I made the decision, and she was in agreement, for my falconry bird, Seneca, to go and stay with my friend Foxfeather for awhile. I have been out of the field fairly fast this season. I'm hoping to find a solution to my knee. As of this writing, I have an appointment tomorrow morning with Orthopedic Surgery. Maybe a new knee will return me to normal ambulation. Fox runs a foundation, as well as a wildlife rescue. Seneca was moved into her empty falconry mew. She will try to reclaim her for flying this season. My girl is definitely no longer at flight weight, and Fox will need to establish a relationship with her, as you can see on the video she does not recognize her authority! If all goes well, Seneca will come home after my recovery.
So my knee saga continues, but hopefully in a more positive direction.
I have come to believe that all this was kicked off by my receiving my fifth Covid-19 vaccination, with the difference being this year I received the Moderna version. All the times before it has been the Pfizer-BioNTech. I will state clearly that I am not "anti-vax" in any way, shape or form! All I know is that for me, in this particular situation, my extreme reaction happened after I received my booster this year. It almost feels and appears to me that I was stimulated into an auto-immune reaction, which targeted my weakest joint, my left knee, which has been diagnosed with arthritis even before 2019. I don't remember exactly when I got that original diagnosis. Maybe even back to 2015, or before I began working at Mayo. The knee pain has existed, and locks sometimes, and I have coped with it through abundant doses of NSAIDS, mostly Ibuprofen, some topical applications, and a great deal of just ignoring it.
This all changed recently!
I am documenting this timeline for my own purposes. These are my own subjective observations. Little of this is backed up with any kind of rigorous science, but then again, I'm the only one that has to live with the results.
A TIMELINE OF EVENTS
* October 9-15 had Covid again, for the second time. The course of this illness was very mild, with mostly upper respiratory symptoms.
* October 27 I twisted my right ankle. This is important to include because as a result of this I put extra, unnecessary strain on my already compromised left knee.
* October 30 flu & Covid vaccinated, one in each arm. I had a very strong reaction to what I assume is the Covid shot, as I did get both at the same time, but have never had anything other than a sore arm for the flu. Was the strong reaction because I had just gotten over an active Covid infection? I would go on the next couple days to experience body-wide aching, especially in my lower extremities.
* November 8 I pushed hard hawking. I regretted it terribly the next day. I have been mostly handicapped since that time for walking. I bought a cane to help me offload weight from my left knee.
* I had excruciating pain over the work weekend of November 10, 11 & 12. Along with pain, I felt weakness, and an overall sense of dread. I was even having a difficult time controlling my emotions.
* I called out sick for an OT shift I had previously agreed to on November 13.
* I saw my physician assistant on Tuesday, November 14.
* I was placed on work restrictions from 11/14 to 11/21. Along with that and my normal work schedule, I would have 12 days off from work to rest.
* I was referred to Sports Medicine on November 20 for fluid removal and steroid injection. This helped the acute pain, but the chronic pain persists. Walking for any distance is still very difficult.
* I pulled my professional knee brace out of storage, which I had received in 2019 when I had my first fluid removal and steroid injection with Sports Medicine. I have been wearing it at work. It helps when I have to be mobile for many hours.
* I rejoined the DAHLC (Mayo employees' fitness center) and started attending on December 5 to strengthen some leg muscles, and just general physical exercise. Swimming is great!
* As of December 11, I am off work for a week (actually 11 days) of pre-requested vacation time.
* I have an appointment set on December 18 to see Orthopedic Surgery. Am I a candidate for a new knee?
I have come to believe that with the modified auto-immune response that I felt during the worst of this, my body's sensitivity to what I eat has been brought into laser focus. Specifically, anything with white flour. I have noticed in the last many years that consuming bread products seems to contribute to my arthritis, and I have reduced eating this. It is annoying, but not debilitating, and very depressing, as I do love good bread. Well, my body now seems to be extra primed to react to this food group. The question that I have now is what else?? Are there other foods I should avoid as well?
So in a quest for knowledge, for my 11 days off, I will be experimenting, and each day try something different, almost exclusively, other than also consuming items that I know are anti-inflammatory (vegetables, salad greens, bone broth, chicken, fish). My body will tell me the next day with pain if I need to avoid those foods.
Yesterday, I started this experiment with only having bone broth soup with onions, carrots, cabbage and some roasted chicken. This morning I feel . . . Good! I'm still morning stiff, like always, but nothing that a little stretching doesn't alleviate.
