What did you do today? 2019 version.

[Jerry1]

Carved my pumpkin!

[/IMG]

With light on.

 

[TromboneAl]

Carved my pumpkin!

Excellent.

I never remember anybody carving anything but a face back when I was young. Is that a relatively new phenomenon?

 

[Jerry1]

Excellent.

I never remember anybody carving anything but a face back when I was young. Is that a relatively new phenomenon?

I don't think it's new. My daughter is very crafty and though her and her friends, I've seen other than faces for years.

 

[TromboneAl]

It only took me five minutes to skin and clean it. I'll put it [the quail] in the slow cooker tomorrow.

Tastes like chicken!

It did in fact taste almost exactly like chicken, but even after all day in the slow cooker, it was a little tough.

I don't see how it's worth it for quail hunters. Although there was a good amount of meat, it was very blah. I don't think I'll even bother next time.

 

[NW-Bound]

I have not had wild quails, only farm-raised ones we bought already cleaned and ready to cook. My wife usually seasoned it, then baked in the oven. Sometimes she pan-fried it.

It is more like dark meat, a bit firmer than chicken, and definitely tastier than, say, Costco rotisserie chicken, but that could be just the seasoning.

 

[MRG]

Tastes like chicken!

It did in fact taste almost exactly like chicken, but even after all day in the slow cooker, it was a little tough.

I don't see how it's worth it for quail hunters. Although there was a good amount of meat, it was very blah. I don't think I'll even bother next time.

Maybe the bird's apparent suicide has something to do with it being tough? Did you see it do itself in?

I've seen a couple critters go nutty and I would think twice about eating them.[emoji39]

 

[USA]

Typical Halloween. But tonight, as it’s now chilly I’ll go to sleep under a Korean Mink Blanket my dear spouse bought in Osan many years ago. Total heaven!

 

[steelyman]

Leading up to my last day on the job, I used a countdown app like a lot of people do. I’m not sure if it made things speed up or slow down, but I had it.

It’s still installed but now it counts up rather than down. I discovered that today marks the 3000th day since I closed my office door for the last time. Man. Time flies!!

 

[Philliefan33]

A line of strong storms moved through as I went to bed last night. The wind noise kept me awake, so I was aware that the power went off just before midnight. Ten minutes after the electricity went off, I checked the sump hole in the basement and the water was rising.

Luckily, a few days ago DH purchased the oil we needed for our new generator. I woke DH out of a sound sleep to have him help me get the generator set up, and we managed to get the sump pump connected before the sump hole overflowed and flooded the basement.

Still no electricity when we woke up, so we set up a couple more cords to power the refrigerator, deep freeze, and Keurig. DH questioned whether I needed the Keurig, but my pre-coffee death stare convinced him. (He does not drink coffee)

Power was restored just as we were going out to take 16 bags of leaves to the yard waste site. Then we raked up another six bags and dumped them.

I’ve decided that the yard work will account for my calorie-burning exercise for today, and I’ll supplement with yoga later this afternoon. Now it’s time to shower and go get some groceries.

 

[Souschef]

We were up until 4 AM watching the Maria fire burn down the mountain behind us. Speaking of coffee, I found DW's French Press out in the shed and she could get her coffee when the power was out.
This is one heck of a fire season. One son lives near the Easy fire, and their mother was evacuated to a shelter due to the Palisades fire.
Fortunately, my other son lives in Palm Springs, where there is nothing to burn.

 

[O2Bfree]

DH and I hit the beach with an RE friend and enjoyed the sunny fall afternoon sitting by a fire. Roasted hot dogs for lunch, something we hadn't done for a long time. This beach is typically jammed with people during the weekend, so it was great to be able to get a parking spot right up front near a fire ring.

 

[TromboneAl]

Maybe the bird's apparent suicide has something to do with it being tough? Did you see it do itself in?[emoji39]

I think that something scares the flock, and they fly up in panic and into the windows. Lena heard this one but didn't see it.

It happens a lot here. Picture someone throwing a football into your window. It's heart-attack loud.

 

[Nemo2]

I think that something scares the flock, and they fly up in panic and into the windows. Lena heard this one but didn't see it.

It happens a lot here. Picture someone throwing a football into your window. It's heart-attack loud.

We had it happen a number of times in British Columbia.....figured they just couldn't see the glass.

Interesting factoid.....of all the birds that hit the windows, robins, crows, etc, the only non-fatalities were the humming birds, who were likely traveling at twice the speed of the others.

I've picked up a few that were stunned.....they lay in your hand, perhaps thinking "What the ****", for about a minute....then zip they're gone....tough little buggers.

 

[NW-Bound]

We had it happen a number of times in British Columbia.....figured they just couldn't see the glass.

