Another sunny Sunday, another day on the Heath. Olga and I went in late morning and spent several hours, me walking and Olga stalking...
...her usual plump and elusive prey.
As I've often said, don't worry -- plump as they are, they're wily and fast and she never catches them.
All the nets have been taken down around the cricket batting cages, and if the football goals ever had any (I can't remember), those are gone too. Maybe it's a winter thing, to take the nets down.
Have you ever wondered what a sleeping emu looks like? Well, wonder no more! The one in Golders Hill Park was snoozing when we walked past its enclosure. It even has a little ear! What a weird creature. Definitely a dinosaur.
A woman walking behind me said, "I thought it was a gray stone, until you started taking pictures of it!"
Olga and I got home around 1:30, and I was amazed it was still so early. The sun was so low and the shadows so long that it felt like 4 p.m. This time of year, we only have about eight hours between sunrise and sunset. The days are fleeting.
In the afternoon, I had a weird urge to watch "Grease," which I hadn't seen in ages -- probably ten years at least. It's a very shallow movie -- I'd forgotten how shallow -- but it's still fun. Dave, who despite his musical background (or perhaps because of it) is no fan of musical theater, declined to watch it with me. But Olga and I stretched out in his recliner and I sang all the songs. (As a middle-schooler, I owned the soundtrack album.)
Last night, as we lay in bed, we got a sudden hailstorm. It sounded like someone spraying gravel at the windows. What a racket! It only lasted a few minutes before turning to rain. Hopefully nothing in the garden sustained any damage. (Not that there's much out there at this time of year.) When the sun finally comes up, I'll be able to take a look.
Nobody who ever played cricket in this green and pleasant land ever referred to cricket nets as "cricket batting cages"! But hey, we will forgive you - you can take the boy out of America but you can't take America out of the boy!
ReplyDeleteAmazing that you got a hailstorm!
ReplyDeleteThe light doesn't go as fast here as it does there but at 4:30 it does feel like 6:30.
ReplyDeleteWhy is there an emu in that park? It certainly does look like a dinosaur. Does it have any friends?
That First Photo Is Way Cool - Hailstorms?!?!!? Yikes But Carries A Certain Entertainment Value
ReplyDeleteCheers
I love that emu. What a wonderful sight that is, and yes, definitely a dinosaur. Soon, the light will begin its journey back. I'm counting the days.
ReplyDeleteI love that you have a random emu on your journeys - ha! We headed home from the Nutcracker at around 5:00 yesterday & it felt like MIDNIGHT. Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the title of your post I didn't really think you meant a real emu. How unusual. Last night, in honor of your upcoming trip to Egypt, I watched an old Globe Trekker episode I had saved on the DVR. It was about a trip down the Nile on a 1920's paddle-wheeled boat just like the one on "Death on the Nile". The funny thing was that besides the host, there were only two other people on board. (Of course, her filming crew must have been there too but that was probably only 3 to 4 people.) The other couple on the trip were huge Agatha Christie fans. So much so that they dressed in tuxes for dinner. But it was the temples I wanted to see again. There is so much beauty there, it's mind boggling how old it all is. I'm looking forward to hearing about your adventures.
ReplyDeleteGrease was my daughter's favorite movie and she passed her love for it to her three daughters. they might have outgrown it by now though seeing as how they are all grown.
ReplyDeleteWe only get about eight hours of lights off as well and I watched GREASE night before last because it is fun and Olivia and John and Rizo are adorable! Mr. Man came in and grumbled..." stupid", said he. It is utterly American.
ReplyDeleteEmus have visible ears . . . that's definitely my "learn something new every day" moment for today!!
ReplyDeleteOlga is a great addition to every photo you take. Thanks for including her.
I want an emu
ReplyDeleteGlad Olga and you had a grand safari and no trophies were taken. It's all about the hunt, anyway.
ReplyDeleteGrease is so much fun. After watching all the horrors of real tv these days, it has to be a wonderful escape. Can't wait to see pic of Dave on a camel.
YP: You've taken me to task over cricket nets before. But how can you call them nets when there are no nets? (I guess they're not cages either, at this point.)
ReplyDeleteE: We get them every now and then, but this one was LOUD.
Ms Moon: I think there's only one. But it's in a large enclosure with deer and some other animals. So it has friends, maybe, but not of its species.
Padre: It was certainly surprising!
Robin: Me too! I'm ready for more daylight!
Bug: It's funny how waning daylight makes it feel so much later.
Sharon: Interesting! I have no idea what our boat will be like. I doubt it's paddle-wheeled, but we'll see! (I definitely won't be in a tux at dinner.)
Ellen: It's a great movie for kids or adolescents, no question.
Linda Sue: How coincidental that you watched it just a few days ago! It IS kind of stupid, but that's the fun of it. And yes, the stars ARE adorable.
Jenny-O: I'm glad you continue to enjoy Olga pics. I'm always afraid people open the blog and say, "Oh, God, he's writing about the dog again."
John: As I understand it, they're pretty mean.
Penelope: There's definitely a lot of shockingly bad stuff on TV. Too many channels, too much airtime to fill!