Looking out my window...

Signs of Spring: Sniffles, Snoozing and Silly Stuff

 
First Robin In Spring 2011
Photo by Sharon

This beautiful Robin decided to show himself to me while I was in my office for a mere 20 minutes. How fortuitous. For me. The Robin couldn't have cared less. But he is still beautiful.

Behind him you can see the buds on our Linden tree. Yup, Spring is on the way. It's coming, but in spurts and stops. One day is 70 and sunny, the next is 40 and raining. Thank goodness it isn't snowing.

I can also tell Spring is here because of my sniffling. Allergies. They seep under the doors and into the house. I have two different allergy medicines, one I take all year (it's also for asthma) and the other I have started for the season. Even so, like a dog, my nose is now cold and wet.

And, isn't Spring supposed to bring a kind of laziness? I can't think of the term right now, but hopefully you know what I mean. Anyway, naps are in fashion here.

The landscapers for the condo have begun their spring clean up. Make a lot of noise that make the dog bark even more. I could do without that, especially when napping.

For Valentines Day, the Chief gave me a wonderful electronic gadget called "control everything with one" remote. The first step was to write down all the model numbers of the other electronic gadgets the remote would eventually control. The Chief did that. He also had to write down how the gadgets were connected. I then entered all the data into the computer which entered it into the remote. Seemed  like a lot of work at the time. So we (I) decided to "rest" a bit before actually completing the final operating steps.

That rest was apparently ended yesterday. So, we began the final setting up. After several hours I said I needed another rest. And we put the television back to how it was to begin with. A little later I said to the Chief "Honey, thank you so much for the wonderful Valentine's Day gift." And gave him a hug.

A bit after that I went up to him, and during a hug, said "Honey, I loved the Valentine's Day gift." I gave him an extra squeeze and then said:

"For Mother's Day, could you give me the gift of returning it?"

Nine Mourning Doves, Two Red Finch, And A Grackle In Crab Apple Tree

 
Winter: Nine Mourning Doves on Patio Fence 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

  
Winter: Two House Finch Sitting On Patio Fence 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

 
Winter: Grackle In Crab Apple Tree 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

"I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn."
-  Henry David Thoreau.

It was a beautiful beginning to our winter, that snow storm. But, never-the-less, it was the tidings of a cold and lonely season til spring. And, then we filled the bird feeders in the late afternoon on a sunless day.

The next day was like Christmas. Coming into the office, sipping my morning coffee...looking at my empty patio: no flowers, no birds, no activity to my eye.

I turned my eyes to my computer, thinking of spring. And I looked up again. What was this? A Mourning Dove? Two Mourning Doves? Grackles out the other window eating the crab apples. Sitting on the patio fence two House Finches with their reddish tummies.

I was awestruck! The final count on the Mourning Doves was nine. They are always in twos. I couldn't find the tenth but it had to be there somewhere.

There was not the usual scuffling for places at the feeders. Taking turns at the feeder, the waiting line was puffed out to several unrecognizable balls of feathers. 

I must have taken 30 photos. Some didn't make the cut. The birds stayed longer than they normally do in the summer. It must feel good to have food nearby while sitting on the fence in the sun, with feathers puffed.

And, they came back later in the day. All of them. And, the next day and the next.

They must know how much they are welcomed here and how much joy they bring... all for a few seeds.

Happy "Holiday Season" Greetings to My All Friends, Family and Fans!

Whatever your Holiday of choice: I wish you love, warmth, and joy.

I may have taken liberties with the word "fans" in my heading. You, in fact, may not be a fan of my blog. That's okay. Just as long as you are reading it.

There are some things in life that just tickle me. Not my fancy, mind you, just me. Something makes me smile and feel all gooey inside. Some places just naturally have that effect on people. Pet Stores and Flower Shops come to mind. If you watch the people coming out of those places you'll probably see a smile on their face. Check your own face when leaving such hot spots.

For the last few years a phenomenon has been taking place that provides the same type of feelings. It's called by various names but probably the most familiar is "Flash Mobs."

Flash Mobs are productions set up in a large public place (train stations are great for them). The hundred or more participants have trained and rehearsed their performances. The venue is well aware of the upcoming event. The best of them surprise the "real" crowd. Look at their faces: bewildered, smiling, and mouth agape.

I would so love to be somewhere when a  good "Flash Mob" takes place. Not too likely though, since I'm usually home looking out my windows. But, by looking out my computer window I feel drawn into them. As if I were really there. I feel I'm a part of it all. And so, I recommend them to you. Especially those who aren't so much "out" siders as "in" siders (you know who you are).

So, here is my Holiday Gift to you and you and you and...