Interesting factoid.....of all the birds that hit the windows, robins, crows, etc, the only non-fatalities were the humming birds, who were likely traveling at twice the speed of the others.

I've picked up a few that were stunned.....they lay in your hand, perhaps thinking "What the ****", for about a minute....then zip they're gone....tough little buggers.

And how did they not damage their delicate beak?

 

[Nemo2]

And how did they not damage their delicate beak?

Dunno. Perhaps the impact is taken on their 'foreheads'?

 

[travelover]

We had it happen a number of times in British Columbia.....figured they just couldn't see the glass.



Interesting factoid.....of all the birds that hit the windows, robins, crows, etc, the only non-fatalities were the humming birds, who were likely traveling at twice the speed of the others.



I've picked up a few that were stunned.....they lay in your hand, perhaps thinking "What the ****", for about a minute....then zip they're gone....tough little buggers.

Just as well, they have even less meat than a quail.

 

[O2Bfree]

We had a cat who'd run outside and check the patio whenever she heard that thump on the window. It was a dinner bell for her.

 

[braumeister]

of all the birds that hit the windows, robins, crows, etc, the only non-fatalities were the humming birds, who were likely traveling at twice the speed of the others.

I've picked up a few that were stunned.....they lay in your hand, perhaps thinking "What the ****", for about a minute....then zip they're gone....tough little buggers.

Not unusual at our last house in Ohio.
This little guy just sat on the step outside our patio door after bonking into it (very loudly) for at least ten minutes.

 

[pb4uski]

We had a cat who'd run outside and check the patio whenever she heard that thump on the window. It was a dinner bell for her.

One of my best memories of our dear, departed outdoor cat was him coming to the sliding screen door looking to be let into the house. I noticed that he had something in his mouth so I opened the door slightly and tapped him on the top of the head with my foot... and a bird flew away.

I went back to my work at the dining room table and a bit later looked out the window up to see him walking on the top rail of our 4' high chain link fence... I thought to myself "that is strange, I've never seen him walking on top of the rail like that" so I was watching him... he suddenly leapt into a crabapple tree next to the fence and a bunch of birds scattered... then it all made sense.

I miss the little guy.

 

[MichaelB]

Went to the airport yesterday to drop off DW’s sister-in-law. She was with us for 2 weeks, and will spend another 2 weeks with her sister in Miami before returning to Venezuela. We brought her up for a mental health vacation, which she badly needed. She never complained about her situation, but it’s pretty clear that this is one where the media understates what the reality is on the ground.

We had a good visit, went to downtown Chicago 3 times, had a couple of family get-togethers, and saw some amazing carved pumpkins at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. She also ate well and even put back on a few of the pounds she’s lost.

 

[MRG]

We had it happen a number of times in British Columbia.....figured they just couldn't see the glass.

Interesting factoid.....of all the birds that hit the windows, robins, crows, etc, the only non-fatalities were the humming birds, who were likely traveling at twice the speed of the others.

I've picked up a few that were stunned.....they lay in your hand, perhaps thinking "What the ****", for about a minute....then zip they're gone....tough little buggers.

We lived in a rural house with mega glass. Bird strikes were frequent events. I'd agree that hummingbirds seldom die from a strike, actually DW discovered that if she picked the bird up and kept it warm in her hands most did survive. We lived in the home for 10 years and held countless birds while they recovered. The most memorable were a screech owl that hit one Christmas eve and a Coopers hawk that hit one summer.

 

[Gumby]

Went to a college football game in East Hartford last night. It was cold, but enjoyable to watch Navy beat UConn 56-10. The local chapter of the USNA alumni association put on a nice tailgater in the Cabela's parking lot across the street from the stadium, and the turnout of Navy fans was substantial. We all sang "Navy Blue & Gold" a capella at the end of the game; hundreds of alums from their 20s to their 80s singing our alma mater together. It was a nice feeling to be part of that group. Got back home about 1am.

 

[Khan]

Gave blood this morning. Got a fleece blanket and a voucher for a beer. Drank hte beer.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

I played Monopoly with my husband and kids. We all had a great time. The kids were pretty ruthless with the real estate deals- we were impressed!

 

[LRDave]

We had it happen a number of times in British Columbia.....figured they just couldn't see the glass.

Interesting factoid.....of all the birds that hit the windows, robins, crows, etc, the only non-fatalities were the humming birds, who were likely traveling at twice the speed of the others.

I've picked up a few that were stunned.....they lay in your hand, perhaps thinking "What the ****", for about a minute....then zip they're gone....tough little buggers.

Many song birds, warblers, etc., survive - at least for a while. We learned in the most recent Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Annual report that as much as 50% of the birds that strike our windows and then "recover" to fly off, die soon after - most often from brain hemorrhaging.