My...what a big eye you have, Mr. Bunny... Did it help you find the cabbage The Other Half is growing in her garden a little bit easier?Why did the vulture cross the road? To get to the dead chicken on the other side. But, then, it just kind of stopped, ‘cause there was some other morsel in the middle of the road.Summer rerun? (Anybody remember summer reruns?) Summer has not officially arrived yet, but it sure has felt like summer during the past week in our little corner of the world. Anyway, a couple of folks have suggested that the bird, which made an appearance in last week’s paper, is a Mississippi kite.

Music in a parking lot...and some other stuff...

Please read this...

Our focus this week is on a Big Adventure...a vulture that looked like it needed something to eat...a bunny that probably enjoyed some fresh cabbage...and the return of a mystery bird...

Please read on...

This week’s “topic” originally was going to be about something else. That happens. A lot.

You see, the original idea would have allowed your writer to have crafted perhaps the best thing he has ever written. Well, now, that would have set quite a precedent. And, on top of that, if yours truly had crafted the best thing he had ever created, where would that leave next week? 

So, with that in mind, the original idea was set aside. At least for now.

Meanwhile...

The Other Half and yours truly went on a bit of an adventure last weekend. Instead of a Pandemic Date, it was more of a scouting expedition, a journey which took us through the woods and over the river...and, on the way back, over the river and through the woods.

We actually motored all the way to Cape Girardeau, Missouri. A lot of folks might not think that sounds like a big deal. For the two of us, it kind of was...

Since the pandemic started back in The Before Times, we had not been out of the Land of Lincoln. Without getting into all of the details, I’ll just say that it had to do with trying to keep somebody safe. 

We decided to go on a scouting expedition ahead of an appointment involving the health care system. That way we could get a bit of an idea about the lay of the land. After all, Missouri is sooooo faaarrrrrr away. And you’ve got to cross that big ol’ river, too.

Well, we made it to the Show Me State fine. Found what we needed to find and headed back to the other side of the river.

Before we left Missouri, we did make a bit of a pit stop for some fuel. After all, gasoline is cheaper on the other side of the river. 

As we drove into the parking lot, I could hear music. A saxophone. Somebody was playing some sweet sounds outside on a Sunday morning. 

Turned out it was almost like being on Jackson Square in New Orleans. We ventured to that wonderful city in Louisiana many, many years ago...when we were much, much younger. During one of our many walks in the Big Easy, we wondered down to Jackson Square, where street musicians just happened to be playing.

With that being said, I have to be honest...I just did not expect to hear the sounds of a saxophone being played while I was pumping gas. 

During our journey back home, we paid a visit to the Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area near Ware, probably better known to most folks as “the refuge.” While driving through the refuge, we did not hear any saxophones. We did hear a few birds in the woods. Did not see very many birds...not even a Mississippi kite.

We did see one lonely vulture standing pretty much in the middle of the road that goes through the refuge. The vulture appeared to be having lunch. Which looked to be a good thing for this particular vulture. The critter appeared to be a little bit on the skinny side. Maybe it’s pickier about what it eats than most vultures seem to be. That being said, lunch on the Refuge Road Cafe looked to be pretty dead. And flat. 

Now that we’ve made it to Missouri, and back again, we may start making plans for a journey to another state...the home of bluegrass and horses...we are long overdue for a trip to Kentucky. Stay tuned...

Last weekend also involved a visit to The Other Half’s garden out on the North Forty...which is to say, it’s north of town...

As I have shared before, The Other Half is gardening something like 10,000 acres this year. All by hand. Really. Well, not completely. She did learn how to drive a small tractor last week.

Anyway, she wanted to show off her other garden. And rightly so. It’s quite an operation. And, hopefully, it will mean that we eat well next fall and winter. 

We’re pretty sure that a bunny that was hanging around at the garden has been eating well. We’re guessing he had a fresh cabbage salad right before we paid our visit to the garden.

Let’s close this week with a look back...all the way to last week... 

Besides, you folks have probably waited all week to learn the identity of the mystery bird that appeared last week.

Turns out the bird most likely was a Mississippi kite. Two fellow travelers on The Journey Through Life shared their thoughts on the identity of the bird. The writer is grateful for the information they shared. I am now learning more about the Mississippi kite. 

A bit of a mystery still remains in my simple little mind. Why was the Mississippi kite spotted where it was spotted? Right in town, and right across the street from The Paragraph Factory. Haven’t seen it since. Yup. A mystery.

That’s all for this week...

 

  

 

 

The Gazette-Democrat

112 Lafayette St.
Anna, Illinois 62906
Office Number: (618) 833-2158
Email: news@annanews.com

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