Enjoy!

 

    

Winter Storm Alert: SNOW!

 
Cone Flowers in Winter Snow 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

The pictures you're viewing were taken yesterday. The day after my blog showing a patch of snow on a roof. I love waking up to this beauty. Especially since it was unexpected...at least for me. If I had looked at the weather radar map and seen the huge blueish monster heading our way I might have guessed. But, I didn't.

So, here we really do have our first snow storm of 2010. The pictures are before any plowing or much traffic, car or dog. No yellow snow here. No ratty dismal dirty grays. Just fluffy dazzeling white beauty.

If you were to go back to my blog beginnings and look at the photographs I took from my windows, you'd see the glorious passing of this year's season.

Enjoy.

 
Bird Feeders in Winter Snow 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

 

 
Blue Glass Globe in Winter Snow 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

 

 
Clemantis in Winter Snow 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

 

 
Geraniums in Winter Snow 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

 

 
Linden Tree in Winter Snow 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

 

 
Mail Boxes in Winter Snow 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

 

 
Patio in Winter Snow 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

 

Linden Tree Fall Leaves In Wind - For Janice

 
Video by Sharon

Watching this video it would be hard to know that about two years ago I captured, edited, titled etc. videos for over 40 hours a week. I was a volunteer at our local government cable access television. I did use a new program to creat this video, but my memory loss (thanks to Fibromyalgia) caused this little 37 second bit of whimsy to take longer than I care to share. It's a little shakey due to lack of tripod.

But, isn't it pretty? I wanted to do this for my friend Janice Renee, who lives out where there are no Falls. She misses the season and the colors that escape as the sun's rays stretch to reach us.

I took that back in October. And I took this picture of our Prairie Fire Crabapple Tree just the other day. When the crackles came for their fall feasting on the red "apples."

 
Prairie Crabapple Tree Fall 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

 
Crackles Feeding On Crabapples 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

I wasn't able to get all of the birds that were actually here. My slightest move sent them off in a black cloud. I'll try again next year.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

 
Drainage Pipe Photo found on internet.

Are you afraid of something? I mean like a phobia of a specific thing? Do you remember how you found out you were afraid? One horrible winter day, when I was in my very early teens, I had an experience I will never forget.

My girlfriend and I decided to take a walk from the older side of town to a new addition that was being built. In between the two locations was a vast wild field. A small creek flowed through the meadow, although we did not know it at the time. "Cuz this was an adventure!"

There was about six inches of snow over the ground, blown away in some parts, with high drifts in others. Even so, do you think we wore boots? Ha! Never on your tintype. As we walked along, our feet would sometimes break through a crust of ice between the snow and the ground, and our shoes would get wet from the melting ice beneath. The walking was hard work and it would take a bit of time to get to our destination.

About three-quarters of the way we finally came upon the creek. Now that I think of it, it was probably a drainage ditch rather than a creek. But, creek sounds better for the story. It was about 20 feet across with an immediate drop to about four feet below. The water was frozen.

We would never have dared to walk across it, knowing that the ice would probably break. But, we were in luck. There was a huge cement pipe coming out of the ground, going across the ditch, and entering the ground on the other side. It was a huge pipe, maybe four to five feet in diameter, making it easy peasy to cross. Aha, a bridge!!!

My friend went first. Not slowly, but carefully, as I watched. Okeedookee, my turn. I took a few steps and got out almost to the middle when I looked down. I don't know what happened to me, but I couldn't move any further. My friend yelled at me to "come on." But, I was frozen in place. "I can't!" I yelled back.

And, I couldn't. Standing there, my two feet secured themselves on the cement pipe, my arms out to my side like a circus tight rope walker. Nope, those feet weren't about to go anywhere. I think I was in a state of mortal fear. "Walk!" she said. "I can't move!" I answered.

And, there we were. But, where was superman when I needed him. "Go baaaack!" she said. "I can't move!" I answered. I couldn't even move my head. I was like one of those wax figures in Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.

Time stood still.

I was frantically thinking I had to do something. But, what? I finally decided to lower myself down on the pipe so I would be straddling it, rather than standing. "Good, crawl over to me!" she said. "No, I can't!"

I ended up butt walking, more or less, backwards to the beginning of the pipe and was able to crawl onto the ground. I could breathe once more.

I had been terrified, helpless and cold. I couldn't feel my feet anymore. My face was covered with frozen tears. I needed my mommy.

My parents weren't home that day. Fortunately, the minister of my church lived close by. We stopped there. I told my sad story through more tears. Telling him that my feet were frozen and I feared frostbite. He and his wife took care of me very tenderly and seriously. Just the right combination for dealing with a young teenager: I felt loved and I was being taken seriously.

