Sunday, November 18, 2007

Looking for me.

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Chill descends deeply
Koi succumb to their nature
Drenched in cool slumber.


Evenings get quiet after dinnertime. It’s the time when I finish mundane chores like putting clean laundry away and playing with Chloe and Bella for a while before I sit here and post, or think about a post, and see what everyone else has been doing.

For weeks, my fingers rest on a-s-d-f-j-k-l-; - immobilized.
I’m reading blogs when I have time but can’t even come up with decent comments.

My photos from the weekend have been posted on Flickr already but I wonder, where’s the beef? Where is the meaty post I usually cook and dish out in an hour or two? My lazy mouse slowly crept toward my sidebar and into my archives, taking me back to a time I laughed and cried while arranging a post. I read several of them from early spring and throughout the summer that made me smile and cry once again.

Feeling the way I do now - worn out and fearing the demands of the holidays approaching, it was refreshing to read about my life and times during the days I posted five or six times a week! Meanwhile, I’ll keep plugging away and looking for “it” - whatever it was that was me.


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When all is dormant and brown, there’s still a bright spot…

Not much excited me this weekend, other than a forty-five pound bag of Sunshine Pistachio Nuts that Michael brought home from Sam’s Club and getting my nails filled with Gina yesterday. Oh, and the seven foot tall, wide hunk of a mean looking woman who took a seat at the station between us at the nail salon. She probably had gold teeth but I didn’t dare look too hard. Gina and I traded wide-eyed glances before the monsterous woman sat down and completely blocked our view of each other. I scooted my chair away from her a bit and moved my handbag closer to me with my foot. The tiny Asian female technician looked quite serious as the woman with a head twice the size of mine furrowed her evil lined brow and warned, “I’d rather you soak ‘em off. You can try to pull them off, but if you hurt me…” Yikes!

Feeling relieved about my workload at the office and looking forward to a two-day work week, I felt lighthearted enough to get outside and work around the pond today.


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The fall colors have peaked beautifully. I noticed a small bird on the highest limb…



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I've counted six Brown Headed Nuthatches at once on the feeders. They're fearless!



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Chickadee laughed all the way to the closest tree.



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Something caught Bella’s attention on the other side of the fence that made her shriek.

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Cat: “You need medication, fool.”



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“What cat? Where?”

This breaks my heart because she can’t see well anymore. Chloe always lived to chase and capture…



IF BIRDS COULD SPEAK ENGLISH



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What in the hell are you looking at?



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Haul it out, Big Red. I’m moving in.



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Where did he go? Big sissy…



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Oh, it’s you again. Want my picture before I terrify your precious little birds?



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For you, my best side.



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Will you stop playing with that camera already?


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Now tell me, who is lovelier?

32 comments:

Larry said...

I love Carolina Wrens.They have a bit of attitude and are such a unique looking and sounding bird.It's hard to come up with new posts all the time. Don't worry about it-take it as it comes.-Nice photos and captions Mary!

Q said...

Dear Mary,
Whatever you are doing is fun and interesting. I love all your posts!
Nice chat with your birds too. Mockingbird is a friendly one. Carolina Wren is one of my favorite birds. Your photos are fun and you are very creative.
Have a most wonderful two day work week. Enjoy your Thanksgiving break.
Sherry

Anonymous said...

we all get blog burned from time to time! Although, you recover perfectly with this wonderful post! I just love your photos and your bird shots are stunning!! I can't wait for the light hours to start getting longer again!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Mary Mary don't give up. Once you relax and let it flow it will rush. You work hard, you deserve a rest. When the bloom of a new creative outlet fades it falls like the leaves we are all admiring. Come spring a new glow will come over you and the muses will pile up and you will wonder what you were fretting about. After all a lady that birds talk to is someone with great powers.

Cathy said...

Mary! This was adorable. I'd never guess by the smiles and beauty you've captured here, that you're worn out.

I do understand the dread of holiday demands. We've gotta learn to go easy on ourselves. Right?

Honey, those bird captions and expressions make me smile every time. You've got something special going on in your back yard.

And the pup pictures . . . . a tear and a smile.

thailandchani said...

I like them all. :)

Every year around this time, I remember how fortunate I am to not be involved in that holiday fray. Seriously.

I know what you mean about the comments. We all experience that sometimes. :)

JeanMac said...

Mary, I think it's the time of year. We have so much on the "go" and your Thanksgiving is so close to Christmas -maybe more pressure?
Anyway, you made me laugh - sweet post, as usual.
Happy Thanksgiving!Eat lots:)

Alyssa said...

Your photos are all beautiful and especially the fish. The haiku is lovely. (My fish are now in the kiddie pool in the basement.)

It sounds like having your nails done can be dangerous. I would have had a hard time trying not to laugh.

I know what you mean about not knowing what to post and even trying to write comments that make sense. Sometimes I, too, feel like I'm waiting for "it" but can't even describe what that "it" is! I think a lot of this has to do with reaching the ages we are at. Sort of being at a cross roads in life - things are changing or sometimes staying too much the same. I try to keep enriching my mind and that helps me fight off the doldrums when they drop upon me.

Oh yes, a birding friend of mine at work wanted me to ask you if you've seen a brown tit? I think that's what he called it. He said they are "cool".

Have a great holiday and time off!

dmmgmfm said...

Your photos are lovely as always. I can relate to the lack of blogging lately, as you might have noticed. I've just not had time and it's only going to get nuttier around here with the upcoming holiday. Oh well...I guess my life was meant to be crazy.

Love and hugs to you,
Laurie

The Quacks of Life said...

as ever super photos

Jayne said...

Love the captions Mary! I know what you mean about finding blogging time and fodder lately. If it weren't for memes, I'd be closed as well. Just nothing to say these days for some reason. Ebb and flow... it will come, you'll see. Hugs to you.