Today I will have eggs. Probably a lot of them!
Results As It Progresses
Eggs - Good/OK to Eat
Oatmeal - OK in limited quantity
Tomatoes - OK in limited quantity
Milk - No Go, Sadly! I reacted as strongly as I do to wheat/bread. 😞
(It was goat milk, and whole. Maybe I should try skim cow's milk)
Corn/Cornmeal/Corn Chips - OK in limited quantity
Cured Meats - Bacon, Sausage - Seems OK, but I won't eat much personal choice.
Rice - Sensitive, but maybe not as much as wheat and milk. Dry brown rice!
Let's get this list started, as I am "grounded" and not doing any falconry (see previous post). I will add as the birds get their breeding schedules going.
Of course, it all starts with Bald Eagles down in the Southern States
Parents are named Connie and Clive. Chicks are Cal and Lusa. On 2/16/24 Lusa dies of unknown reasons. As of 3/13 Cal fledged, but is still around the nest.
I believe this is the nest last year that lost the female, and the male raised his chicks by himself. There was a new female that showed up, and was in the periphery, but the male did all the work. I guess now she is the queen at the nest. A single chick was raised, and has fledged in March, date uncertain.
Oh My Goodness! For the last few days, early February 2024, there has been a major storm hitting California. Jackie (F) and Shadow (M) are the names for this pair of eagles. They have been buried in snow. They are taking turns to keep their eggs warm and safe.
This is not my video, but a good capture of all the snow covering Jackie up.
First chick out of shell and noticed on cam on the morning of 3/24.
Hatchery Nest
They constructed a new nest out of camera range. :-(
*****
Goose Cam - It looks like two sets of geese are shopping for a high tree nest this year.
Egg #1 laid in the night 3/9/24 at what I think is called N2B, the same old eagle nest with cameras that geese have used the last two years.
Goslings finished hatching on 4/14, and made the jump out of the nest just after 8 am on 4/15. 5 of the 6 survived.
Almost immediately another set of geese have claimed this penthouse for their own and started a clutch. These high abandoned eagle nests seem to be very popular.
On 3/19 another pair started laying at the N1 nest, which was used by eagles last year, but that is the new pair that built a new nest across the valley. Well, this mamma goose laid her first egg, it caught on her feathers as she turned and it rolled to the edge. She tried but was unable to rescue it. It fell. Dangers of laying eggs way up in the sky where eagles normally hang out.
Two nests here (Kemeru & Durbe). Looks like one (Durbe) had collapsed, but was rebuilt. Pair here are called Milda & Voldis. Egg #1 laid on 3/23. 2 eggs in nest now.
Ay Jeeze!! First egg laid in the Kemeru nest on 3/10, but plopped down just outside the "rails", and there it remains. Mom on the nest, did pull at it a little, but insufficient effort/intelligence to pull that egg in under her. If it stays there it will freeze and be unviable. It stayed there!
3 days later, 3/13, second egg arrives, this time in the bowl where it will be cared for. First one was never rescued.
On 4/19 I noticed a fluffy new chick under one of the parents.
My eyes are on this nest. Angel and Tom have made a nice nest for any eggs, but seems to be delayed in the arrival of those eggs. As of 4/5 they are still coming to the nest. Hopefully egg(s) soon. Camera here was updated this previous winter.
As of 4/19 no eggs ever laid in this nest. Unknown if they have another nest, or just didn't lay this year.
Not sure if what happened below set the female at this nest off schedule, but as of 4/19 it does not look like any eggs were laid in this nest box.
Oh my goodness!! I just stumbled upon this myself while I was nest peeping on 3/12, and did capture it with my cell, but my video was not quality. Shortly after, Raptor Resource uploaded their own capture. Competition for good nest sites, a mate and hunting territory is quite fierce! The smaller male here is Newman. He's been at this site for several years, but been through several females. The current one on site is named Lisa, and she is banded, so they know where she came from. In this encounter an unbanded female thought maybe she could have this site. The two girls get into a serious fight over it. Ultimately, the unbanded female leaves. Newman is just there waiting to breed with whichever female prevails.
And just because I sometimes like to look in on a warm, flower-filled room, here is the live cam of the Sunken Garden at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory.
