This one's for the birds...

(...and Traci)

Things were going along rather smoothly this spring, once the gloom cleared, but then things hit a bit of a...

...which I guess is sort of like a bump, but with more promise? Unless there are other issues, like...

...problematic indeed. Yet my ill-fitting bras and I were set to persevere. We were enjoying our new airbnb guests...

...allow me to introduce the Dynastys...

...they typically waddle the late afternoon away partaking in the bird seed scatterings and not caring much about our interruptions. They just move about five feet further away and lay back down. Am sure they are eagerly awaiting a chunk of this guy to fall...

...my bird feeding enthusiast husband was concerned that this food owl was scaring the birds due to his owl-ness. Obviously some very brave frequent flyers came by and left him looking far more terrfying in my opinion. Speaking of scary things though, the sound of these little friends always startles me.

And then I feel like an idiot because of course it's a little hummingbird and not the largest dragonfly ever. I mean, even if it was a dragonfly, that would actually be pretty cool as well I suppose. I am surprised every time the hummingbirds visit and stop to stare in awe.

I guess it's time. I suppose I've buried the lead far enough in here. Do I need to link to the past or does it just go without saying? What time is it then?

Time to foil unto others as they have foiled my swoop free spring. Oh, I saw a barn swallow the other day. It was not pooping and barely swooping, so I figured - bygones. My husband mentioned he had seen one. I figured as long as he didn't mention it two more times, we'd be ok. At 7:24 this morning though, on my way out for a walk...

...so I turned around to compose myself and when I looked back...

...nope. And certainly not so close to that beautiful hanging basket my aunt just gave me! I still took my walk, and saw an egret land on a neighbor's roof, but was obviously a litle off my game since there is no photographic evidence of that bit of coolness! (I mean he looked so crazy up so high being all tall and stuff.) I decided I was not willing to let project aluminum foil make me late for work, so I just carried on as if nothing had happened...knowing full well it had happened, was happening, and would continue to happen. I actually remembered the lessons I have learned!

And so...

...it was done. The shiny tack-y thing. I received no visitors during the process this year. It was almost disappointing, very lackluster. To mope about celebrate the job done, I grabbed a book and sat down on the porch to read. Then I heard them, all three of them,come swooping onto the porch in a flurry of disoriented complaining wonder! They circled around once and left, making a large arc around the yard before they tried again...

...nope! I will not be tolerating your shenanigans this year you diabolical winged creatures! (But thank you for letting me see you get foiled!)
 

Just in case you do need to revisit some of the history...

Here is the first series from 2010: part one, part two, part three

Here is the 2015 series in which I let them have their way: part one, part two, part three, part four

To everything there is a season

A time to march confidently to the fitting room…

…and a time to cast away those which did not fit!

Oh yes, it is that time again! I mean what else was going to make me dust off this keyboard? I think we all should have known it was going to be the quest for infernal satin or the barn swallows, and hopefully we have a little more time to catch up before the swooping starts and I have to make my tin foil hat.

Let's not minimize the effort that went into this journey...

...or, okay, let's. I'll see your power mesh, and my shrugging shoulders applaud the concern. Something to consider...

...I could pack some snacks in the leftover space with this one! Yes, someone with a keen eye for detail may be noticing all of the clearance tags. I have a rule that I do not pay full price for my ill-fitting bras. You may be thinking that maybe if I paid full price, I'd find a better fit? I doubt it. My optimism for such a foolish pipe dream snapped in a flash, like cheap elastic. With over forty years spent on this quest, Bigfoot might be less elusive. Obviously the top engineering schools in the country have been handing out degrees for undergrads working on "Anchorstrap technology". 

Please show me the crash test dummies that get harnessed in for the bouncing! What I wouldn't give to be more stable though. Even more bounce control...

...perhaps a graduate thesis? Thanks for pointing out the bounce zone, as I had no idea where the problem area might lie. Maybe someone with a packaging science major could come up with something? Luckily my friend was with me to offer the support that spandex was lacking. Whether the cups runneth over or the girls were peeking out from under, she remained diligent and committed to finding something.

Did we find anything? Yes, yes we did. Were both purchases disappointments once worn at home for over five minutes? Also, yes. My shoulders are stressed - gotta bounce!