BIrds on Branches

I think they must be cormorants. They will rest and preen themselves after feeding. I've never seen them in trees anywhere else, but they seem to favor this one at Lake Ralphine, and it makes a rather arresting picture. I didn't convert this picture to mono...it already was.

We had a little break in the weather this morning so we hustled out of the house first thing. The sky was still dark and cloud,  but it was also warmer as there was no wind ...yet. We also saw black and white mergansers with orange feet, lots of Canada geese and a pair of swans that live on the little island under the tree. We saw two young mothers pushing strollers swathed in plastic and blankets effectively encasing their infants in tent. 

We repaired to Trail House where Shelby, currently Spike's favorite person, gave him her customary treats, and home to think up some indoor chores to keep John busy. He took some boxes of papers to the UPS store to be shredded, but lost interest in the garage clean out he was planning to do. I cracked on with the quilting of the back of the star coat, but I can only do so much before my hands complain. 

  I told John we should grow all our own vegetables since the  (mad)man who won an election with promises to end inflation is now causing high prices with his tariffs on Canada and Mexico. The Democrats seem to be divided on whether to combat the sh*t storm of executive orders or  to pick and choose their battles and not 'strike at every pitch'. But as one pundit said, 'if every pitch is over the plate, then you strike out pretty quickly.' (Apologies for the baseball metaphor, but it is pretty apt. I think the Democrats should be raising hell about everything.)