For now, as I write this, Sunday, November 19, my 2023/2024 Falconry Season has come to a crashing halt. It remains to be seen if I will be able to salvage any part of it. I hope so . . . because sitting in the house right now is driving me nuts!
For quite a few years I have been dealing with advancing arthritis, especially in my left knee. For the most part, I've been able to work around the pain, and can still walk, and perform my daily tasks of self-care and housework, as well as work full time at a job that sometimes has me on my feet quite a bit. This has come to a screeching halt as of November 9.
To my mind, it is actually a stacking of events and conditions, as I still suspect there may be more going on right now than just the debility of my leg. That remains to be seen after tomorrow. I will be seeing Dr. Stephen Wisniewski, a physiatrist, for removal of fluid, and hopefully a game plan on what to do next. Unfortunately, I may be looking at a knee replacement at some point in my not too distant future. The longer I can put that off, the better, but returning to normal walking would be the first goal. For now, I'm using a cane, and just treading across the yard is a challenge.
So, how about some medical pictures. These are my x-rays from this last Wednesday, November 15. The first one is anterior (the front side of me). Look at the lack of space on that left knee, which is on the right on the picture. Those two bones are NOT SUPPOSED TO TOUCH!!
Here is the view posterior. This time that troublesome knee is on the left. Compare the space difference between the two, and you can see how that left knee joint is just rubbing away, causing all kinds of trouble for me.
Below is a lateral (side) view taken as I lay down on the x-ray table. It mentally hurts me just looking at what I feel all the time.
According to my medical record, the radiologist that read these "films" (funny to call them that, because x-rays are no longer developed like old-school photography, but is all digital now), what you are looking at above is:
"Tricompartmental arthritis left knee with marked medial compartment narrowing. Advanced patellofemoral arthritis. Moderate effusion or synovitis. Degenerative changes, right knee."
I'm hoping after the procedure tomorow, and maybe some physical therapy, I can at least regain somewhat normal ambulation. Whether it will be good enough to return me to uneven fields and falconry is the daunting question. If I had any other bird, I would cut them lose and just focus on my own recover, however I have found in Seneca a bird that I truly would like to hang onto for awhile. I feel bad that I cannot offer her free flight right now, but there is no way I can chase after her.
As for other concerns, some aspects of my physiology are sympathetically joining in on the pity party. Leading up to the day all of this changed, I had mildly sprained my right ankle stepping into the street in front of my house, resulting in my almost face-planting. Because of this, I put extra unwanted strain on my compromised left knee, which probably helped to exacerbate the situation. Also, I received my yearly flu and Covid vaccination a few days prior. I found out later, from my primary healthcare provider, that the Covid booster offered this year was different from what the staff have received in the last couple years. I did have a very strong reaction to it, body wide aching. However I sucked it up, and on Wednesday, November 8, I flew my bird for the last time this season, so far. I pushed myself because she was ready, and it was a nice day, even though I didn't feel the greatest. For her part, she did smack a rabbit in the very thick brush we were working, but strangely as I toddled my way over to her, not quick enough, she lost her grip and it got away. She must not have had a very good hold of it through all the bramble. We hunted a little longer, but I was just in so much pain I called it a day early. I was just about bed-ridden the next day.
I have been dealing with the leg pain, but I'm also having pain from my low back into both legs, and they feel strangely weak. I also fatigue very easily right now. I really don't know what is going on, and maybe after my procedure tomorrow, and some physical therapy, I'll be on the mend. I hope so, because Google gives up so many horrifying alternatives.
For now, I'm benched.
Hopefully not for the whole season . . . and definitely hopefully not for good.
UPDATE 11/20/2023
Procedure today in Sports Medicine. My doctor removed 73mL of synovial fluid from that joint space. He joked that it was a record for him, and that I deserved a trophy. I'll just be happy with return to functionality. In its place, I received a steroid injection. Now I am home resting my leg, with several more days off. Hopefully the healing commences.
Recently I have been spending a fair bit of time at my computer having started up knitting again. I enjoy pulling up YouTube videos of live bird web cams to listen to, so decided to make a list to pull from for my own use. Click if you like.
Seneca has resisted my efforts to bring her to last year's flight weight, but consistently returns to the low 1410s, and is responsive enough at that weight. I decided to go ahead and start our season. First flight was in my yard, mostly to verify her quick response to the lure. The second effort found her very distracted by squirrels, but the cover was so thick to disallow much contact. Third effort was at the park in Spring Grove, where on an unusually warm day we didn't see any squirrels, so moved to Sprague Woods in Caledonia, where we moved nothing.
