This slideshow requires JavaScript.

On Sunday, Two days after New Years Eve, Anne and I thought that maybe we should call the boys and wish them a happy New Year!  Dan had left on New Years Eve, but we hadn’t seen or heard from him since then and we hadn’t heard from Dave either.  She first called Dan and then called Dave, but neither of them answered.  This was around 10:30 AM.  A minute later Dan texted her back, he couldn’t speak on the phone, because he was in a movie theater.  It turns out that he was watching the movie, Tron and tickets are cheaper in the morning.  He called Anne back later and gave her his full itinerary and was home on the couch, when we returned home later in the afternoon. 

Sunday evening, right after kickoff, I tried calling Dave again and got him.  I figured that he was watching the Rams’ game and he was.  What I hadn’t figured out was where he was watching it.  It turns out that I caught him while he was in NYC’s Grand Central Station.  He was waiting there for his connection back to DC.  I think that he was returning from upstate New York, but before I could ask him anything more, he told me that he was waiting for a phone call.  Later I asked myself, “A call more important than me?”  [Story Developing …]

Sunday afternoon, Anne and I went up to the Riverlands conservation area.  I want to try out my new camera and it was too cold to go biking.  I have selected the following six photos, although only the gull, swans and heron were photographed with the new camera.  I’m still learning how to use it. 

• Backyard Mourning Dove – Shot out through our bedroom window, this dove was hunkered down in the lee of the house when I first saw it.  The dove only became more alerted as I continued to approach it.
• Hovering Seagull – This gull was one of many such seagulls that were flying to and fro, all the while looking for fish.  They made for a good stress test for the new camera’s fast focus capability.
• Six Trumpeter Swans – This [wedge | flock | bevy] of swans flew over us while we were photographing seagulls.  I think that the new camera did a pretty good job considering how much action was in this shot.
• Great Blue Heron – Anne spotted this heron and then generously showed where it was, so I could “steal” her shot with my new, high-priced, big gun.
• A Pair of Bald Eagles – Anne shot this picture of these two eagles.  They were just two of the more than a dozen that we saw that day.  Anne spoke with one guy that had seem almost fifty eagles, but he had been on the river since seven in the morning.  And you thought that we were bird brains?
• Eagle’s Nest – Anne took this picture through our less than clean windshield.  This is just one of two nests that we saw.  They are both from last year.  Right now the bald eagles are just dating and haven’t yet settled down to raising a family.

Sunday night, we watched the Rams lose to the Seattle Seahawks.  I can’t really say that the better team won, because neither team is very good.  Let’s just say that the Rams are no better than the Seahawks and the rest of the NFC West stinks too.  While the Seahawks have another game ahead of them, the Rams have a whole season.  I think that the Rams chances in their next season are brighter than the Seahawks chances in their next game and don’t get me started on how an official should spot a football. 🙄