Bats

The first and only time I recall seeing bats was when I visited Austin in iirc 1997. alfreda89 took me to see the Congress Bridge Bats emerge for their nightly foray.

That was a lotta bats.

I sat out on the deck this evening and watched the sun set. As dusk fell and a single star flickered, I spotted a small shape flitting back and forth at treetop height. Every so often, another shape would join it, and they would both dart and dip through the branches. Little eggs with stubby wings. I am pretty sure they were bats, the first ones I've ever seen around here, out for an evening bug hunt. No clue what kind they were. Possibly little brown bats, which are common just about everywhere.

Bats eat mosquitoes. Bats are cool.

Bats

The first and only time I recall seeing bats was when I visited Austin in iirc 1997. alfreda89 took me to see the Congress Bridge Bats emerge for their nightly foray.

That was a lotta bats.

I sat out on the deck this evening and watched the sun set. As dusk fell and a single star flickered, I spotted a small shape flitting back and forth at treetop height. Every so often, another shape would join it, and they would both dart and dip through the branches. Little eggs with stubby wings. I am pretty sure they were bats, the first ones I've ever seen around here, out for an evening bug hunt. No clue what kind they were. Possibly little brown bats, which are common just about everywhere.

Bats eat mosquitoes. Bats are cool.

My tweets

• Wed, 20:03: Chronicle of a death foretold http://j.mp/iIvJ0L
• Wed, 20:23: Chilly evening--need a light jacket outside. Friday, it could hit 100F. #illinoisweather
• Thu, 01:02: Bats http://j.mp/iIPJZc

My tweets

• Wed, 20:03: Chronicle of a death foretold http://j.mp/iIvJ0L
• Wed, 20:23: Chilly evening--need a light jacket outside. Friday, it could hit 100F. #illinoisweather
• Thu, 01:02: Bats http://j.mp/iIPJZc

Thursday evening

740pm. I had just started a load of laundry when the power went out. It's become windy here, but the storms are out over the lake or points south--nothing here but clouds and the occasional distant rumble.

I phoned in the outage. The automated message informed me that power was expected to be restored by 945pm. Meanwhile, the UPS and battery back-up sump pump are beeping and King has velcroed himself to my leg because BEEPS, MOMMY!

Seeing as it wasn't raining and I could see no lightning, I moved the wicker chair out on the deck to take advantage of the daylight. The laptop battery was too low to risk starting anything, but at least I could work with pen and paper. Fresh coffee had finished brewing just before the blitz--I poured a cup and settled in the chair, and wasn't there a minute before the power came back on.

I restarted the washer and came back outside. I'm sheltered from the wind, but I can hear it rush through the trees, and it's kinda nice. I may not be able to stay out long--the nasty is just skimming the lakeshore, and it's darkening even as I type. I feel like a Lovecraft hero as the Old Ones batter at his door.

Thursday evening

740pm. I had just started a load of laundry when the power went out. It's become windy here, but the storms are out over the lake or points south--nothing here but clouds and the occasional distant rumble.

I phoned in the outage. The automated message informed me that power was expected to be restored by 945pm. Meanwhile, the UPS and battery back-up sump pump are beeping and King has velcroed himself to my leg because BEEPS, MOMMY!

Seeing as it wasn't raining and I could see no lightning, I moved the wicker chair out on the deck to take advantage of the daylight. The laptop battery was too low to risk starting anything, but at least I could work with pen and paper. Fresh coffee had finished brewing just before the blitz--I poured a cup and settled in the chair, and wasn't there a minute before the power came back on.

I restarted the washer and came back outside. I'm sheltered from the wind, but I can hear it rush through the trees, and it's kinda nice. I may not be able to stay out long--the nasty is just skimming the lakeshore, and it's darkening even as I type. I feel like a Lovecraft hero as the Old Ones batter at his door.