....sheesh. i still think that starbucks has grown a little beyond the
"independently-owned" image that it tries so hard to hold on to. i
mean, you get the stuff on united airlines, for chrissakes. :D i
myself have a coffee habit the size of a broad-wing's migratory path,
and head to the nearest starbucks everyday. however, i get ill-at-ease
when i see young 'uns walking around thinking that starbucks is this
great company. big companies are big companies. period. and starbucks
is big.

anyone know if there are shade-grown retailers on the east coast?

here's a bird story: i was watching some goldfinches at the feeder the
other morning where out of NOWHERE (well....probably form its nearby
favorite perch) this red-tailed swoops in and tries to make a swipe at
them! i mean, when is the last time you saw a buteo going after some
passerines? that's sharpie territory, sporto. anyways, it comes into
the frame of my vision, disRUPTING my sip of starbucks coffee, and
whacks about three hanging tube feeders at once with its wings. when
the feeders stopped swinging wildly, i noticed that a goldfinch was
still holding on. upon closer inspection, however, i realized that its
head was stuck IN the feeder, and that it was dead. i went outside a
half-hour later (after watching to make sure that the hawk wasn't coming
back for more) and found this poor bird's neck broken. i don't think
i'll ever see THAT again.

:D justin

justin brown
carlisle ma
justinlb at earthlink.net