Bits and Pieces

In the last two weeks, Boulder City schools have been placed on lockdown status 6 times because of black bears prowling the area seeking food before hibernating.  This morning and afternoon, two schools were on lockdown because of an adult mountain lion that kept eluding wildlife officers.  This is considered normal in Boulder, as we are in their territory, and the city has multiple greenway paths to facilitate wildlife in their natural movements.

When I moved into the apartment in July of 2015, and Beatrice moved in a month later, we asked the management if we could hang bird feeders in the young ash tree that is growing at the corner of our building.  Bea has great close-up views from her bedroom window, and I have good views from mine, and we can easily observe from our balcony as well.  (The cats watch, too.) We started with a single feeder, and now usually have 3 hanging in the tree.  There is also a hummingbird nectar feeder at the edge of our balcony. 
   We have been graced with awakening to the song of many types of birds since we moved in and began feeding them.  Besides the birds we feed, there are also many swallows with nests nearby, and they are frequently seen swooping through our parking lot, consuming insects, or sitting on signs and observing movements.  We have seen five types of sparrows, two kinds of finches, wrens, chickadees, crows, grackles, ravens, starlings, blue jays, red-winged blackbirds, ducks, and hawks in the trees and bushes near the feeders.  There are also herons flying over, thanks to the creeks (that's why we see ducks), and geese.  We also put out nuts and fruit for the squirrels and larger birds.
   However, 12 days ago everything ceased.  We used to have about 40 small birds flitting around, eating and singing as soon as it was light.  I saw two sparrows today for the first time in 12 days.  We have had one or two jays each morning, come and take a few nuts, call a thank you, and leave.  In the past week, there have only been two squirrels - one is a female and one is a small male with a broken tail.  No other birds.  No other squirrels - and we used to have 8 to 12 here at a single time.  Even the raccoons no longer visit at night.  The hawks are no longer in their nest behind the creek.
  Since we're on one of the greenways, with several multi-use paths converging at the back of our property, I have contacted the city of Boulder and the Greenways and Open Space offices about our sudden and total lack of bird and wildlife activity.  I am still waiting for them to return my contact, which is supposed to be within 5 working days.  I contacted them Monday morning; it's Friday night.

Still giggling over Stormy Daniels' description of the President - "Yeti pubes" and a genital part that looks like the character Toad from the Mario Kart computer game.....

I am incensed by Senator Grassley of the Republican Party and the Senate Judicial Committee's response to the alleged crime of Judge Brett Kavanaugh.  They want to get that judge appointed to the Supreme Court without an FBI inquiry into his alleged attempted rape of a co-ed.  They refuse to allow the accuser to have witnesses.  They want a "he says; she says" hearing that they can gloss over.  That man is a walking, talking lie-spewing machine.  If he - somehow - makes it to the seat of the Supreme Court - he needs to be impeached and tried immediately!