The EAGLE(S) and other Desert Tales

                                                           


We have had absolutely the most bizarre weather here this week. Today, they say it's 60% chance of rain. Three days ago, we had 60 mph winds, and a great big sandstorm. How crazy is that? I just have to say, when you're waiting for your house to sell and all your blog friends are in the big Q, it is awfully hard to get any kind of writing inspiration. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.


 As some of you have figured out, I am a dog person. I'm not your typical one, either. I don't love just my dogs, I love ALL dogs. Not to be an elitist, I love horses, some cats(especially the big ones), most children, and birds. While I am on the subject of birds, I have a special affinity for raptors. I guess my favorite one is the Eagle. So, for my essay today, it's about Eagles. The following video is quite interesting, even though it's not true. So, bearing that in mind, let's watch an untrue video.(It is an election year, so you should be used to this by now)....

                                                 Not a true story!!




Here's the truth, or so I'm told.......

For those of you who have e-mailed me wondering if it's true that an eagle goes into seclusion, plucks out all of its feathers, sheds its beak and talons, and then renews itself, is a myth/legend. It's possible the eagle renewal myth/legend was derived from a biblical metaphor. I didn't deduce it is a myth/legend from the contents of a book. Both science and logic indicate an eagle can not survive for any length of time without his/her feathers, beak and talons. Exposure and starvation would overcome the eagle long before a physical renewal could occur. An eagle's beak and talons grow continuously, because they are made of keratin, the same substance as our hair and fingernails. Eagles molt in patches, taking almost half a year to replace feathers, starting with the head and working downward. Not all feathers are replaced in a given molt.

Bald eagles typically live between twenty and thirty years in the wild. The lifespan of other species of eagles may vary, although none are known to reach seventy years in the wild.




Here are some of my favorite Eagle's video, I hope you like it to. I'm sure my Quartzite campers can relate to the first one..

                                                         

                                                   

                                  

                                                        


Militant Eagles? Yep, I love them. Here's a few that I could found on the Internet.

Have you ever noticed that eagles just seem to look pissed-off? I understand that look. I have two other Eagle videos and I think you will recognize the Desert Eagle .50 cal.

 Put your tongue back

in your mouth!!

This is how

it is done!!

I have had fun with this and hope you keep on coming back. I really care about you and appreciate your concern. BTW, how many blogs do you follow? I was at 173 last count. Some that I follow are very prolific and others are no so much. When I become interested in a blog and the writer, I go back and try to read all the posts. I started reading RV blogs about 11 months ago. In this period of time, 5 of my favorites have decided to stop blogging and 2 have become sick and couldn't continue. I miss them all.

Michael Ultra

Angel Flight

A MUST See!!

Made in Texas by Texans (Just Like Me) or Howling at the Moon!! (Just Like Me)

 Texas Corn Bread

As you can see, last night was cornbread night, here at the crib. It's funny how our tastes change as we grow older. I remember as a kid, I didn't really like cornbread. To tell the truth, I did like cheese either. I like them both, now. (probably too much). I make my cornbread 'Texas-shaped'. How do you do that, you ask? I use my 'Texas-shaped' pan. I can't remember where I bought it, but I've had it for about 25 years.

                            

  Corn Bread Music (click)

Shall we talk about the weather? Today, it's pretty nice. I think it's going to be 60° with the low tonight of 30°. The skies are clear, and the wind is lite. 24 hours ago, we had a huge, boiling cloud bank move in. Yep, snow, and the whole Winter howling thing happened. It lasted for about three hours and then dried up. I gotta say, that's my kind of snowstorm.


 The big news from yesterday was that I applied for my Social Security. It's about half of what I was counting on, but they gave me a solution. Just keep on working until I'm 70, and it ends up being a pretty decent number. Will I do that? Only if I have to. I turn 62 at the end of the month and become eligible for early retirement income. Okay, I took the 62 and will get my first check in March.


I remember when I was 12 years old and my Papaw (Grand Father) took me to the Social Security office and signed me up.


While we're on the subject of Texas and Texas shaped, I have to include Texas music, right? Here are some tunes from my friend Kent Dykes. Not many people know him by that name, they just call him Omar of Omar and the Howlers fame.  Clicky..

Featured in 

Mojave Moon

Angelina Jolie movie

Playing with Jimmy Vaughn

Stevie Ray's Brother

All Star Omar!!

Omar and his band have been my friends for a long long time. I have been privileged to play my harmonica with them and have booked them for concerts ( that I promoted) several times. Here's the ad from last year's concert....

               

Buffalo Chili Bang

Omar and Michael Ultra

How's that for shameless self-promotion? Can it get any worse? Only thing I can think of is a picture of me and Omar! (Okay, I have no shame) (really I do but won't admit to it in public). 


Do any of you have any experience with reverse mortgages? I have started fooling around with the idea to cash some equity  out and go ahead with the purchase of my toy hauler. I think I would get enough to go ahead on the road and leave my castle in the hands of a real estate agent. I think the market will eventually come back around. It always has.


I really do hope your New Year is going good. 


Michael Ultra