Day 14.171: Terns

As well as our piping plover sighting on Sunday, it was a good day for photographing the terns and trying to catch them catching fish - with a couple of dives caught and at least one successful one.

Day 14.170: Hot; work

It's been very hot so far this week. Daytime highs have been well into the 90's and as I write this after 11pm, it's still over 80°F.  As a result, our builders have been doing short early-in-the-day shifts, leaving before noon and avoiding the worst of the heat.

The fencing we chose has also turned out to be more labor-intensive than expected which is further slowing progress, but it's taking shape bit by bit:

Day 14.169: Piping plovers

As Exile #2 mentioned. we first heard and then saw an adult piping plover with three silent and incredibly cute chicks walking on the beach on Sunday morning:

We've heard about these birds - endangered in Maine - since we arrived here, but this was the first time we've identified a sighting. They are having a good year with more than a hundred nesting pairs counted this year - up from just 10 in 1981.

Day 14.168: Exile #2's Sunday Column #351

Exile #2 writes...

We decided to dash down to the beach for a quick walk this morning. The tides were in our favor and it was hot but not yet unbearable. We were only just in time, though, to secure a spot in the town parking lot. That’s hot summer weekends for you.

The beach was busy with people erecting gazebos and umbrellas. We walked on, towards the quieter end, though, and watched the terns dive. On the way back, we were stopped in our tracks by a loud whistle-like sound close by. Eventually Exile #1 spotted its source, a piping plover. They are small, pretty birds, well camouflaged against the sand. This one was was attempting to herd three chicks that all seemed determined to go in different directions. I could definitely relate!

Day 14.167: Protopatio

We had wanted to do something with this little corner ever since we removed the defunct hot tub and added stairs down from this side of the deck.

The situation was made more urgent when the fence posts started to fail and the fence was in danger of collapsing altogether.

On Friday work started - first removal of the old fence:

Then new fence posts and preparations for laying a patio:

Hopefully it will be a big improvement when it's finished.

Day 14.166: Moonlighting

Exile #4 and I got an excellent view of the moon using their new telescope late last night.

Our observation - the full moon is very bright when looked at through a telescope on a clear night.

Day 14.165: What's that in the grass?

Today's sighting at work was this strange object in the grass:

Can you guess what is is? Scroll down when you're ready for the answer!

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When its head pops up, a wild turkey is revealed:

Day 14.164: Lunchtime in the work parking lot

I, however, ate my lunch elsewhere.

Day 14.163: The Ecology School at River Bend Farm

The location for the dance show was at the brand new campus for The Ecology School at River Bend Farm.

Here is part of the historic (and still functioning) farm:

Here's a glimpse of the eponymous bend in the river:

And this is the building where the show took place - with its impressive solar roof:

It's an impressive place and it was a lovely venue (and hang-out spot for the day).

Day 14.162: An odd assortment

My weekend was rather dominated by doing the video for the dance show on Saturday. Here is the pre-show circle for the third (of four) shows - characters from Alice in Wonderland, some sequined dresses, some classical ballet costumes and several Ruth Bader Ginsburgs - where else would these things be found together?

Day 14.161: Exile #2's Sunday Column #350

Exile #2 writes...

Today, while most people were celebrating Fathers’ Day, we were also celebrating Exile #3's 19th birthday. This coincidence has happened before, but somehow it feels like it happens way more often than it should. Amazingly, all three siblings emerged early enough for our Dad’s/birthday brunch to be breakfast. Then, after the busyness of the last couple of days, we stayed home, played some games and ate some good food. We toyed with putting 19 candles on Exile #3’s cake but went for a more modest 10. It seems that even last year we’d abandoned the one candle one year rule. I guess it’s evidence of the entry into adulthood.

Maybe the photo collages will also go by the way but if you need a reminder of how far this young woman has come, here is a link to last years’.

Day 14.160: Shows day

Today was the dance show (or perhaps shows) as there were four half-hour shows to accommodate COVID restrictions and the available space.

