Eclipse and Magnolia.

4-9-24 SHORT HILLS: Yesterday was the big solar eclipse, which went by our neighborhood in the afternoon. We were in the 90% range, so we got a toenail paring, but no darkness, no stars, the birds and dogs behaved normally. The dogs slept, the birds were at the feeders. It got dusky and cool, the temp dropped 10°. After a few hours, we were back to normal. 

Valerie went to Vermont for a taste of totally in Burlington. She and Nancy drove up in the morning and went to the airport for viewing, music, food, bathrooms after strolling the city. 

Today was close to 80°, June-like in early April, the flowers seem way ahead of schedule. The Yoshino cherry and saucer magnolia are out. [I just checked and last year they were out at the same time.]   

Today we bought a new outdoor grill, a Weber, to replace the one that replaced the previous one that was burnt up in a fire. Yesterday the new one caught fire, on first use, so it’s going on the garbage heap.

New blooms: saucer magnolia, clatonia, more daffodils. 

About max for us that grin at the bottom of the solar disc slowly moved to the right. It was dark and cool at this point.

A little of the magnolia.

More of the magnolia.

Yoshino cherry tree makes a lot of fruit that the birds eat.

Red Bird visits often, usually with the missus.