31 July, 2020 -

Dear, Mom -

How is the day treating you today? I hope you are happy and healthy and enjoying your friendships with all the lovely residents there. I can’t say that I have anything really interesting to report today. I got up and did the usually things I do with Elsa dog. Since I got up earlier today, I did take her for a longer walk before the heat came on. Even though it was 7:30 when I took her out, it was already heating up and I had almost wished I had not put my hooded sweatshirt on. We had a nice walk all around our neighborhood. Elsa got to smell a lot of things while I listened to a radio show on my iPhone. 

Tonight, we are watching a program on the television about a nature photographer in England. He watches mad hares boxing, long-tailed bush tits making nests out of moss, spider webs, and feathers, a pond with toads and frogs, lots of life bursting in the countryside. 

Long-tailed Tit. So adorable.

The birds that he sees are so incredible. The colors are much different than we have here in the United States. Some of the birds have started evolving to include sipping nectar as food. There is a snake in the pond, but I know you don’t like snakes so we’ll move on from there.

Sparrow hawk

English Badger

Female Muntjac Deer

Ring-necked Pheasant

Ha! Lovely English Fox in an urban environment.

English Barn Owl

These are animals and birds featured in the program. It’s really interesting. The photographer is very patient and will just sit off the side of a meadow somewhere and watch for the animal behaviors. 

Fallow fawn

Roe deer camouflaged in a wheat field

The videographer/photographer films throughout the year for a couple of years. He is able to watch a fox get close to pheasants hoping for supper, but the pheasant are too fast. He watches the deer have babies and their behavior with their mothers. One thing that was really interesting was the barn owls. He talked to a neighbor and asked her permission to drill a small hole in the wall in the attic so he could film baby barn owls being fed by their mother and watched them grow for a season. The badger was fascinating as well because they don’t see well, but use their sense of smell to hunt and gage what is near. They are also extremely mean if confronted, so he made sure to stay clear. Apparently, he was in the same place for song long and so many days that they didn’t mind him after a while and just went on with life around him. Nice little film. I’m sure I’ll watch it again.

This morning, I did run out to Sauvie Island for my neighbor Paula. She owns a local sandwich shop and needed someone to run out an order to the Topaz Farm. They have a market and also serve food out there. Paula’s sandwiches are so popular that they sell out, so they have quadrupled her order on the weekends. It is a blessing in disguise because it is helping to keep her business afloat in these hard times. I may do it again in the morning, if need be. She works so hard and such long hours. I sure hope she makes a good go of it and reaps some rewards. She is a great person with a very solid reputation in this town. I am happy for her to get big accounts!

The back of my car filled with ‘Chop’ sandwiches. Mmm.

Mom! I love you! Have a fantastic rest of your day and I will talk to you on Monday. Say hello to all your pals for me. I’m sending you a big hug and kiss. All My Love, —- Your Daughter, Sally Ann🥰

Trumpet Vine

Elsa the dog and our stone deer (that needs to be repaired badly). What can I say? They were both rescues!

Pretty, vibrant roses.

My fuchsia on the porch.

❤️❤️❤️