"Jee Jee Jee Jee"

Anyone who knows me understands my longing to get close to a Carolina Chickadee. This has been going on for months. Oh, I’ve gotten a few shots of Chickadees before, but I want one crisp and clear without using a zoom. I want one to sit on my hand. Hey, is that asking too much???

These white flowers burst open over the weekend. They’re located a few feet away from the feeders and I leaned on the fence to see them. Native weeds, I’m sure.

My camera was on the kitchen counter. There were no birds at the feeders. I heard “jee jee jee jee”.

This is where she landed. No zoom necessary. I am saying it’s a she because it looked like a mother needing a “Calgon take me away” moment. She poked the suet in the ceramic dish, preened for a bit, and then grabbed a seed from the hopper.

Have you ever been so totally frustrated that it was funny? I stifled a belly laugh for several minutes. Utter disbelief consumed me.

She left the hopper, flew past my face and landed here. No zoom in this photo. A perfect shot would have been had in the setting evening sun and I stood there, motionless, feeling like a sore loser but still stifling a hearty laugh at the irony of it all.

Probably one of my worst Chickadee photos, but I'll keep trying! This shot was taken in the morning hours on the same day. Doesn’t she look tired?

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The morning sun on the pond was lovely this weekend. My fear of damaging freezes is gone so we headed out to find something eye pleasing to conceal the pump and filter assembly.

This basket of annuals enticed me! I love verbena. See the Koi in the background?

I like it. I don’t know what it is but it’s part of the basket.

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This was a scene that brought back memories of my own childhood on the first day in late spring that I was allowed to wear a swimsuit and the boys could wear their swimming trunks to play with the garden hose or run through a sprinkler. There were four boys in grades 1-3 in charge of washing Mom’s car. See their progress? There is a sponge in the air resembling a peanut in the shell. Click to enlarge and you'll see the soap flying. I laughed out loud.

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Camped out on the patio while waiting for hummingbirds to arrive, I looked to my right and enjoyed the beauty and sound of water. It was so soothing…until…

The LICKER SISTERS arrived.

Bostons have a passion for kissing and licking. What is the attraction to the arm of an outdoor chair, B-b-bella?

Chloe attached herself to my lily white knee.

You gotta love these dogs.

Dull? Counting Sheep Helps...

Same face, day after day. The feeders are becoming dull, at best. Until tonight. The red-bellied woodpecker is back and some others. More later.

Maybe it’s my fault for my snitty behavior lately. Yes, in fact, it is my fault. At the office, I throw paper across my desk, curse at the copy machine, and mumble obscenities at the staple remover when it rips the corner of my document. I’ve been yelling at the dogs, too, in a kind way. It’s the little things in life that can either turn me into a monster or make me smile lately. I'm still exhausted and cranky, but I'll give a good effort with this post.

Last night I decided to stay away from the computer. I was in bed by 9:30 p.m. and that’s after I took a one hour nap after dinner. Crash. That’s all it takes. I know how important my sleep is and how much healthier and alive I feel when I get it. A few more nights like that and I’ll be a new person. I’ve been a night owl for too many weeks.

I’ll start an insignificant rant now. Who waters the dying gardenias and hydrangeas every day because of the drought? Who tops the pond and cleans it? ME! This is really a sore subject. I want a hose bib conveniently located in the back of the house. We have two, but they’re a good walking distance away, on the sides of the house.

One of them has less water pressure than a drinking fountain. The other one has great pressure but has a honking, 1,000 foot heavy-duty hose attached to it which means I need to unroll it, hoist it over the fence and drag it a quarter of a mile to the pond. Ok, it’s not that far and not that long... But when I have only a few hours in the evening, dinner in the oven and water boiling on the stove, I need to be fast, “chop chop!”.

For over a year, I’ve been hinting for a convenient garden hose as a gift idea. HA! It['s true. So, he gives me a Dooney & Bourke handbag as one of my Christmas gifts. I've been thinking about this lovely bag today. It’s a very nice handbag and I appreciate it (thanks to Gina, who encouraged him because of her own handbag fetish). Honestly, all I asked for was a black handbag from Belk’s or Target. $16.99-$40.00 will do to carry my life under my armpit. Am I the type of person who needs a Dooney to go along with my sweat pants, tee-shirts and tennis shoes? Do I drive a Mercedes? Do I care if my shoes match my bag? Heck, no! I buy my clothing from the sales racks at department stores and a lot from Target. Twice a year, I change my handbag from spring/summer to fall/winter. How ridiculous is it to see a little blonde lady run to the grocery store with pond sludge on her sneakers and a Dooney over her shoulder?

For my next gift, I’ll insist on the giver sticking a bow on the new hose bib or handing me a gift card from the plumbing company. I’ll take care of the rest, dammit. Whew. I’m done.

There was new male here yesterday. A female has been visiting once in a while. A male Eastern Towhee isn’t a lifer, but this is the best photo I have. I enjoyed his nonchalant behavior in front of the camera.

