dirty dishes and hawks and roses and plumbing woes and a new birdbath

I spent last weekend working out in the yard tending to numerous things and enjoying the excellent weather while I ignored this...

Instead I watched the red shouldered hawks out keeing for mates flying back and forth between the Wild Space and the trees in my absent neighbor's backyard. I looked up one time to see one of the hawks flying around, back and forth, clutching what looked like a small snake in its talons which I thought rather odd. After a bit, a hawk settled on a branch of a tree in my neighbor's yard next to another hawk and I watched as he mounted her and then settled on the branch next to her for a moment before flying off. I wonder if he brought her some food as part of their courting. I know male cardinals will feed their mates during spring courtship because I have seen this behavior often thanks to the tea cup bird feeder. A short time later I saw her fly down to the open yard and pick up some nesting material and fly back to the trees and watched as she moved from branch to branch before she settled into the crook of the pine tree and added to the nest she's building. I have an unobstructed view even though it's high up.

The weather wizards have been predicting rain all week which hasn't materialized so far but at least today it has clouded over and darkened. The yard is still glorious and the dandelions are so numerous and full of bees that Marc is loathe to mow even though the hay grass is going to seed. I've given up trying to pull it all up, an exercise in futility. And my Cinco de Mayo rose is just outdoing itself this spring and so fragrant. It will bloom all summer but this first flush is gorgeous.

Monday Rocky starts putting down the flooring in the back bedroom and then the baseboards and that room will be done except for a minor punch list. I ordered the pedestal sink I settled on for the little bathroom and it should be here next week

and tomorrow I'm going to order the tile I need. There will be plenty of time for it to come in as now it looks like the concrete floor in the shower will have to be broken up and a new drain gizmo put in because the screws were so rusty they broke off when Rocky took off the part that has to be off before the shower liner can be put in which looks like it has already had to be done once before 

plus when Bill the plumber was here the drain for the sink wasn't dealt with like it was supposed to be, it being all corroded and broken (what the hell did he think?). 

I wasn't here when Marc settled up with him or I would have pointed it out. So doubtful the bathroom will get finished before I leave for Portugal next month.

On the upside, I bought a new birdbath this week. One spring years ago, the HEB grocery store had Talavera ceramic birdbaths and I didn't buy one. Next year, I told myself, I'll get one next year. Well, the next year they didn't have them or the year after that or the year after that and maybe not even the year after that. But last Monday, there they were sitting out front. And now one is sitting on my tiny patio in the Little Backyard while I decide where to put it.