On our fourth free flight on Thursday October 26 in the brushy area by the fairgrounds in our little town, we moved several bunnies, and she contacted with the approximate fourth one flushed to start the season. I let her crop up to a ridiculous amount to remind her how rewarding following me and pursuing what I flush can mean for her.
I often use this blog as a diary of life, because so many of my memories just slip away if I don't document them. It is my normal habit to take my long "priority" vacation from work sometime around the beginning of October. In many years, this is prime hawk trapping time, and also the time of year to get any current hawk on the wing for the season. Mostly, I have been using this time to just get some stuff done. As of the start of this posting I still have a week of time left. I hope to get Seneca, my current falconry bird, flying next week. I have mostly been doing a lot of organizing and de-cluttering, but trying to fit in some fun stuff too. Unfortunately, I did have a bout of Covid take me out for a few days. I recovered quickly, but it kept me from mingling much out in public so I would not share. It also limited some activities with Fox and Roman, as I especially did not want to share with them. They have a trip planned next month and I don't want to be the one that prevents that because I am generous with the most recent version of the virus going around. More on that later.
I was able to start my 2.5-weeks off by leaving early on the morning of October 2. I took a picture of myself in my hot tub, thumbs up for the start of my vacation. I also took a picture of the Eastern horizon, with Venus shining in the dawn sky.
After a couple hours of sleep I awoke, and quickly jumped into a project that has been wanting to be done for some time. The arrangement of the bedroom I share with Rich has been bothering me for awhile. The heating/AC vents into and return ducts out of the room have been mostly blocked by the arrangement of and then clutter. In order to address this problem I found a free program online that allowed me to map my room and the furniture that needed to stay in there. I was able to print a concept of what I wanted the room to look like. It would take a week, but I did get Rich to help me make it a reality shortly after the design. Previously I had addressed the location of the big dog's kennel (each dog has their own bed in the bedroom for the humans), which had blocked Rich's access to his side of the closet, which was then mostly under utilized. With that fixed, I set my sights to fix the rest of the room.
Almost fortuitously, I heard a timely podcast from a show that I follow on NPR (Radiolab). It addressed the concept of living a long life, as in the experience of time dilation. Apparently, the concept revolves around doing new things. Our brain feels like it has done so much more when we are laying down new memories. When we go about our routine, doing tasks that we have experienced many times, our concept of time speeds up or just blurs out, but when we are having novel experiences the passage of time can slow down. Here is a link to that podcast.
I decided to try and fill my vacation with new activities, as much as was possible and within budget. A quick phone call to my best friend Darla found that she didn't have anything going on in her life, any commitments for any jobs (she house and pet sits) for a few days, so she spontaneously tossed an overnight bag into her Blazer and drove into the night to come visit us for a few days. It allowed me to tick off one thing on my life list that I've wanted to experience. I'll just leave this image. I know what it means!
With Darla watching our place for a day or so, Rich and I struck out on a quick day's trip up North. My goal there accomplished, I bought him a tasty dinner at an Irish Pub in Saint Cloud, the Olde Brick House. Of course, he got the bangers and mash, which is what he normally gets. It's one of his favorites! The whole idea of finding an Irish Pub wherever you go reminds me of this song:
Unfortunately, I couldn't buy him a "pint", as he was driving, although I usually do when we go to a pub for dinner. There were no bodhrans being played, but there was some sporting event on the TV. Rich was positioned to see it. I don't really care! I had my usual, Irish Stew.
After returning home we spent the next day enjoying our friendships, with Darla as our guest, and then taking her that evening to share dinner with Fox & Roman. I don't have a lot of friends, but the few I have are very close. The next morning Darla had to return to her life, so we ticked off another thing I have wanted to do for a long time but hadn't yet, and we went to breakfast at a restaurant in La Crosse, called The Breakfast Club. It is 80s themed (our generation), with emphasis on John Hughes movies (think The Breakfast Club, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off). It was a fun breakfast!
Rich and I both had tater tot dishes, which were scrumptious! Oh look, a Rubik's Cube to play with. There was also a Where's Waldo on the wall. I never did spot that bastard while we waiting for our food.
