Day 17.293: Halloween Senior Night Football

Tonight was the last home game of the regular football season and therefore "senior night" where the seniors are honored - not just the players, but the cheerleaders and the pep band members too - including E5N1.

Of course, since it was Halloween, many of the pep band were in costume - including E5N1. Exile #2 and I went out on the field with him for a celebratory photo op; we were wearing fairly normal clothes, E5N1 on the other hand... well, here he is with one of his friends:

 

Exile #3 helped him construct this "Blossom" outfit - with two of his other friends they had planned a group costume as the Powerpuff Girls

The band were on good form and will probably get another outing since the team will advance to the playoffs after their 69-0 victory today. 

Day 17.292: E5N1 Spoonhands

A few years ago, it would be the dance school’s Halloween party that would trigger either a dry-run for Halloween costumes or - sometimes - an alternative costume. Today, it was E5N1’s English class. Here he is as his twist in Edward Scissorhands.

Nothing that resembles a weapon allows though - so plastic spoons it was.

Despite having no plans for trick-or-treating, he has at least one - but probably two - other different costumes lined up for the next couple of days. 

Day 17.291: … Sometimes the trees themselves

The view from our deck a few days ago. The oak trees don’t go spectacular colors like the maples but they still look beautiful in the autumn sun

With a two day pop pun(ish) nod for title watchers to my beloved Blue Aeroplanes. “Sometimes it’s a bird in a  cage, sometimes the cage itself” from Huh!

Day 17.290: Sometimes it's the things in the trees...

(From last Friday morning at the cemetery)

A birds' nest revealed by the fallen leaves

A wasp nest suspended on the thinnest of twigs

The last three walnuts on the black walnut tree (as far as I could see anyway)

Day 17.289: Exile #2’s Sunday Column #497

Exile #2 writes...

We had noticed some rotten wood around the door leading out to our deck, so we decided it was time to get it investigated and repaired. As we were going to the trouble we also thought we’d take the opportunity to change things up a bit. We’ve often wished we could have the door open in the summer but as we back on to some fairly damp woods, there have always been too many mosquitoes. Now we have a sliding door with a bug screen that should mean we can have a bit more air but no additional bugs.

The builders kindly removed the bird bath while they worked so it wouldn’t get damaged, and we got hard stares from a variety of bluebirds wondering where it had gone but is now back in place and back in use.

New door, new decking and in-use birdbath (by a squirrel this time but the birds have visited too)

Day 17.288: More dance

After dropping E5N1 at a local high school stadium to support his friends in their marching band festival, Exile #2, Exile #3 and I went into Portland to see this dance show this evening. It was great and so good for Exile #3 to be out and about.

Day 17.287: Today's birding

Our morning visit to the cemetery this morning wasn't spectacular in terms of variety or rarity of bird sightings, but the trees were beautiful in the rising sun:

We did see lots of birds including plenty of dark-eyed juncos which were just starting to appear a week ago, but were in the cemetery in large numbers this morning.

We also saw this song sparrow (the chipping sparrows seem to have all departed now):

and this Cooper's hawk which was perching when we first saw it

but not for long.

Day 17.286: Tiny tomato

Exile #2 discovered this tiny tomato plant near our raised beds. Presumably the result of one of the many tomato thefts we have experienced from night-time visitors to our vegetable garden. 

  It even managed to flower - quite impressive really. 

Day 17.285: Three more weeks

This is where we left this tree on October 2nd:

 

And this is what has happened over the last 3 weeks:

Day 17.284: Hosting

With visitors from out of town in the office this week, we had an excuse - or even a duty - to sample some of the flavors of Maine. 

Day 17.283: Last week’s birding

Some pictures from last Friday morning’s birding walk. 

Hermit thrush

Hermit thrush

Canada geese on the river

Ruby-crowned kinglet

Ruby-crowned kinglet

Ruby-crowned kinglet

Bluebirds in the treetops

Chipmunk (couldn’t resist this pose)

Chipping sparrow 

I learned that there is a population of darker colored robins that mostly breed in eastern Canada. This may be one such passing through on its way south for the winter.  

Purple finch

Day 17.282: Exile #2’s Sunday Column #496

Exile #2 writes...

After a busy couple of days of pepping, E5N1 got to sleep in and stay in his pajamas all day. Not so for Exile #1 and myself. We spent the morning at church and then after a quick lunch headed out to Exile #3’s old dance school for their Fall Into Art event. We were honored to have been asked to perform a few songs before each of the two performances. This came with the distinct advantage of being able to watch the dance shows - a very nice way to pass the afternoon.

Day 17.281: School; shark

E5N1 was occupied with Homecoming events for most of today - playing with the pep band at the football game and then attending the dance this evening. 

Meanwhile, I took Exile #4 back to college but not before they helped me - last night - muddle through a first play of this game called Kelp which pits a hungry shark against a skulking octopus. The gameplay is very different for the two players/creatures. Exile #4 played as the shark - and won of course. 

Day 17.280: Pep, pep (and away)

This evening we got to hear E5N1 play in the pep band while standing in front rather than behind them. It was at a new event as part of the Homecoming weekend with food trucks, a dance troop performance and a fund-raising raffle. 

The band did their full repertoire of short jingle-like tunes and their brisk rendition of a verse of the school song and the rest of us (including Exile #3 and Exile #4) were there to cheer them on. 

When we got home, E5N1 reminded us that although he had nominally been at school all day today, he hadn’t actually attended any classes. The first part of his day was a trip to Augusta to audition for one of the All-State festivals and when he got back, they had the pep rally.- an all-school event with the band and the cheerleaders preparing the students for the Homecoming game tomorrow. Although much of that event is a mystery to me, we  discovered this evening that one thing that happens is the announcement of the “most spirited” student in recognition of their participation in the various daily costume challenges during this week. Not only did we find out that this award went to E5N1 - apparently it was for the third year in a row. 

Day 17.279: And just like that…

This happened before work this morning:

Not some strange broken glass situation, just a circle of ice from the bird bath. So I spent a few minutes getting the heater plugged back in. 

And just like that, we’re back into winter mode.