Colorado Critters

I have been thoroughly enjoying watching the wildlife back in Colorado.  There are still a huge number of cotton-tail rabbits running through most neighborhoods, but our local fox population disappeared a few years ago when the coyotes moved in.  Recently, coyotes have been rare in my usual neighborhoods in north Boulder, but there has been an increase in the number of black bear sightings.  The bears have wreaked havoc on chicken coops and small goat and sheep pens on the west side of town.
    I've seen several pairs of rufous-sided towhees out and about, as well as a couple of bald eagles and pairs of great horned owls.  A swallow has built a nest on an outside lamp built against the corner of the walls, and I've delighted in watching the parents bring food to the youngsters.  Of course, we have all kinds of finches, sparrows, nuthatches, chickadees, vireos, crows, ravens, and magpies around us, too.  Then there are the hummingbirds.  Spending most of my life on the east coast, I was familiar with ruby-throated hummingbirds only - now I'm able to identify five or six different species.   And, in the early morning, the songs of the bluebird and the meadowlark are emotionally moving and satisfying.
   I'm currently at Rosie's home, but will have Tessa over for the afternoon.  I'll need to check up on Seek, and give her supper and some loving; and, near dark, I'll also need to get Chocolate and Blackberry into their hutch for the night.  I'll also be feeding Tessa, Lily and Lyra (and the carp) their dinners.  Plus, the Grand Jury has called me in for a meeting tonight...  So today, this afternoon, and evening will keep me hopping.
   I'm also going to spend a few hours with Lovey and Nedi.  I was home for an hour this morning, but I need more time with them, and I think they can use more time with me.  When Beatrice uses my computer, she gets lots of loving from both kits.  If I'm not at home, Lovey sits on the sofa, watching TV with Bea.  Since the kits were used to running in and out at the old apartment, they aren't very pleased with being cooped up inside in the new one.  Each morning, I let them out onto the balcony so they can explore the new scents and sounds.  As we now live on the main US Highway that runs through Boulder, I can not let them go out and play.  Well, I could, but I'm afraid my cats would be road pizza in no time - just because they are not used to so much traffic, and are unused to so many people wandering around the building.
   I don't think that Lovey would/will attempt to jump from the second floor balcony to either the ground, the next balcony, or the mesh covering the stairwell.  I'm not so certain about Nedi.  I frequently find him doing one of those cat "measuring stares" at the next balcony and at the mesh metal curtain that covers the side of the stairwell.  I'm just not sure that he wouldn't try it at some point...
   Enough about me and my critters.  I hope that today is a wonderful day for you - and I hope you'll be able to relax and enjoy the coming weekend!