Birds of all sorts seem to be more plentiful this year. When the jays aren't screeching, the music is pleasant. A pair of woodpeckers have been hanging out in the mulberry tree this evening, occasionally flying to the utility wires to check on the sunset. In a few minutes they'll probably begin making their chuckling evening songs. I'll leave the windows open long enough to listen to them, then close everything up once they've gone to their nests for the night.
I'm not prepared for the solar eclipse on Sunday. I'd intended to get something to watch it through, but didn't get around to it. It's not certain we'll get to see it here, anyway, as Sunday evening is expected to be mostly cloudy. If the sky clears up for a while I'll probably resort to the old pinhole trick. This is the first time I've ever been right in the path of totality for the annular eclipse, and odds are I'll never get another chance to see one. I'll be very annoyed if the clouds prevent me from seeing it.