Personally, I can't think of a better way to end an evening than with a great cigar.
One of my best memories happened this past summer down in the Rio Grande Valley. I was sitting outdoors at a bookshop, reading as the sun was setting. I was smoking a Fuente Short Story and drinking a cup of coffee when a raucuous sound attracted my attention. I looked up at the power lines that ran next to the bookstore and they were covered with wild parrots heading to roost. For the next thirty minutes I watched that small flock, probably a significant portion of the remaining wild parrots in the US.
They were so different from the Grackles and Starlings you normally see. You could tell the pairs, they mate for life like Swans and a few others. Two would be sitting together and they constantly touched and preened each other. Small groups built up and it was as though they were catching up on the day's great events. There was never any pushing or shoving as you see in other birds, but it was definitely an event, more a party than a gathering.
After a while, no more birds arrived. Then, as suddenly as they had shown up, they all took off. They circled twice over head, and then flew off towards a tree line in the distance.
As I sat there finishing my cigar and coffee, the book now forgotten and set aside, I simply thanked God for showing me such a wonderful sight.
A good cup of coffee, a wonderful cigar and a great memory. What could make a better end to a day.
One of my best memories happened this past summer down in the Rio Grande Valley. I was sitting outdoors at a bookshop, reading as the sun was setting. I was smoking a Fuente Short Story and drinking a cup of coffee when a raucuous sound attracted my attention. I looked up at the power lines that ran next to the bookstore and they were covered with wild parrots heading to roost. For the next thirty minutes I watched that small flock, probably a significant portion of the remaining wild parrots in the US.
They were so different from the Grackles and Starlings you normally see. You could tell the pairs, they mate for life like Swans and a few others. Two would be sitting together and they constantly touched and preened each other. Small groups built up and it was as though they were catching up on the day's great events. There was never any pushing or shoving as you see in other birds, but it was definitely an event, more a party than a gathering.
After a while, no more birds arrived. Then, as suddenly as they had shown up, they all took off. They circled twice over head, and then flew off towards a tree line in the distance.
As I sat there finishing my cigar and coffee, the book now forgotten and set aside, I simply thanked God for showing me such a wonderful sight.
A good cup of coffee, a wonderful cigar and a great memory. What could make a better end to a day.