Strange animals

On my bike ride the other day that started with me riding through rainbows with the purple pink sky. You can
see it had cleared up 2 hours later. This farm has many unusual animals including a huge herd of buffalo. This was
a new one to me. Did a donkey cross with one of the buffalo? Turns out it is an ancient French breed of donkey, a
Poitou. It is stronger and bigger than the usual donkey and  has the traits of a good tempered mule. Note strange
sculpture to right. This was a model for a possible leaning tower of pizza. Some in my previous neighborhood fought
against the real building being built as it would cast a shadow over our neighborhood. It would have to be a few miles
tall to do that. They fought against cell towers for the same reason. One thing I didn't stop for was the biggest flock of turkeys I've seen in Michigan; hundreds of them

how my solar spotlights are working. Need ones to the right

on the last day of school for my handsome grandsons who are almost the same height. Daniel the younger lost his teeth before Oliver

some of Naomi's New Orleans photos. New foods for her: gator and oysters: both raw and cooked

Naomi and a boa constrictor

Maya and her Mardi Gras souvenir

the b&b where they stayed. After a rocky start, the guy became quite nice to them

After a few days in a row in which I wouldn't go to bed until almost midnight then get up before dawn to exercise, I rested yesterday. I actually slept a bit in the middle of the day.

The travelers are all back safely. Typhoon Cindy hit landfall way west of New Orleans and by that time was downgraded to a tropical depression so maybe they had one day of torrential rains in which the streets were flooded. Water has no place to go as they do not have storm sewers. After Katrina, more levees were built and more powerful pumps were put into place. Most of the city is below sea level though the French Quarter is somewhat above and thus was spared during Katrina.

I had the Chosen Sisters over the other night. It was calm and cool so we were able to stay out on my patio well into the night. No bugs either. As we live out in the sticks, there is little light to compete with the stars, which were out in full force.

Josh and Allie came over the next day as did my friend to deal with a bike rack I bought. Hers broke. Will my $7 find work? I think it will.

I was removing unwanted vegetation under one of the wrens' nests. The wrens were furious and can make a sound like a rattle snake. They are so tiny. I think only the hummingbirds are smaller. I have 3 gourds and all are full. They are insect eaters and keep my garden pest free. Also when not perturbed, they sing early in the morning and late at night.