There was something almost surreal about the pair. I was watching them while pruning the Wolf River apple tree today, so a great sweeping vista to the west and south. The two red tails came up low out of the east and spiraled up, almost to the vanishing point, heading west. Doubling back and circling, ever higher. They they turned and dove, heading back from where they started. When they were almost overhead, they began their spiral once more. Only, this time, it was directly into the sun (just west of overhead). Which was neat enough, but what made it surreal? The thin, thin high cloud….and the subsequent complete rainbow halo around the sun at that point in time.
I think they headed east again, but very high and I lost them against the sun and the trees.
Acair Fearann 
Ahhhh! You have Wolf River apple trees too! I didn’t know that. We’ve been stewards of two big old ones, rare in this part of the country. In my first book, A Good Home, I describe them as coming from Wolf River Wisconsin, but I later discovered that they were brought there by a French Canadian farmer from Quebec. So the wolf River has Canadian roots, after all. (So to speak.)
What great images you describe above! At times like that, I wish I had a camera with a zoom lens!!
I’ve always had to explain what the variety is, how neat to have it be recognized by someone! Nothing better for applesauce and pies, even if they don’t keep well. They are very rare around here too. Ours is not that old yet (maybe 15/20 years), but promises to be a big spreading tree.
I didn’t know that they came from Quebec originally, good to know!
Great for pies and applesauce and jellies too! Hundreds of jars of jellies have come from those trees, and dozens of pies. I like the sweet-tart taste of them.