus...a HUGE bird sitting quite still with other birds dive-bombing. The big bird was motionless unless trying to elude the intruders.  It was HUGE.  I got my iPhone camera, took a few pictures, edited the pictures and this is what I saw.  

So I turned to Merlin, the bird app to discover that it is a Ferruginous Hawk, the largest of hawks.  Wingspan from 53 to 56 inches.  It can dive at a speed of 150 mph. and usually flies between 20 and 40 mph. It is found in prairies, deserts and the open range of the west.  It was magnificent.  Did it get blown here on the back of a storm? What a wonderful way to start the morning given all that has occurred this weekend with Creation Care Sunday still so near.  I'm wondering what threw it off course, was it ill with no appetite for more food?  At any rate, it was an exciting morning with a new bird name to record.   

I sent this picture to friends and there was quite a discussion.  The regular birds are still coming to the feeder.  This morning mother sparrow was feeding her two babies, each taking turns.

 Our much-loved Ficker was in attendance and also appearing were the oriole and bluebird and all of their other friends.  It was a bird morning with surprises.  The afternoon brought a hourd of starlings with their babies.  Woo...the suet really gets a workout from them with the final straw being the suet is retrieved to safety.  A fresh suet cake could be gone in a couple of hours of starling attacks. They also bring a lot of white poop along with NOISE. 

Another three-month visit with  Dr. Schneider, my breast cancer doctor happened.  We still are wondering and watching for changes and currently, there seems to be none!  Great news.  It could stay that way forever or there could be changes that would be discovered during those every three-month visits which will happen, I am told for the rest of my life. Not a bad thing.   

On the way home I stopped at church to do a little more work and also picked up two more cabbage plants left over from the plant sale.  They will fill the last space in the Herb garden which now is a Herb/Veg. garden.  

Then a stop at Aldi's for a few things with the hope I will not need to visit them for a while.  

                        Beautiful huge horseradish leaves with the                                                sunlight shining in the right place. 

The two cabbages found their place in the garden,  The dill that was transplanted in pots from the garden for Amy seems to be surviving.  I spent some time in the garden being quiet listening to the music always playing in the stillness.  It's been another day of blessing that seems to overfill my plate in the best sense of the word.  

Blessings all mine and ten thousand beside.  Great is thy faithfulness.