Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Thursday Thirteen 155: Turkeys, Brats and Rainbows


1. This weekend is the Memorial Day holiday here in the states, a three-day weekend considered by many as the "official" start of summer.

2. Part of the Memorial Weekend tradition here in Madison is Brat Fest. You can read a post I wrote on it two years ago here. (And that's pronounced like 'brawt' not 'braat'.)

3. A record 208,752 brats were sold in 2009. To date, $855,723 has been raised during Brat Fest for local charities.

4. Another weekend tradition is the National Memorial Day Concert, broadcast on PBS from the Mall in Washington, D.C. on Sunday night (7pm CDT). This annual tribute never fails to move me to tears.

5. While out for a 2-mile walk around my neighborhood last weekend, I crossed paths with a couple of interesting local residents also out for a stroll.

6. A friend learned from a neighbor of hers this week that he frequently sees wild turkeys roosting on her roof at night. She has never seen nor heard them.

7. And while the neighbor has seen the turkeys, he has apparently NOT seen the big hulking deer that tramp through their adjoining yards on a weekly basis. How can you notice birds perched on a rooftop, but not see deer parading through your yard?

8. Speaking of feathered friends, I have seen hawks three times this week. The first was while turning off my street en route to work Monday morning. He took flight right in front of me. The second was soaring above a freshly-tilled field coming home that same day. Then Wednesday morning I saw another hawk circling over a field. Three sightings in as many days!

9. I posted about hawks as animal totems here.

10. I did not see a hawk going home Wednesday night, probably due to pouring rain, but did see a full rainbow arcing between two different woods.

11. I have had The Rainbow Connection, as sung by Kenny Loggins on The House at Pooh Corner CD, playing in my head since I got home.

12. Most people are probably more familiar with the version sung by Kermit the Frog in The Muppet Movie.

13. I can no longer protest that I am not a fast reader. Since last week's post I have read five books, and am working on a sixth. Five finished in one week! Honestly, I cannot remember the last time I read so much in so short a time.


LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:
(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)

Shelley Munro * Alice Audrey * Colleen * Paige Tyler
CountryDew * Kimberly Menozzi * Darla M Sands
Tatiana Caldwell * I Beati * A Catherine Noon
Jennifer Leeland * Hootin' Anni * Janice Seagraves
Jill Conyers * Adelle Laudan * Elise Logan


More Thursday Thirteen participants




26 comments:

Shelley Munro said...

Have a fun holiday weekend. You'd think a deer would be noticeable! I think I'd notice one in my garden.

Heather said...

Shelley: Thank you! And yes, you'd think a deer would be hard to miss, LOL.

Alice Audrey said...

I miss the days of brats soaked in beer and volleyball played by people who count anything short of bouncing from a car as "in".

Heather said...

Alice: LOL...like a nice, wide court, do ya? *g*

colleen said...

A turkey crossed my path recently with it's full feathers out. Signed, slow reader.

Paige Tyler said...

Fun TT and interesting traditions!

*hugs*
Paige

My TT is at http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/

Heather said...

Colleen: Aren't they magnificent creatures?

Paige: Thank you, enjoy your weekend!

CountryDew said...

Wow, that's a lot of reading.

I guess if you're always looking up you might not see the deer... you're definitely not going to see what the deer leave behind!

Heather said...

CountryDew: Ewww...So long as his kids don't find it. LOL

Kimberly Menozzi said...

Your neighbor sounds like my hubby - I can be driving us around in Tennessee when we visit, spot a flock of turkeys or a small group of deer and point them out, and he NEVER sees them! NEVER! LOL!

Happy TT!

Heather said...

Kimberly: LOL @ your DH, although it's actually my friend's neighbor, not mine. No turkeys on our roof, although the foxes manage to climb up there on occasion.

Darla M Sands said...

You're reminding me of my old hometown's Bratwurst Festival! My great uncle had a butcher shop and made fantastic brats. The hand cranked sausage maker and antiquated German recipe are still in my family - yum.

Tatiana Caldwell said...

You've got turkeys walking around your neighborhood?! How awesome.

That's a lot of reading you got done. I'm jealous!

Heather said...

Darla: Sounds like fond memories!

Tatiana: Yes, we apparently have turkeys (the winged kind, lol) wandering my neighborhood. My friend's neighborhood, too.

Alice Audrey said...

Court? All we ever had was the net itself and sometimes a cleared area around it - usually a front yard.

Heather said...

That counts as a court, doesn't it? LOL

i beati said...

great list

A. Catherine Noon said...

WHY didn't I realize you're in Madison?? My current WIP is set there. Are you up for being interviewed by email about the place? I'd love a local's POV, if you're willing. If so, drop me a line - a.catherine.noon@gmail.com.

Thanks for sharing your traditions. I love hearing how different people celebrate Memorial Day, it's one of those holidays that means different things to different people.

Jennifer Leeland said...

I love that song by Kermit. Just sayin'.

Hootin Anni said...

Brats...for some reason I'm very hungry right now.

Mine is HERE if you'd like to make time to visit with me!!

Janice Seagraves said...

Oh, now you got it running through my head "The lovers the dreamers and me." I do like the song though.

Good list. Happy TT.
Janice~

jillconyers said...

Fun read. I envy your reading time. I have a long list of to-reads. My summer break starts soon :)

Heather said...

I Beati: Thank you!

Noony: A little slow on the uptake? I have mentioned it a time or two, you know. Just click on the "Madison" tag at right. LOL Will email!

Jennifer: I think if anyone needed to hear Kermit's song today, it's you. (((hugs)))

Anni: Wasn't my fault. I had nothing to do with it. Umm...guess what we're having for lunch at work tomorrow?

Janice: Serves you right for taunting me with all those pics of the tropics the previous two weeks. *weg*

Jill: I've been watching a lot less TV since I gave up cable and doing A LOT more reading. Here's hoping you get to attack your TBR pile soon!

Unknown said...

Great list. I've just finished researching hawks for the book I'm writing. They are truly beautiful creatures. Lucky you!

Heather said...

Adelle: Aren't they gorgeous creatures? I love watching them swoop and soar.

Elise Logan said...

Wild turkeys always impress me. We see them occasionally.