We are having a number of new birds show up around the feeder (and in the sky). Recently we have added Black headed Grosbeaks to our welfare system. Here is another example. While not new, we regularly have American Goldfinch coming around. We see red-tailed hawks almost everyday, but this is closer than we usually get to see one.
Our elderberry bush has really taken off this year (it was only a couple of trunks going up a couple of feet last year). Anyway, we now have an Elderberry in bloom. What we had thought were nonflowering magnolias have just proved us wrong. Only two flowers on one, but was it ever sweet smelling.
We had a fire (Squires fire) within 10-12 miles recently, and we've had a lot of smoke in the valley. One of the bright sides (maybe the only) is the possibility of brilliant sunsets. We had only a couple, sunset 7/17 and sunset 7/21.
Richard Franke