Breakfast accomplished, Darla headed home, and we probably went and picked up some auction items.
Rich had taken that first weekend off to share with me while I was off, so on Saturday, October 7, we took another little road trip, but not as far. This time it was to Montgomery, Minnesota. We hit up a Czech bakery, arriving one hour before closing, so I could try some kolacky, which is a fruit filled bun, although by far I thought my apple turnover was better.
With a container of pastry I thought some fresh apple cider would wash it down well. We navigated to a local orchard, which also just happened to be having a Fall Festival, with live music and other food options.
I didn't feel like having any hard cider, which was available, but snagged a 1/2 gallon of fresh pressed apple juice instead. We then avoided the crowd at the orchard and went to find a local park to enjoy our pastry and beverage.
I realize I took a lot of pictures of Rich, and what I was eating, and not myself. Oh, look at that apple turnover. So flaky! Fall treats are the best! Yummy!
After our snack I wanted to make up for not being able to buy Rich some beer for all the driving he had been doing over the last few days. Montgomery also has a brewery, so off we went for him to try a flight of beers. I was rested enough to do the driving from here on out.
I am not a beer fan. Never have been, and have no interest to acquire a taste for it, but Rich does love a brew now and then. It's a nice gift I can give him from time to time.
There was one last thing in Montgomery that I was interested in trying, their local pizza place, but it wouldn't be open for another hour when we were there, and we were still pretty full from pastry and him beer, so we started navigating home, and looped through Owatonna, where I found a non-chain pizza place. We got the giant Hawaiin pizza to take home, which we would enjoy for a couple days.
It was quite good! Gotta love hand tossed pizza!
The next day Rich burned off all his pastry and beer and pizza by cleaning out the goat enclosures inside the pole barn. The accumulated hay and poop packs down and has to be shoveled out, then hauled to the compost pile. Rich does this thankless task for me, as it also justifies the owning of and allows him to play with his skid steer.
On the day of Darla's departure, Thursday October 10, and for the following overnight of, I stayed at the farm with Rich's dad, Cletus. In the last month he had experienced a stroke. Due to the family reacting quickly and getting him to medical care, the damage was limited. However, now at home, he is still a little unsteady on his feet, so needs someone there to keep him safe. My two sisters-in-law have been taking turns at this task. They asked if I could spend a night on that Thursday, and I was happy to help. Unfortunately, Cletus was incubating Covid, and I caught it from him, as did several others. On the day Rich was doing the skid steer work, I was developing a fever. This bout of Covid was not as difficult as the first time I caught it, and only lasted a few days with the worst of symptoms, but it did go on to exacerbate my occasionally experienced vertigo, which is never fun. Cletus was able to get the anti-viral medication, so he also had a mild course and recovered.
I rested a few days, but by Wednesday I was a little stir crazy to do something. I decided to take advantage of a Wednesday Big Wash Discount in Rochester and took several of my quilts that have been needing to be washed in a big machine. Gotta love those giant washers and dryers, and the discount day made it not too expensive.
Big washing was followed by going to the farm and bringing our goat bucks back from their summer vacation. It is best to keep the bucks, the breeding boys, far far away from all our girl goats over the summer, while they raise babies. Bucks have only one purpose, to make new babies, and it is now time for them to return home to begin that process for Spring kids.
I usually stagger the breeding into two or three windows as I do not want to be dealing with laboring mammas all at once. The first set were paired up as soon as we got home for hopeful mid to late March births. I will set up the second window for mid to late April births, hopefully avoiding any kiddings at the beginning of April of next year, as we have plans for a family gathering of my sisters down in Texas.
Thursday, October 12 was the big bedroom furniture moving day.
Above is a panoramic picture of the BEFORE. Below was the AFTER.
I am so very happy with the results. It gave me the opportunity to clean the room, although the stained carpet really needs replacing and the walls could use some new paint, but I'll be happy for now with just rearranging the room, and doing a declutter and clean out, and making Rich do the same.
I would go shopping over the weekend to find a picture for over the bed and get some baskets to organize some of my stuff on top of my dresser. I went through all my clothes and cleared out many good but unused to donate, and made Rich do the same, and organize his stuff. I am happy with the results of our work.
