Dec 13, 2017

It seems that I made the right decision. We have been fogged in for at least four days now. Visibility has been measured in yards rather than the usual miles. Hope has taken to the new plan with enthusiasm. She is up to 1140 grams. I will hand feed her for as long as I can. I take her tidbits in her tin cup and give her the main course on her perch. She is quite nice about it. I was telling Karen that she is the only hawk that I have ever had that isn't convinced that I really am plotting to take her food away as soon as she lets her guard down. Damn its only taken me 50 years to get it right. Now if I can only remember how it did it.

Actually the pictures do not show the lack of visibility, but the Hoar frost comes through loud and clear. The ground cover is actually frozen fog that has drifted to the ground.

Today however dawned with a bit of clear sky. The temps however were still at 12 degrees, even though the sun did come out a bit.

Hopefully this will be the worst of the weather for Dec, but I don't think I will hold my breath. We usually get a big chunk of below zero weather.

Karen will be going in to the hospital on the 22nd for repair of her mytral heart valve. She will likely be there for about 7 or 8 days. It will take her about 6 weeks to heal, or at least that is the normal routine for such an operation. As many of you might know, she has been getting weaker and weaker. The valve leakage keeps her from getting enough blood to her body, and its result is that she almost has to rest from walking from one end of the house to the other. with any luck at all she may be able to go hawking and do some things again. Before you ask, she picked the date, saying that she didn't mind missing Christmas but didn't want to miss our anniversary on Jan. 9th. It will be our 52nd.

Wish us luck!