Sunday, February 25, 2007

Photo Driven Post

There’s no theme or subject in my head today so I’m going to record my weekend by referencing the photos I’ve taken. Saturday was bright and beautiful but today it’s wetter than wet and quite dreary. I’m not complaining, though, because we need a day of soaking and steady rain.

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Pelting rain. I regret topping the pond yesterday as it’s overflowing as I sit here. The birds are enjoying the bath and I’ll don my raincoat later to refill the platform feeder for them. This post is coming earlier than usual because a warm front will move in later today with forecasts of thunderstorms and damaging winds. I admire the power of gas and electricity. It’s a blessing we take for granted until it’s gone!


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This is the goofy face of a Boston Terrier who is inviting you to play! What you can't see is her butt wiggling back and forth, challenging me to take her new rawhide stick. She's back to her puppy ways after having her bad teeth extracted and her nails cut to puppy length. She must feel so much better, as seen in her face. Her personality radiates mischief in the purest sense of the word.

Michael bought Chloe and Bella some dental puppy sticks at Target this morning. Neither of them have had puppy sticks in years and anything new to them creates a riot!



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“Anybody gotta light?”


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Bella: “Chloe, I didn’t know you smoke…”


The Carolina Blue Skies are amazing. Maybe they were just as blue in Maryland and Delaware and I didn’t notice. That’s probably the case since I didn’t carry a camera around my neck then. This blue background is what I see nearly every day. Some people might wonder if my photos are edited. For one thing, I don’t have time to edit them (plus, I’m too lazy) and what I see is what you get.

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It was glorious yesterday. The temps hovered around 60 degrees and I worked outside for most of the day. The cracked seed got raked under the feeders and the pond pump and filter housing got washed. The Koi and goldfish are beginning to beg for food again and are racing around in mating behavior although it’s quite early for that. This male House Finch watched me for the entire time I worked.

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A Tufted Titmouse teased me for at least thirty minutes…a constant source of frustration for me but when I can nail a photo of any quality, I’m happy. Yahoo!


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Standing way too far in the distance and afraid to move in closer, I waited to get that little bird! I read on Julie’s blog about her rehabilitating a titmouse and how vocal they are. It’s true. Look at this bird in the photo, shouting and screaming obscenities at me, possibly… I could hardly contain my giggle when on full zoom. Even the Cardinal turned its back on the fool, “I don’t know you…”


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Another frustrating bird but sweeter than a Titmouse. Not my best Chickadee photo, but it was a pleasure trying. Their "steal and run" technique drives me crazy.


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If I were driving on the interstate and saw a vehicle like this one, I’d wonder who on earth would drive something like this? Maybe I’ve been living under a rock but I’ve never seen a Hershey's Kissmobile! It was parked on a grocery store lot on Friday afternoon raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network. For a donation, I received four Hershey Kisses. They were unfoiled and gobbled before I drove off the store parking lot. Mmmmm. Just what the doctor ordered.

16 comments:

dmmgmfm said...

I love your photos, as always. I'm so happy to see Chloe back to her usual self. Although you really ought to get her the patch to help her quit smoking!

I get such a kick out your birding. You obviously get such pleasure out of stalking and photographing them. It makes me smile and think of my mom. She was an avid bird lover and would wait on the deck, still as a stone trying to get a photo of her favorite birds. Sadly, that was long before digital cameras. She'd have had a blast with one of those.

Anonymous said...

I would love rain at this point!! I love your photos and you capture your puppy well! The smoking Chloe is wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Chloe "smoking" is cracking me up Mary! What great photos! I *know* the sky in AZ is bluer than here, so it probably is bluer where you are, too. Mmmmm, chocolate kisses, yummy. I love all of your bewd photos, too.

Mary said...

Laurie, I am a spectacle outside, just as you described your mother, standing motionless for periods of time. Sometimes I wonder if my neighbors are talking about me, but I really don't care ;o) BTW, I like your profile photo!

Mon@rch, I'm sure you would love rain instead of the snow. The snow should be leaving soon. However, I remember a few strong storms in March in Maryland.

Pam, I love putting captions under my dog photos. If only they could speak...

LauraHinNJ said...

Great photos of your smokin' dogs!

I love the rock work around your pond. I feel ridiculous asking this - maybe Pam will appreciate it - do you know what kind of rocks they are? So pretty anyway.

I was thinking of taking some pics of my pond today, but it looks so pathetic! Glad to read that your fish are begging and hungry for food.

Mary said...

Laura, my pond looks pathetic, too. Weeds are growing around it and it looks so dull. It's river rock you see. I like the varying depth of color they add and the moss growing on the larger ones. Some are quite large and heavy. The smaller oval rocks are fun to play with - kind of like icing on a cake.

LauraHinNJ said...

I have river rock too, but it's not nearly so pretty! And how do you get moss to grow on it? Mine just grow slime!

;-)

Mary said...

Laura, the rocks were hand picked by my pond installer and have crevices for growth, especially the ones that face north. They have so much potential and I plan to work those rocks this spring for more growth. Michael and I could have never moved those 200 pounders ourselves but we enjoy the small ones. Surprisingly, a pallet of the small oval rocks were inexpensive and finished the job nicely.

Susan Gets Native said...

I've missed you, Mary! It's nice to back to "my" blogs.
If I had seen the "KISS-Mobile" I would have wrecked the car trying to get to it.

Love your dogs and their stogies!

Unknown said...

I haven't seen the Hershey's Kissmobile either! :)

Love that blue sky and the way the House Finch looks against it. So cute. Your Titmouse pictures were hilarious!

Give those doogers a kiss for me. They are so cute!

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

I'm so happy that Chloe is feeling like herself again. I love the look of your pond and rocks too. I'm really needing to see a titmouse- you make me envious! It would be a lifer for me!!

Cuppa said...

Smoking dogs! What Next?

I have heard of smoked meat and hot dogs, but not smoking dogs!!!!!!!

Thanks for my morning smile. Loved all the pics.

Cathy said...

How did you get that Titmouse in focus? When I try to photograph birds flitting about among twiggy branches - everything but the bird is in focus. If I'm lucky - I'll get a sharp tail feather as the bird disappears from the scene.

The pup's faces say it all: life is good when you've got a fresh treat. It would be tough for me to resist those visages. I'd have 'em spoiled rotten in days.

Anonymous said...

Perfect! A pond, good feeder birds and kisses. But best of all? Chloe is up and running. That's wonderful.

I would like an overflowing pond. Nice water feature!

Ruth said...

I love the Kissmobile. Hershey is closing its only Ontario facility, much to the dismay of the local community. It isn't because of lack of business from me!
Ruth

Mary said...

Susan, don't your dogs smoke?

Liza, it's a good thing they're cute because they do get on my nerves at least one a day.

Lynne, when I get a very good photo of one, I'll dedicate it to you.

Cuppa, glad to make you smile. I was having a lot of fun with Smoking Chloe :)

Cathy, out of ten photos of that titmouse, those were the only two nearly in focus. Tree branches do get in the way but what will we do when the trees have leaves???

Vicki, thanks. The pond is dreary but will green up soon!

Ruth, that's too bad about the Hershey facility closing. But that won't stop you from shopping for the kisses, will it?