Just Friday Thoughts or Just Thoughts on Friday

I wonder if "just" thoughts exist.  I'm guessing they must be honorable and fair.  Maybe some of our thoughts are just while others just aren't. 

I wasn't thinking so much in terms of being honorable and fair this morning.  I just couldn't think of any other title and then the word play got me to thinking.

Whatever I have to say today, I do hope it's honorable, but my goal is really just to babble a bit.

Just once in my life.  Yup.  I've never seen an Oriole before, 'cept in a book.   

One came to our bird feeder the night before last.  While watching TV, I spotted the bird and told Bill to look at what was at the feeder. 

"It's a beautiful bird," I said. "I've never seen one like that."  

The visitor flew away before Bill had a chance to get in position to see it.  A minute or two later, though, it returned to the feeder.

He looked it over and then went to the bird book.   While he was searching, it flew away again and later landed at the feeder on the west side of the house.

By then, and with a better look, Bill announced that it was a Western oriole.  

I didn't care really what it was JUST that it was beautiful.  

Our bird feeder has attracted the usual chickadees and finches, the Love doves, and several squirrels that we know of.  

Turkeys came to the feeder last fall, but on sight of the first turkey poop in the yard, I sicced Kea on them.  

They visited a couple more times and then must have decided they weren't in to having Border Collies chase them off.

By the way, when I walked by Gary Finney's place this morning, a pair of turkeys were nesting in the field near his driveway.  I'm guessing little turkeys may be coming to Gary's soon.  

Yesterday I spotted two or three gobblers over in the Meserve Preserve, and it looked very much like they might be guiding little ones along through the tall grass.

Back to the Oriole.  

Yesterday morning a pair of Grosbeaks came to the feeder.  Last year we had at least half a dozen pair hang around for quite some time.

This is just the second sighting of Grosbeaks for us this year and to have only two birds show up is disappointing.

Still, I love watching them and told Bill about their visit.  Not long after that discussion,  and with Willie with us in the living room, what did we see?

Grosbeaks and THE Oriole together at the bird feeder.  

I don't know how long these birds are gonna hang around, but I enjoy every minute of their visits. 

Let's see.  Have I been fair and honorable in my thoughts so far?

I do have just one opinion to share this morning, and it may not be considered "just" by all.  

It's been fun seeing Sandpoint show up in numerous national magazines over the past year or so, touting the "most's and the best's" of towns across the country. 

Still, I beg to differ that it should rank right up there as the "Best Place to Retire."   Granted, I have retired in Sandpoint, as have many of my friends.

I also have lived in Sandpoint since Day One, 'cept for time spent at the university.  So, you might say I have "staying power," along with many of my friends.

My question this morning, however, is "Why do so many Sandpoint residents, mostly retirees, go south for several months every winter?

Also, why would I give anything to go south for at least part of the winter?

Just a question to ponder as we consider the reasons why it's so good to retire here.  

Seems to me, except for the long timers, that folks lured here for retirement by the town's most recent superlative distinction may want to have a trust fund or a big bank roll of some sort.

Cuz I'm betting that after a few winters, they may just want to go south for several months too AND that costs money.

Just sayin' as they say.   Or, maybe I should be just and rephrase that:  Just askin'.

I'm also wondering if we're ever going to get the sense of the "long summer days," before they start getting shorter and we head toward darkness.

Seems we've had our share of darkness lately.  Yesterday started out nice, but by evening, the gloom had set in again, and the mountains (covered with snow) are socked in this morning. 

Roads are still washing out, as they've been doing since March.   Was that the month when we had all that record rain?

And, I don't want to sound too grumbly, but why does weatherman Tom Sherry always tell us not to worry about frost after May 15?  

If he would JUST put a window in there when he tells us that guideline for planting every year, some of us would not have frozen bean plants out in our gardens on June 8.  

They also tell us to plant after the snow is off Baldy---or at least when it's just about off Baldy (new standard).  

So, pictures start showing up on Facebook about snow being just about gone.  So, people do their planting.  

They just get their seeds in the ground and Baldy turns pure white again.

I just don't understand a lot of this stuff, and I don't feel very honorable about it either. 

But I do like that oriole.  Hope it comes back just a few more times.