Gloomy morning

Rain. Drizzle. Rain.

Forecast suggests that we may see sunshine later, but don't count on it. And after the front passes, daytime high temperatures will likely top out in the 60s F, maybe some 50s. As opposed to the upper 70s for the last few days.

Further gloom, apparently DRAGON'S TEETH will be the last Stonefort novel, at least from Ace. You people are not buying enough books. "...a 'tremendous writer with strong talent,' but that the sales, particularly in mass market, had been disappointing..."

And DRAGON'S TEETH isn't even on bookstore shelves yet.

Note to aspiring writers: Don't give up your day job.

And on a brighter note

Investigated a bunch of crow noise out back. Spotted large bird in the lot-line maple tree, with attendant . . . _smaller_ birds? Notified Wife, as the resident Official Ornithologist, and fetched binoculars. Focused. Discovered the bird extended from _there_ to all the way over _there_. Yellow feet.

Eagle. Immature bald eagle, probably third year because the head was gray rather than brownish, with unknown prey under its talons. Got several good views before it finished breakfast, but I still don't know what it had caught. Hope it wasn't one of the neighbor cats.

EDIT: Both neighbor cats have been verified alive post-eagle. If breakfast was the small yappy dog, we will not mourn.

FURTHER EDIT: Small yappy dog has been verified. Rats.

Although none of those would be likely bald eagle fodder -- our local eagles go more for carrion or fish. Golden eagles, OTOH...

And we've seen a barred owl and a great horned owl in that same tree over the years. Either of _those_ could be deadly to cats or small dogs.