Shiny

A few weeks ago, Corvus and I had an exchange that went something like this:

Me (wistfully): So, can I buy Serenity for you for Christmas?
Corvus: Wait, you want to buy me a movie for a series that I've never watched?
Me: Well, yeah.
Corvus: Can I have the Christmas present I got you?
Me: Why, is it something you'd like?
Corvus: Yeah, actually.
Me: We could share...

For those of you who don't know, Serenity is the follow-up movie to a tv series called Firefly. It's a strange hybrid of science fiction and western that only made it half of a season before Fox cancelled it.

However, the show built up enough of a following that Joss Whedon (the creator) was able to make a movie to tie up the loose ends in the plot. As soon as Corvus finishes watching the tv episodes, we'll be watching Serenity together. Until then, it will sit under our Christmas tree, thoroughly wrapped to keep me from cheating and watching it first.

We Have Mexican Immigrants on our Property

Actually, I'm not sure if they're actually from Mexico, but there is a colony of Mexican Great-tailed Grackles forming on our land. This is the third winter we've lived here, and before now there hadn't been any grackles around. I think we would have heard them if any were in the neighborhood; they're quite loud.

About a month ago I saw a single male grackle sitting on the fence around the goat pens. He seemed to be surveying the land. Apparently he liked what he saw, and told all his friends, because by last Sunday there were a good dozen of them sitting in the trees in our picnic area.

They seem to mostly hang out in those trees and the goat pen. If Phantom doesn't eat all of his food right away, they hop right up and steal some.

This is in addition to the great variety of finches and sparrows that have flocked to Corvus's garden, also know as "The Oasis." They've gotten to the point where they're barely scared of him any more. Before too much longer, they might start perching on his hat while he waters the garden.

Tiger Update

Today, Tiger took her first steps unassisted. She's been standing without support for months now, and happily walks as long as she has something to hold onto. Corvus was sitting at his computer, and I stood her up a few feet away from him. It was obvious from the way she looked at him that she really wanted to walk. He encouraged her, and then she took the two steps to reach him without holding onto anything. The great thing is that we were both there to see it. With Corvus's work schedule, that's nearly miraculous.

But that wasn't the only progress for the day! Her first molar has broken through, and it feels like the other three won't be too much longer. Soon she'll be eating pretty much everything in sight.

She also learned how to clap her hands a few days ago, and has been practicing that a lot. She gets so excited when she lines them up right and makes a sound.