Gatherings - Our Beautiful World

So........driving up to the first lighthouse last weekend I caught a glimpse of this guy on the backstop at the ball field adjacent to the lighthouse property.  I told HWNSNBP that I wanted to stop on the way out to see if I could get a close up of him.  Yes, they're not the most beautiful birds but they do serve a purpose.   

He even tried turning his back to me. 

Then I noticed some movement off to the left.

There were 9 more in the bleacher section.  It was still very cold and I'm sure that they were trying to warm up in the sun before they took off.  I didn't try to get any closer because I remember from a chance encounter several years ago that they hiss and like any other animal, when there is a gathering of them, they are at the advantage.  

By the way, I had to look it up and "A group of vultures is called a wake, committee, venue, kettle, or volt. The term kettle refers to vultures in flight, while committee, volt, and venue refer to vultures resting in trees. Wake is reserved for a group of vultures that are feeding."  

I had a little "gathering" with some friends this week also.  I had been wanting to try one of those "painting parties" that seem to be popular around here now and by chance I had seen an advertisement for one that was being done as a fund raiser for breast cancer research sponsored by one of our local medical centers.  When I asked some of my table 7 cohorts if they would be interested they all said yes.  So here we are - dressed in pink as was requested by the organizers - at the end of our painting session.

We started with a blank canvas, a palette of paint, brushes, a rag, and a jar of water.

With great instructions and guidance by the presenters we gradually turned our canvasses......

Into a lovely scenic painting.  

The same subject matter, but all different.

It was a lot of fun.  We were able to bring snacks and drinks and they had music playing in the background.  There were about 30 ladies there that evening.  And just prior to the instruction there was a brief information session on the hospital's breast care center.  

And looking around the room at some of the past classes and some of those in the future it was decided that we would definitely do this again, sooner than later.

And just as a wrap-up, yesterday, on our way to the condo, we happened to look up and saw this group gathering in the trees at the end of the day.

Another group of vultures.  

Kind of apropos for this time of year!

So if you haven't guessed by now, this week's theme for Our Beautiful World is "gather".  Won't you join me here to see what other gatherings from around the world have been shared?