Catbirds Celebrate Independence

It's the 4th of July and the juvenile catbirds are celebrating their independence.  I bet there are a half dozen of the little guys dashing about the yard and ducking in and out of the viburnum.  They are not afraid of the squirrels who run toward them when they land near the feeders, or of the robins who monopolize the bird bath -- a very popular commodity in 100 degree weather.  They are not even afraid of me.  They hop from the wrought iron butterfly to the top of the bench, then over to the goldfinch feeder to harass them while they hang upside down.  Then with soaring speed they fly straight up in the air about ten feet and do a free fall,  landing just an arm's length from where I sit.  They look at me sideways, see that I am amused, and work up some new antics to entertain me on this hot, hot, hot, hot day.   


I had a bunch of fish in the pond.  I counted them every day..  there were eleven; 7 shubunkins, 1 lionhead, 1 gold  fancy tail bugged eyed I don't know what, 1 black fancy tail bugged eyed I don't know what, and one little baby brown fish that is now completely gold.  My school of fish is growing now.  I have counted at least five fry of about an inch long.  And then, God help me, I noticed tiny little mosquito sized fry hanging out in the water forget-me-nots.  I didn't even try to count them.  I suppose next year I will be trying to give away fish.  


Next year I will also be retired.  239 days from now, actually.  A study came out shortly after I had my double arthroscopic knee surgery.  Findings show that arthroscopic surgery does not improve arthritis pain.  Well phooey.  My knees still hurt, are still stiff, and it has been one year next month since my surgery.  Yes, I did PT religiously  Yes, I bike and stretch and do all the stuff you're supposed to do when you can't do impact exercises.  Makes me think I didn't retire soon enough.  I do find, however, that gardening and pond watching do not hurt my knees.  Neither does bridge, or reading books, or biking, or drinking wine, or playing guitar (haven't done that yet, but plan to), or writing blogs, or working out on the elliptical machine, or probably swimming, and I hope not skiing...  kind of iffy on that last one. 

How hot is it this 4th of July?  Well I just looked outside and laying in a shady patch of the driveway like a bear skin rug was this poor, little black squirrel.  He'll be heading over to the pond pretty soon.