So, that's my story about discovering I was afraid of heights. Well, not exactly heights. Just anything above ground level. Even today, if I am going down or up stairs, I suffer from vertigo. And, don't even ask me about driving in the mountains!

My regret is, I never had an opportunity to tell Alfred Hitchcock my story. I think it would have made a good movie.

Oh, and what brought all this to mind is a video that my dear Roger Ebert had on his blog. Hold on and enjoy.

 

Fall, Fallen, Fell and Truth Or Dare

 
 
Robins In Fall On Their Way Home 2010.
Photos By Sharon.

 
Gussie's Tree In Fall Losing Leaves 2010.
Photo By Sharon.

As Seasons roll by, I've noticed that this year, this year Fall seems very short. The leaves are leaving. The Robins are on their way back to the South. The Canadian Geese are returning from the North. The cycle is recycling. (No, I refuse to say that thing they say in "The Lion King.")

And, now for something completely different.

There is a web sight I recommend to all: www.snopes.com . This sight verifies whether some bit of something is truth or urban legend. I find it very helpful when I get "chain" emails. I would never pass along one without first checking with snopes.

And, when I receive one I do take the time to check it out. If it turns out to be not true I generally forward snopes' information to all who either sent and/or received it.

It's especially helpful during election times, when mud is slung with a vengeance.

I got one today. Photographs of a pretty snazzy new prison. Said to be the new Cook County Jail in Chicago. And, of course, paid for by Senator Obama with his vote. That poor man... everything is his fault.

After looking this up via snopes I found the following:

 

 
Function:  Court Building, Penitentiary.
Location: Leoben, Austria.

Someone, please tell me how our current president is responsible for this building!

More Bathing Birdies In The Bathtub!

 

The above and the following are more photos of my baby birds.  This day had the largest number of them I have seen to date. I hope they don't bore you. If so, gently ignore them.

By the way, some of the water spray you will see is the result of two of the birds yelling at each other and splashing about.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I must say they had the best time in the water. It was like watching your toddlers at the beach. So many. This time they were not limited to the bathtub* but as you can see there was a waiting line on the fence. And the feeders were full. I think I counted about 18 birds altogether. It was a grand time.

*I'm referring to the birdbath as a bathtub today. At first it was a slip of the tongue while talking to the Chief. But, then I became found of the idea.

This morning I woke up earlier than usual.  With my fibromyalgia sleeping patterns vary. Sometimes I stay up until it's time to get up. And other times I get up after only four hours of sleep. So, glad I'm retired. Because what time I go to bed or get up doesn't matter. When I was working and had insomnia I would get all twitchy with worry. Now I don't. I'm so happy that most of my illnesses waited to flare until after my retirement. Flare.... that's a nice word for "it hurts more."

Any way, I was up earlier than usual and saw the trees in a nice bright morning light.

 
Linden Tree in Morning Light.
Photo by Sharon.

 
Gussie's Tree In Morning Light.
Photo by Sharon.

Some of the trees I can see have already lost their leaves, so I shall concentrate on the remaining colors while they last.

The bare branches will have their turn at beauty when it snows or rains ice.

Falling Colors Fall's Delight

 
Gussie's Tree Fall of 2010.
Photo By Sharon. 

 
Fall Geraniums With Prairie Grass 2010.
Photo By Sharon.

 
Fall Geraniums in Patio Pot 2010.
Photo By Sharon

 
Linden Tree Fall 2010.
Photo By Sharon.

 
Linden Tree Fall One Day Later 2010.
Photo By Sharon. 
 
 
Tree Across The Road Fall 2010.
Photo By Sharon.

The memories of Fall are of color, scent and sound. Varying shades of red, orange, yellow and brown. Wisping trails of smoke signals from down the road. Crunching foot steps through the piles.

Bath or Pool Party?

 

 

 
 

 

 

These are the baby birdies new to us this summer. They are the ones who line up on the fence waiting their turn at the feeder. They recently discovered the fun of bathing together. Lots of splishes and splashes.

I watch them with a smile on my face. They are just so "into it."  And, I'm so pleased that I was able to get their photos to share with you.

They never come here in singles. Always, all of them. I think there is a total of seven. They have definitely found their home, and will be rewarded with food and water throughout the winter.

What starts out as a fun thing to do turns into a responsibility. When we provide food and water in the spring, summer and fall, we create a haven for the birds. They generally don't stray too far from a sure thing. And, so, we must continue to feed and water them in the winter. It was our summer promise.

A person takes care of an animal or other being: A promise lurks in the mist.