As most of you know Joe is my youngest of four boys. He’s a peanut even though he was ten pounds at birth. The boy is a handful. He’s not a bad kid. He’s ornery and FULL of life. He has a smile that always keeps him out of trouble and he knows how to use it. Whenever it’s possible he has a ball in his hand. Usually a football. Despite his size, the kid wants to play football in the worst way. You’ll remember he played for the Junior Black Knights when we were at West Point. That was it. He got the taste. Being in Texas, where football is king, well…. you see what I’m up against. While Dan’s been away these last five weeks, every single game that Dallas has played, Joe has called his dad at every big play.
Imagine our surprise when he came home about a month or so ago and announced he wanted to join the Chess Club. Hmm. We thought it wouldn’t last. I thought he’d get bored. Well, yesterday we had our first Chess Tournament. After four Chess Club meetings, he won one, stalemated one and lost three. But look at the concentration. It’s like he’s trying to intimidate the other kid. This is the one he stalemated on.
This morning I was watching the bird feeders. I saw a bird that I thought was a House Finch, but I couldn’t tell for sure so I grabbed my camera. I took this picture of him:
Right when I snapped the picture I noticed something out of the corner of my eye! What?!
I had no idea we had Cardinals!!! Way cool.
You lookin’ at me?
Huh?
I definitely need a better zoom lens.
Joe looks like a formidable opponent. 🙂
I love cardinals! You know me and my love of the color red. Looks like our Northern cardinals fly South to your yard. 🙂 I actually have a few that overwinter here as well as a few bluebirds. Enjoy them.
Joe does look very intimidating!! I love cardinals.
Haha — that picture of Joe with the intimidation look is soooo cute! Good for him. My boys played chees a little too, when they were about Joe’s age and it didn’t take long before they could beat their less-than-average mother LOL. Great cardinal picture!
Good for Joe,,and I hope it last..way cool on the Cardinal,,we just moved to Florida and there is a bird feeder out in our back yard,,I have seen a Cardinal,Blue Jay and a squirrel,,and I was as excited as you were,,thanks for sharing..
He is TOTALLY trying to psych out his opponent! That is so cool. Maybe chess is sort of like football in its strategy, but you don’t have run so much or get bruised?
I love that he’s looking at strategies two ways.
He looks intense! Must have learned that glare playing football.
I think he was just tired of losing. lol.
I miss the cardinals of my east coast childhood. Neat picture.