Hoopoo?

We were out early this morning, doing the usual walk,

first on one side of the complex, little Augustus on the wall already,
and baby Ollie doing his yoga stretch,

and then onto the street for a stroll where we were drawn toward loud screechy noises...

We saw several hawks, one of which was giving the "I want you glance" to the cat boys!
No worries, I was there to defend the boys as they stared back at the hawk.

After some staring and examining the situation we returned back to the condo courtyard. I asked the catboys if they recognized the bird.

August said that it was a hoopoo! "A hoopoe?", I asked.

Ollie was clueless but crossed his paws and went along with Gussie, "Hoopoo", he said.
I realized that Gussie had been reading mystic literature. You know, in Attar's Conference of the Birds, a hoopoe leads 30 birds in the journey to spiritual enlightenment. Each bird of course finds an excuse for not being able to complete the journey.

"Magnificent!", I thought to myself. The cat boys are always in the learning mode!
I took advantage of this opportunity and read to them a short passage about spiritual journeys, this time from The Seven Valleys, which is a favorite of Augustus!

"And further: The stages that mark the wayfarer’s journey from the abode of dust to the heavenly homeland are said to be seven. Some have called these Seven Valleys, and others, Seven Cities. And they say that until the wayfarer taketh leave of self, and traverseth these stages, he shall never reach to the ocean of nearness and union, nor drink of the peerless wine. The first is
The Valley of Search
The steed of this Valley is patience; without patience the wayfarer on this journey will reach nowhere and attain no goal. Nor should he ever be downhearted; if he strive for a hundred thousand years and yet fail to behold the beauty of the Friend, he should not falter. ...And if, by the help of God, he findeth on this journey a trace of the traceless Friend, and inhaleth the fragrance of the long-lost Joseph from the heavenly messenger, he shall straightway step into
The Valley of Love
and be dissolved in the fire of love. In this city the heaven of ecstasy is upraised and the world-illuming sun of yearning shineth, and the fire of love is ablaze; and when the fire of love is ablaze, it burneth to ashes the harvest of reason."

Back to the condo, I had to get ready for work.

Looking at my little dudes groom

and/or gradually drift into sleep

it occurred to me that I liked the feline approach of grooming after going out. It make sense to groom after going out because our hair gets messed up. Anyhow, I will have to think about this later.

Gussy and Ollie filled their paws with kisses and asked me to send them to you, wishes for a lovely day!

Ciao!