Susan said...

great photos as usual, I love the mockingbird - born to pose!

dguzman said...

Loving your posts ALWAYS, Mary! This time of year just always gets me feeling blah--it's like the whole day looks like one looong evening, with muted sun and dark shadows.

beautiful pics, and I sure wish I had those blue skies up here. We just got our first real snowfall, and already I'm over it!

Mary said...

Larry, I like the Carolina Wrens, too. They live under the deck!

Sherry, I don't think Mockingbirds are friendly. They are loud show-offs :)

Monarch, I'm already looking forward to more hours of daylight!

Lisa, I go through feeling like this now and then - when blogging loses its appeal. It's just a temporary feeling.

Cathy, Christmas is my favorite time but causes me the most STRESS! Yes, we need to relax.

Chani, not only are the holidays full of stress - then they end so quickly! A letdown.

Jean, you are right. The retail businesses start putting the pressure on way before Halloween. It's a wild time!

Alyssa - what a Brown Tit? I've heard of a Brown Booby, Bushtit, and Tufted Titmouse...LOL!

Laurie, life does get in the way of blogging, doesn't it? Hugs~

Pete, thanks!

Jayne, I'll be relying on a few memes also :o)

Susan, they love the camera!

Delia, I saw your snowfall. Oh, the memories...

smilnsigh said...

What happened about your photographs???????????????????

Mari-Nanci

Mary said...

Mari-Nanci,I believe the Sgt. will preview the slide show today (only a few slides so far). I'll keep everyone posted. I'll buy PowerPoint and do it at home if I need to.

RuthieJ said...

Oh Mary, you are too funny!! Even if you don't think you have anything worthwhile to blog about, the pictures alone are enough for me.

P.S. Are you sure it was a woman?? or maybe I've been watching too many transgender films lately :)

kate said...

Mary,

I loved your cat/Bella/Chloe and the bird conversations. You have a gift ... please remember that!

Your fish are huge!! I can't imagine bringing them inside.

Your posts always make me smile. Thank you ... and boy, I'm glad Canadian Thanksgiving happens in October. At least we get a breather before Christmas is upon us!

Chrissie said...

Wow! You still have lilies out! It was a bad year here for lilies I think. Love your bird pics with captions :-)

Anonymous said...

Mary, I love your little vignette of Bella and the cat.

NatureWoman said...

Mary, your posts are always wonderful! I am in major blog burnout right now myself. I can't wait to get back to posting about nature. LOL on 'if birds could speak English!'

nina at Nature Remains. said...

I'm feeling that way, too. Was this summer so extraordinary that we expect the pace of wonder to always keep up?
I find that with holiday preparations, there's not only little time to get out and shoot--there's also more clogging my mind from the places it wants to go, too.

Mary said...

Still wonderful pictures and blue sky. Mary you brighten my day when I find you have posted. Have a good rest from work and enjoy your birds and dogs.

KGMom said...

I won't believe for a minute that your fingers RESTED on a-s-d-f-g-l.
I am sure they DANCED on the keys.
And I do love the photos, especially the water lily (is that what it is?).
Oh, yes, I love the puppies too.

Mary said...

Ruthie, she WAS a woman with milk jogs the size of watermelons. Frightening.

Kate, it's a real rush here in U.S., with Christmas four weeks away from Thanksgiving. I'm never prepared for it all but by December 1, I get moving.

Chris, the waterlilies have made it through some frosts - none severe yet...our days have been sunny.

Nikkipolani, she's a friendly cat who rolls over for a belly rub. I think she would charm Bella, but not Chloe!

Pam, I want to post more often but my brained is fried...I know you understand.

Nina, you said it! My mind is clogged - wanting to get OUT!

Mary, thanks. I will try to make time for resting and outdoors during the upcoming week (full of things to do).

Donna! Yes, they do! There are nights when I quit trying and delete whatever I managed to compose. It's difficult to write and think when the clock is ticking away. I need more free time. Period.

Naturegirl said...

You should never worry or fret about what to post today! I love every thing here! Post about Bella and Chloe whenever you are at a loss because they are celebrities and their fans NEVER tire of seeing them!
Now you tell them to STOP>>HEAL>>don't even think about touching that kitty cat!! scat..hugs NG

JeanMac said...

mary, I thought of you today - we were at the vet's and a dog the image of Chloe was sitting waiting his turn.

Marvin said...

Lots of smiles and chuckles here from your photo captions. A great job of capturing and translating mockingbird Attitude.

sonia a. mascaro said...

Love all photos, Mary! Principally Bella and Chloe's photos! They looks adorable as always! And you are a good photographer!

LostRoses said...

Mary, you make me laugh! You may think you're not coming up with "meaty" posts but you always bring a smile and a chuckle to me. Those bird pics! Have you got them trained to pose for you or what?

And a two-day work week? What's up with that? I'm jealous!

Kathi said...

There are a group of birds, mostly in the genus Parus, in England and Europe that are called "tits." There is a Great Tit, a Blue Tit, a Coal Tit, an Azure, a Willow and a Marsh (both look like our chickadees), a Crested (looks like our Tufted Titmouse), a Siberian, a Sombre, a Long-tailed, and a Penduline, but I can't find a Brown Tit in my Collins Bird Guide, which bills itself as "The Most Complete Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe."

There are no "tits" in the USA, except for the Tufted Titmouse, so if there is a Brown Tit, it must be from another continent.

~Kathi, kicking in her 2 cents' worth

Mary said...

Hi Katdoc! With you, the Science Chimp, and Susan chiming in with your expertise, we can't go wrong. My Eastern Region guides didn't have a clue. Of course, thinking about a Brown Tit took me to other places that might be familiar to Susan :o) Oooo, I'm bad today.