I also began the process of going through some of my boxes of books downstairs that I have held onto for far too long. Some were taken into our local library that was about to have a book fair and donated, a few nice kid-friendly books were tucked into one of the Free Libraries of which there are several in our town, and then a whole lot more were taken to the Cities, to the Half Price Bookstore to put back into circulation. There are still a lot more books in boxes to sort through, but I ran out of time and energy for the task.
On Saturday October 14 there was a partial solar eclipse, or Annular, if you were in the path. The moon would not cover the entire sun, but a good portion of it if in the path. Minnesota was far East of the ideal path, so it would just appear to be a bite out of the sun. However, it was a very cloudy day, so I didn't get to see much of anything. It did allow me to practice with my smaller telescope, of which I had previously purchased some solar filter paper and made a cardboard attachment to the end of the scope.
I did get to look at the sun when it peeked between the clouds, but was never long enough to get a picture of it with the telescope.
I did get a picture with my cell phone looking through some solar glasses. It's a neat effect below.
Mostly, this is all I saw . . . lots of clouds.
My friend Sharon, who lives in New Mexico, was in the annular path, so did share this picture, which I stole and have posted here. There is another total solar eclipse next April 8. I plan to be in Texas on the line of totality.
By Sunday October 15 I was testing clear . . .
. . . so I packed up Seneca and we went to visit Fox to get a beak trim, called coping, equipment inspection, and have a backpack installed, which will hold her transmitter on her back. This was getting her one step closer to starting up the hunting season.
Just a selfie with my girl!
Below, I present this baking accomplishment. I won't say too much about it. I know what it means!
Unfortunately, during the execution of this slightly harder than normal brownie making, I dropped one of my large Pyrex bowls, which shattered into a million pieces. That was fun to clean up. The dogs seemed to want to walk through it all as I scrambled to prevent them from cutting their paws.
Tuesday October 17 was Seneca's first free flight day for the year. It was short, just flying around my yard, and she did try to chase a squirrel, but I didn't give her too much time on the wing. She came quickly when I tossed the lure. That afternoon, with hawk safe back in her mew, Rich and I drove up to Red Wing to the Duluth Trading store, where I found a new clearance hunt duds. It is not as thick as the one I was currently using, but the price could not be beat, and will work just fine.
Wednesday, October 18 was reserved for seeing the Como Sunken Gardens, and checking out a few things at the Como Zoo. I really wanted to see the Minnesota Zoo, but because I had been sick with Covid I was not able to arrange a trip with Fox and Roman to join us. I had also wanted to camp a night with Fox, but that also didn't happen because of my sickness.
The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory rotates out their flower show every few months. Normally I want to go somewhere in February to March, because I am just tired of winter and snow, but this fall show was different, and as always beautiful. I've never seen them use so many succulents to decorate.
It is ALWAYS Beautiful!
The chrysanthemums were just enormous!
One of the other reasons I wanted to visit was to see the new snow leopard cub. The Como Zoo's female, named Alya, gave birth this summer to a single cub, that would eventually be named Willow. She was born with a congenital defect to her eyes, and the vets decided it would be prudent to remove them, as she would never have vision with them, and to prevent further complications. In the last couple weeks she was released into the outdoor enclosure with her mother, and seems to be navigating the area just fine without eyes. As a captive animal, it will not be a problem for her.
I was there when one of her keepers was doing some target training on her, to teach her to come when called for a food reward. This will allow for future moving her from one area of her enclosure to another to maintenance and clean her environment. The video below is not the greatest as it is taken through the fencing, but is good enough to see what was going on. She is very pretty, fluffy like her mom.
After the zoo we visited the Half Price Bookstore to get rid of some of those books I cleaned out. I discovered a Portillo's nearby, so treated Rich to a couple Chicago style hot dogs.
It was a nice break away from my routine. I always appreciate time away from work. I sometimes, most of the times, wish I didn't have to work so I can enjoy more free time and hobbies, but having money in the bank account is nice too. I did accomplish many things while not at work, many cleaning projects that needed to be tackled. For now, it's back to "the salt mine", and within the week the start of the 2023-2024 falconry season.
Falconry! Or more appropriately for me, Hawking! It is a passion, and a way of life. I happily pursue this sport, with the loving assistance of my husband. Come along with me for our adventures with the birds. Primarily we actively pursue it in the colder months . . . the rest of the time I try to make this blog as interesting as possible. Come let me share my stories, and feel free to contact me. I always enjoy talking about my obsession with this sport.
