Birdland
We’ve had birds nesting under our front porch for the last few years. Up until this year it’s been robins, but this year some barn swallows came along and decided to reuse the robin’s nest. The brood of four fledglings are now hanging out around the outside of the house and I snapped one of them from my bathroom window as it was receiving a “fly-by-feeding.”
Bank Robbery in Spring Hill TN
A little while ago there was a bank robbery here in Spring Hill at the Regions Bank. This police helicopter has been circling overhead for quite some time. The local schools are on lockdown. Hope they catch the bad guy soon. Meanwhile I’m glad I have my Kimber at my side. 
Shenanigans like this are rare around here, but I guess all it takes is one bank and one idiot.
Update 3:56pm: They haven’t caught the robber yet. From the Daily Herald:
“Officers are seeking an older model white pickup truck with a dark blue stripe down the side. The driver was a white male with sandy hair, wearing black clothing and a black hat. He has a tattoo that covers most of one arm, radio reports said.”
Here’s a link to the Daily Herald article.
Here’s a link to another article about the robbery in The Tennesseean.
Update 5:23pm: This is apparently Spring Hill’s first bank robbery. The Tennessean has another article describing the reaction of the bank’s customers who stopped by the bank afterward and didn’t realize what had happened.
Update 8/14: The Tennessean has an update on the ongoing hunt for the suspect, Marshall Popple.
Rainbows and Rituals
One year ago yesterday we arrived on the island of Kauai. When we got to our condo in Princeville it was dark outside, but this sight greeted us early the next morning. From our porch we could see beyond the cliffs to the ocean. The air smelled so clean, with just a hint of tropical flowers. A light rain was alternating with sunshine. This rainbow lasted for about 10 minutes as the palm trees waved slowly in the breeze. There were little doves landing on our railing making cooing sounds while obviously waiting for a handout and Hawaiian geese nosing around on the lawn below. It was about as relaxing as it could possibly be.
Adding to the slightly surreal vibe were a young casually dressed Asian couple pacing back and forth on the lawn in some kind of enigmatic ritual. They would begin about 50 feet apart and would then walk very slowly past each other looking straight ahead as if in some kind of trance before turning around again. They did this each morning for the next several days.
Winter’s not over yet.. Or is it?
Here’s two pictures taken within an hour of each other. It hasn’t decided whether to be winter or spring around here, so we’re getting both at the same time. Sledding, snowball fights and flowers… A perfect combo for a Saturday in March.
Yes, we have neurotic dogs.
This picture makes me laugh out loud every time I see it. This is Chili after she found a marvelously tasty goodie lying on the floor in plain sight. She had retreated to the privacy of the “dog approved” chair to consume her prize when the long arm of the law suddenly appeared.
It was like asking Gollum to hand over the ring, please.