A Regal 4th of July Visitor

2016 will go down in history as the best Independence Day ever for our little neighborhood, and perhaps even more, for my family. I grew up in Arlington Forest and my grandparents looked after me while mom and dad were at work. My grandparents' house was never still, with their friends visiting at all hours, coffee being poured, Italian meals prepared, and much laughter and card playing. I called my grandfather, Norman Ghisalbert, "Sully", but, his friends referred to him as "the Bald Eagle" -- because, well, he was bald, and he worked for the Federal Government all of his life, in the Department of Defense. 

So, this morning, imagine my complete surprise while walking back home with our Siberian Husky, Koda Tiberius, to find neighborhood kids and their parents congregating in front of my grandparents' old house, peering up into the clouds! What was going on?! Looking up, everyone pointed toward a magnificent Bald Eagle, perched high on a tree in my grandparents' old yard, surrounded by dive-bombing crows who were definitely making quite a racket. But, the eagle just sat on his perch, calmly and regally, not a care in the world. 

Every minute that I stood awestruck in the middle of the street made me wish I had more than just my iPhone in my pocket, so I dashed home with the dog, grabbed the "real" camera, and ran back out the door. I returned just in time to see this gorgeous bird take flight, surrounded by the offending crows, and land again on a lower branch. We may never know why the eagle decided to visit our little Arlington Forest neighborhood on July 4th; nor why he chose my grandparents' yard...perhaps he sought a quieter space, away from the noise and lights closer to his home on the Potomac, as people began their Independence Day celebrations early. Or just maybe, the Bald Eagle of North Park Drive decided to drop by for a little visit...that's what I'd like to believe, anyway. My Sully.

Enjoy the photos!