It all went well - Exile #3 and I were there from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm as stage manager and videographer respectively.

I'm now quite tired, but relieved to have the footage "in the can" and now the work of editing can begin (or perhaps in a day or two).

Day 14.159: Dress rehearsal and swallows

After a long five hours at the dance show dress rehearsal (Exile #3 is stage managing and I am doing the video again this year)m we reached the car only to realize we were boxed in.

While Exile #3 went to find someone to let us out, I watched the barn swallows twirling in the evening light and then took the opportunity to see how my new camera would fare in these challenging circumstances - it did pretty well:

and then Exile #3 returned - more than ready to get home for some dinner and a sit-down.

Day 14.158: One for the Maine-est things files

One of my colleagues stepped outside this afternoon to take delivery of 34 lbs of live lobster - delivered by the lobsterman directly from his truck into this cooler. They were quite active until the cold atmosphere (helped by some sealed frozen bottles of water) calmed them down.

Apparently they will stay alive (and therefore fresh) like this for a few days - and then someone is going to have a lot of lobster to eat.

Day 14.157: Good weather...for gardeners?

The weather recently has been rather variable - from extremely hot at the beginning of last week to rather cool last Friday. Since then we've had more moderate temperatures and a fair amount of sun.

Of course, when we want to be outside or trying out the telescope, cloudy skies are undesirable, but when it rains - that's good weather for the garden (and the gardener).

Day 14.156: Close flyby?

I spotted this as I arrived back at work after lunch one day recently:

In case you can't see there are two planes leaving contrails both were extending as I watched. For clarity, I've circled the two planes in this version:

I guess we'll just have to assume that they were at significantly different altitudes, because if not, they seem a bit close for comfort.

Day 14.155: Astronomy for beginners

Exile #4 has never been very good at letting us know what they might want on their birthday. If it ever happened, it was quite some time ago. However, we seized on a growing interest in astronomy  and bought a decent but simple telescope.

On Sunday afternoon we set it up and aligned the finding scope hoping for some clear skies after dark.

We were lucky with the sky, although our backyard does not have very good views except nearly straight up.

Later we walked down the street and looked at the moon and I managed to take a couple of photos with my phone held up to the viewfinder (I suspect that there is a better way than that, but this will do for a first attempt!

Day 14.154: Exile #2's Sunday Column #349

Exile #2 writes...

June is usually a busy month. We have two birthdays to celebrate, of course, but then there are usually concerts, shows and end of school activities. Last year was a little muted., of course. Prom was canceled, as were all of the concerts and shows, apart from Exile #3’s dance show, which was filmed outdoors, one dance at a time.

This year, normality has begun creeping back. Exile #4 had a group of friends over for a birthday party. They hung out in the garage and were, at times, masked but it was a party nonetheless. E5N1 “graduated” middle school. The teachers formed a line along the front of school and each family drove by to collect a certificate. But then they, too, had a party, outside - together.

This afternoon we got our turn by joining some of our church for an outdoor service at a local bandstand. We have seen them all online through the year, so we’ve still felt connected but it was great to meet in person. I know the future is not certain but for now we are grateful.

One of my pictures of the aftermath

One of the attendees posted this picture of us on Facebook

Day 14.153: 8th Grade Promotion

As well as being Exile #4's birthday, it was - fairly uneventfully - their last day of school for the year. It was also E5N1's last day of middle school. He went for the main part of the day dressed like this:

and why not? It is June after all.

He dressed more conservatively for the celebration of 8th Grade Promotion - which included a parade of sorts where the students were announced and drove past the teachers as they cheered and applauded:

and an outdoor party with the main attraction (as far as I can tell) being lots of junk food - I guess the organizers know their audience.

Day 14.152: Seventeen for #4

Exile #4 celebrated their seventeenth birthday today. Here is the birthday rundown:

Smiles and chocolate cake seem to be a theme - here is today's entry for the cake archives: