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     While driving through Bennington, Vermont on Monday, we drove through a herd of moose.  We took these drive-bys and captured about a third of the herd.  These will have to do until I see another live Bulwinkle.  With all of this NY-Maine travel, I may not have to wait long. 

  We took a little drive north on Saturday to Rockland, Maine to add another lighthouse to our growing list, and on the road to Owl’s Head Light we passed Lobster Lane. 

  Traps near the shed.  We were fortunate to miss the rain on the lighthouse run. 

  Scituate Lighthouse, Scituate Massachusetts. This one was sort of tricky to find and photograph without people in range.  The light is at the end of a point with great houses leading right up to the property, and evidently Scituate Lighthouse is a destination for local bicyclists, because we passed several along the route, and chatted with a few at the lighthouse.  I think all of the visitors were local people except for us.  We can put a few more lighthouses on our list this weekend. 

On Friday we drove up the Boston Post Road (US1) along the Connecticut coastline to Newport, Rhode Island.  We lucked out the entire weekend–no rain–it skirted us all three days.  This meant Cliff Walk for us.

We were there late in the day, just before 5, so we didn’t do the indoor tour.  We can only imagine what the Cliff Walk must be like during a storm. 

  Deathwish Piano Movers, driving into Peabody, Massachusetts today. This amused us for hours, thinking of their other possible businesses:  Deathwish Flight School, Hang Gliders and Bungy Jumping.  Deathwish Drum Studios and Bagpipe Cellar. 

And Happy Birthday to Patrick, who is 35 today.  A big day. And a big deal to us, in case anyone doubts it.

      It was critter day at our household today. We spent the day working outdoors, and this scared little snake wasn’t happy about being chased under the deck.  I tried to snap a photo of his forked, red tongue, but he was too quick for me.  He eventually took refuge under the deck.  There are probably loads of snakes under there.  Just kidding.  A ferrel cat hides out there, and they probably don’t like to split the rent. UPDATE:  Under our deck this morning:  a chipmunk, a snake, a ferrel cat, a groundhog–and who-knows-what else.   It’s the new Washingtonville Zoo.   Rent free.   If a skunk shows up under there, we’re in trouble. 

  This indoor critter loves her cat grass.  I let the grass grow until it’s about six inches long, and then she mows it off again.  Mia the fat cat.  A piano family gave Mia the grass planter and grass. 

Noah loves a catch.  Ginny said he will do it for hours on end, if he can.  He’s got quite an arm for a lefty six-year old.  Randy took a boatload of photos of him playing catch with Craig when we were there over Memorial Day.  He has a long arm, for sure, and he’s fearless.  Atta boy, Noah!  He called tonight to tell us the tooth fairy came–he lost his first tooth this week! 

  Friday morning at about six-thirty we took the train to work in the city.  Clean train windows prompted me to quickly turn on my phone so I could snap a few from the trestle.  What a beatiful morning it was.

   And what a long shadow we cast.  We worked in the city until noon, then took the train back home so we could head up to Maine for the weekend.  We left Washingtonville at 3:45 p.m.  and arrived in Portland at 9:30, after stopping for dinner in Massachusetts.  So fun–we had a great weekend with the Beisels.  I can’t wait to escape again. 

  These babies are getting ready to fly the nest. For the past few years, a mama robin has built her nest in the eaves of our deck, out of the way, hidden from view.  Randy, being tall, lifted his arms high and aimed the camera blindly to get this shot of the little guys.  We knew they were in there from watching mama. 

  They are protected well.  Even though we don’t get close to them, really, the mama was very mad at me yesterday when I sat on a chair on the deck above them.  She scolded me mightily.  Maybe she knew we had photo plans for her little ones.

   North Cove, Battery Park City, Manhattan.  This was our old neighborhood.  Yesterday afternoon after work at the AMNH, I took the train downtown to study for a while in my spot at the WFC.  There’s a quiet little public space with tables that I use for studying fairly frequently.  After I finished, I went outside to the plaza next to the North Cove and watched the crew from the Manhattan Sailing School work on their little bobbing boats.  Just coming into the cove are two Coast Guard vessels, and there are a couple of yachts and the Nantucket, a light ship, also in the cove. It was fun to be back down at the old haunt for a nice afternoon of water watching.  Sometimes I really miss being downtown.

But between yesterday and today I recorded seeing 10 egrets, (maybe there were more, but that was all I could count) a baby rabbit trying to outrun our car, a chipmunk making it across the road just in time, 5 deer in our yard, two swans, a turtle, and a turkey.  

Life in the country is ok by me.   

  Happy Birthday Bones!  The story of your birth:  You were born in Boise’s St. Luke’s Hospital after a mad dash to the hospital.  Poor Dad–he was panicked he would have to deliver you himself.  Before leaving for the hospital, I sent Patrick to Primary (it was held on Thursday afternoons in 1978), and before he arrived home from Primary, he had a little brother.  I can’t believe it was 30+ years ago.  I hope you have a wonderful day.