Rio Grande turkey poses on the bunkhouse porch. Cottonmouth County, TX May 2009
Following a satisfying fried avocado sandwich and prune juice lunch down at the Spinster Ornithology Lab, I was brushing the damned breadcrumbs off my elbows when lo and I did espy this magnificent specimen glaring at me through the window. Fortunately I had my giant camera handy; it is now official policy at Spinster HQ to keep affixed to the midsection with duct tape, at all times, a camera equipped with a super-telephoto lens, against the possibility that a bird the size of Guam might stroll through the compound and linger for a portrait.
She hurried off before I could get her email address, though.
21 comments
sarah
May 11, 2009 at 3:11 pm (UTC -6)
That is a fantastic photo.
And now I can’t get my mind off the idea of a fried avocado sandwich. Damn these pregnancy cravings!
Jezebella
May 11, 2009 at 3:46 pm (UTC -6)
Trust me, you totally do not have to be pregnant to find the idea of a fried avocado sandwich compelling.
buttercup
May 11, 2009 at 4:51 pm (UTC -6)
I have birds the size of guam regularly at my feeder outside the dining room window. Brazen things. I thought everything was bigger in Texas?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mensabuttercup/2459728706/
alphabitch
May 11, 2009 at 4:51 pm (UTC -6)
Do you fry the avocados and put them into a sandwich, or put the avocados into a sandwich and then fry the sandwich? I have a perfectly ripe avocado sitting here, and I need to know.
Orange
May 11, 2009 at 4:55 pm (UTC -6)
I saw a big ol’ turkey by the roadside in Wisconsin yesterday. Apparently, in a cruel twist of turkey fate, turkey mating season coincides with turkey hunting season. The smarter birds hang out by the highway where the hunters can’t shoot ‘em.
Twisty
May 11, 2009 at 5:07 pm (UTC -6)
Now that’s a turkey!
Twisty
May 11, 2009 at 5:13 pm (UTC -6)
This can go either way. If the avocado is very ripe I recommend doing a sort of grilled/panini thing, or a crocque monsieur. Add cilantro, onions, tomato, chile. With firm avocados, you can bread’em and deep-fry’em and roll’em in a taco.
alphabitch
May 11, 2009 at 5:26 pm (UTC -6)
Both sound awfully good, thanks. There’s a very ripe tomato on the counter as well. I was going to have gazpacho with avocado slices on top, but it is weirdly chilly today and a grilled sandwich seems like a much better choice. With a side of gazpacho, maybe.
luckymolly
May 11, 2009 at 5:52 pm (UTC -6)
Fried avocado sandwich is about the best thing I’ve ever heard of. Ever.
Comrade PhysioProf
May 11, 2009 at 7:18 pm (UTC -6)
Cool-ass bird!
K
May 11, 2009 at 8:19 pm (UTC -6)
I would not have thought that a turkey could make me gasp with admiration, but that one did. The expression on its face is just too much for the viewer to remain unmoved.
Jon Erickson
May 11, 2009 at 9:02 pm (UTC -6)
I used to live on Guam. This bird is bigger.
Mmmmm. Fried avocado sandwich.
speedbudget
May 12, 2009 at 6:32 am (UTC -6)
Buttercup, until I hit browse and got to the next photo, I thought you were making a joke using your cute Turkey Lamp Holder. Then the next photo, the turkey had moved. Color me surprised.
Great. Now I am going to be thinking of fried avocado and tomatoes all day. Avocado and tomato and eggplant tempura, oh my.
MLH
May 12, 2009 at 8:07 am (UTC -6)
Gazpacho with avocado slices? This Spaniard feels weird about the idea. Fusion?
Laughingrat
May 12, 2009 at 9:09 am (UTC -6)
She is absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for posting the pic.
nora
May 12, 2009 at 9:26 am (UTC -6)
MLH — re the weirdness of the avocado-gazpacho fusion: I know it’s not exactly traditional, but a recent kitchen mishap led to a kind of ‘hey you got avocado in my gazpacho/hey you got gazpacho all over my avocado’ moment, and it was so delicious that I couldn’t think of any reason not to do it on purpose.
On the other hand, I like to experiment, and might have hit on the combination eventually anyway.
Marilyn
May 12, 2009 at 10:33 am (UTC -6)
Damn, you take good pictures! Beauty.
BMS
May 12, 2009 at 12:19 pm (UTC -6)
Turkey goes super with avocado anything.
buttercup
May 13, 2009 at 6:56 pm (UTC -6)
Twisty, your turkey’s facial expression is awesome though. Mine is all size, no personality.
jezebella
May 13, 2009 at 11:30 pm (UTC -6)
BMS, why must you ruin a perfectly nice turkey photo by implying that you would like to kill & eat said bird? I will never understand the reasons that omnivores insist on flaunting their murderous lifestyles.
Sandi LeoDog
May 29, 2009 at 9:13 pm (UTC -6)
Damn, she’s a beauty!