The Necklace

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  “SHE WAS one of those pretty, charming young ladies, born, as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, appreciated, loved, and married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. . . .  She had neither frocks nor jewels, nothing. And she loved only those things. She felt that she was made for them. She had such a desire to please, to be sought after, to be clever, and courted.” —THE NECKLACE Guy de Maupassant    France, 1884 (pic by Grok) Read this short story here:  https://americanliterature.com/author/guy-de-maupassant/short-story/the-necklace

Backyard Battle Birds

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Don't let these little guys fool ya. They are either very playful or very territorial. 

So far we've been able to identify three distinct hummingbirds. Two are male (one Ruby Throat Hummingbird and one White Throat) and one female--can't tell which variety. There may be four: one juvenile. One is always guarding the feeder, chasing off another while a third swoops in for a drink. Fun to watch, especially when they buzz your head and chirp as they whiz by. They remind of tiny T.I.E Fighters from Star Wars. Playtime increases when it rains. These little guys (and gals) love the rain!
Here's one standing guard, making certain nobody's partaking of the precious nectar.


Here's some of the T.I.E. Fighter action: 

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