What we saw at the Shops.

“When cats run home and light is come, And dew is cold upon the ground, And the far-off stream is dumb, And the whirring sail goes round, And the whirring sail goes round; Alone and warming his five wits, The white owl in the belfry sits.”~ Lord Alfred Tennyson

There is a reason I go away when we go on vacation.  If I stay home I work ~ all those things we don't have time for in term time.  Two days it took me to get new tires on the island car & I practically had to beg even then ~ which is what you get when you have one officially retired but only available mechanic on the island.  He doesn't need to work....It's sort of a hobby & if he'd rather go fishing, well....And I still have to take the old tires to the tip!  To~day's job; Star can drive.

Then there was the mainland car  which I had been begging Liddy to sort out because she drove it waaaay more than I did.  I normally only need it at night ~ when the garage is shut ~ but of course she was always in a rush & needing to be somewhere so it never got done.  Yesterday we went & did it.  At least we did what I could afford.  All day affair ~ naturally.  We plan for these things.

So we went & bought movie tickets but with time to kill before our session started were wandering back towards the shopping centre when we spotted this gorgeous man!

 Isn't he something?!  He is a barn owl.  The wildlife rescue people were out in force with a 1/2 dozen or so animals in tow making the most of school holiday crowds to raise awareness.  I think Star sort of quailed in her boots because I am a sucker for a pretty bird & promptly started chatting up the young handler.  Barn owls we have but though we might have them we never get this up close & personal with enough light to admire the snowy chest with a delicate freckling of black, the tawny back feathers, the incredible angles that an owl can turn its head.  Hand raised & not ever able to be released he was inquisitive & affectionate & enjoyed sticky beaking the crowd.

 We came back a little later to visit with Anala, which means place of peace [I told you I chatted this guy up!].  Wedge~tail.  This guy is only tiny with a 3 m wing span & weighing just on 2ks, which is nothing in the eagle world but a whole lot of bird when he is tethered to your wrist.  The wing span can reach as much as 7m ~ out west these guys regularly take lambs or small sheep & have been known to take small dogs [of the lap dog variety] on the island.  Even jessed, even confined these guys are really something special.  I was delighted as even in the mall area he turned into the wind to get the lift as the breeze came through & every so often he'd take of, practically taking his handler with him.

 Yeah, he was affectionate too.  I am always amazed at how responsive wild animals can be when they are treated right.  I asked if they ever flew him, & yes, but he's never out long because he had a broken wing & tires easily.  It will take about 3 years for complete healing to occur.

Then there was this little guy ~ about the size I like them & I had a long chat about the flying foxes ~ I will pick people's brains when the opportunity arises & besides, the guy is the first person I've ever met who loves them as much as I do!

Then, because Star wouldn't choose so I did, we went & saw this:




Star about had a fit when she realised some of it was sub~titled!  Not sure about the story line; think I now need to go read the book, but visually stunning & historically/culturally interesting.  Poor Star.  Even on holidays she gets educated one way or another.

Picked up more seedlings & a grape vine & am now off into the sunshine to dig in the rich black soil & make my cats happy.  They missed me yesterday.  Dearest swears they have to go away with me because they do not love him when I am not around!