Turkeys!

So, this morning, Steve and I were sitting at the kitchen table over our second cups of coffee, talking over the tasks unto the day and enjoying the company of sleepy cats in the sun, when there came a SHRIEK! from outside.  All the birds at the bird feeder flew into the air with a great crashing of wings and the SHRIEK! came again, followed by outraged clucking, and we got out on the deck in time to see three turkeys -- one standing his ground, one in the air and flying for the apple tree on our neighbor's land, and the third running through the briars and the brambles for the safety of the back woods.

One of the three lost a feather in the altercation, about 14 inches/37centimeters in length.  Here's a picture:

Turkey feather August 21, 2014
Photo by Sharon Lee

The guy who had not run or flown off, spent some time walking up and down the road, clucking and calling.  My theory is that he lost track of his lady-friend, who was, as far as I know, still in the apple tree.  Here's a picture of the victor, taken from the safety of our deck.  You can also see a fallen apple.  The apples are the reason the turkey's particularly like our little piece of Maine.  The gore on which our house (and our neighbors' houses) are situated used to be an apple orchard, and there are old apple trees everywhere.

Turkey bereft August 21, 2014
Photo by Sharon Lee

In other news, Dragon in Exile (the penultimate draft) cracked 90,000 words yesterday.  This morning before I start work, the Official Word Count is 91,995.  I had a brief moment of frenzy in which I declared I would be free in only 10,000 more words, but I think that's. . .optimistic.  However, the end is in sight.

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Progress on Dragon in Exile: GOOD/Author Satisfied

"Certainly, the philosophical aspects of our situation are piquant," she said seriously. "We must, the two of us, sit down and discuss them thoroughly, some day soon."