Birds and Break

We spent Monday of Spring Break at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles. We were invited to be part of a program about raptors sharing our book with the young audiences. What a special day it turned out to be! We got yet another good look at some hawks, falcons and owls which always makes me feel special because of our special connection to our own baby great horned owl.

The manager bought our lunch and we chatted with an interesting young woman who is here from a modeling agency in New York working on a photo shoot for L.L. Bean. And, boy, did they ever have a gorgeous setting for some of their pictures. They were using the gorge hills on the north side as a backdrop through the huge picture windows on that side of the museum. In the morning the light was shimmering in a sun slanting through the high clouds sort of way with a hint of a misty aura. The camera men were dancing around busily. I'm sure they were trying to take advantage of that spectacular light. The models moved like giraffes through the museum-tall, graceful, and beautifully poised with perfect faces and skinny, skinny bodies. They ate plates of fruit for lunch while Bobbie and I scarfed down deli sandwiches and cookies.

The models and crew spent the last day or two shooting in some old barns in Trout Lake and will be at Timberline today. So they will get some real Oregon charm in their backgrounds. We were amused at the attempt made by the crew to look rugged and casual with shiny, pristine boots and down vests with no mud specks on them. They were plainly not from around these parts but were trying to blend in. They certainly kept all of us spectators at an arm's length except for the nice young woman we spoke with at noon.

So a good day was followed by an even better one. . .BOBBIE FOUND ANOTHER GREAT HORNED OWL NEST! And she spotted at least one chick! I will buzz down to see it no matter how much gas costs!