Sunday, May 10, 2020

Money Money Money


Yesterday our stimulus check finally arrived. Since it arrived after the banks closed, we can't put it in until Monday, but that's okay. Dr. Skull's unemployment money means we're not hard up at the moment anyway.

Still, I'm relieved to have it.

The kid, as it turns out, will not get stimulus money. He's still on our tax returns as a dependent, so he can't get his own check; and he's too old to qualify for the $500/credit. So that kind of sucks.

Meanwhile, everyone here is still well. The kid has a friend whose father, a man in his 40s, got the virus, and is now in the hospital with blood clots. And one of my colleagues at the university (no one I know) has it. That's as close as it has come to us so far.

The weather continues to be amazing. Highs around 70 every day, lows in the 50s, sunny and breezy. We keep the French doors and windows open all day long. And on our walks down by the river we're seeing all sorts of birds, including a black bird with white on its wings and back. IDK what bird this is -- I'd think it was this guy, but the range is wrong. In any case, it flies in flocks, and is very lovely in flight.

Also, I think I've identified the purple flower that is blooming all over the walking park at the moment, thanks to this site. I think it's cow vetch, which is an invasive species. But very pretty!

Cow vetch is a vibrant plant covered in bright purple, violet and lavender flowers. It can also attract beneficials, pollinators and butterflies. Photos: Patrick Voyle.

How's things where all y'all are?





2 comments:

Bardiac said...

A Bobolink is quite likely for your area during migration. They've been in South America (I think) and now are headed north. My Sibley's bird book shows them migrating through your area, and nesting from just north, from the Atlantic Coast to the Cascades in WA and OR. Congratulations! That's a GREAT bird to get to see!

delagar said...


That must be what they are, then! Thank you!

They're so beautiful in flight. It was a whole flock of them, 30 or 40 birds.