Camera hog, Robin, in my front yard.

The same Brown Headed Nuthatch has been pecking away at the same tree on campus for a week. Click to enlarge this tiny acrobat. Sweet!

If there was a contest of stopping your car and photographing a lifer in the shortest time, I'd win. In approximately eight seconds or less, I can pull over, throw the gear in park, find the camera, power it up, turn off the radio, exit my vehicle quietly, and grab a shot of a lifer. A Killdeer is unusual. It crouches low as if playing dead, or camouflaging itself. I don't understand its behavior.

This photo is not completely in focus but I saw those large eyes looking at me. Wow.

A pair of lazy Canadian Geese didn’t want to leave the campus this morning. They knew I was spying on them.

For Lynne and Cathy, who share love of bird butts with me. This one is especially robust. My kind of woman! (Is she a woman?)

How close can you get to a Canadian Goose without being assaulted? I took a chance and it proved to be a lucky one.

Here’s lookin at ya, kiddo! Trust me.

Goose: Got any cooked spaghetti - hold the sauce?

I filled one of my hummingbird feeders a week ago and have been noticing the nectar getting low. While standing on my back deck tonight, I saw the sunlight catch the buzz, hovering and darting. It was the beautiful blur I haven’t seen since last summer. Is this a female Ruby Throated? My heart raced as I tried my best to control the camera. This is my first photo of a hummingbird.

JOY!!!! Now, to bed.

Few Words Wednesday

A day of frantic motion. I needed a buffer.

Soft pastels can fool you. They withstand the harsh winter but the summer heat will make them melt. Cal Ripken eyes.

American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) on the asphalt sidewalk. (Yes, I did some research.)

A blast of color rejuvenated my mood tonight. I'll miss the pansies.

Through the kitchen door, I saw a Mockingbird inside the sunroom. He came to visit me. I'm not surprised.

If the kitchen door was open, he would have probably flown inside and perched on the kitchen counter to watch me cook dinner. I would have set a bowl of suet there for him and chatted for a while.

Within three minutes I was holding him very gently. Our eyes met for a few seconds. So soft… I think he knew I’d set him free. His powerful thrust at take-off surprised me. A little ruffled, he sat in the tree for a while to gain his composure. I put some suet out for him. Unharmed and good to go.

Late afternoon sun. See the bird?

I feel calm and relaxed now.

Wet and Wild Night

First, a nest update.

Yesterday there was one egg splattered under the nest. Today there are two. I don’t know what to think about this.

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When the alarm rang this morning at 5:15 a.m., I didn’t budge. I almost decided to get up, send an e-mail to work stating I am sick today, and head back to bed but my conscience wouldn’t allow me to do it. Everyone feels that way at times but I’ve been feeling that way a lot lately. There is just so much to do! It's Spring! Being away from home for nine hours, then coming home to caring for dogs, fish, birds, home, and a husband is sapping me. Add a blog to the list, too, and my obsession with the camera outdoors!

Whenever I think I’m too busy, I often think about Beth at Look What Love Has Done. She’s a loving mother of five, athlete, church minister, and musician, who slowed down lately to photograph some flowers and bees, and, “by George, I think she liked it!” Her faith and strength is amazing. I should never complain about being "too busy and tired" when I think of her.

The ice maker in the frig acted up last night (which resulted in a minor flood a few months ago). I used my lunch hour today to drive home to check on it. Thankfully, I found it’s working like it should so I decided to sit in the sunroom for my allotted ten minutes while I leafed through a hummingbird pamphlet. I only needed ten minutes of peace and quiet, but this is what distracted me:

Bella loves me (and all of her hula hoops).

She sneezed on my camera lens. That's Chloe, for ya. Do I need to lock myself behind closed doors to have ten minutes of quiet?

Why am I tired? I am tired because I lack self discipline. When you are stuck in a windowless office all day, the urges build and your goals and expectations get out of control. I need to get some sleep.

My target bedtime is 10:30 p.m. Where was I at 11:00 p.m. last night? Wearing a nightshirt, jacket, and my R (right) and L (left) slippers at the pond. The frogs were mating louder than ever. We've needed to turn up the volume on the TV recently… I was grateful that my neighbors had their windows closed and with their air conditioners running; otherwise, I would have expected a knock on the door or a phone call. But what could I do? Tell the frogs to “shut up”?

Camera in right hand and flashlight in left hand, slippers on the correct feet:

Oh, my! I scooped three from the skimmer. Here’s one of about twenty.

Let's see what's going on here... None of them cared about my flashlight. He was hot for the ladies.

It was a sex night, wild with humping and jumping all over each other. And there was curious me, wearing my bedtime clothes and lurking. Hey, I’m not a pervert – they are exhibitionists!

Need a cigarette, dude?

Numbers, Numbers, Numbing Numbers

There is "eye candy" at the end of this post. Thank goodness for the natural beauty we need to see every day.

Hurray! It’s budget prep time for the State of NC! There’s some fooling here…I can’t stand numbers. Funds have been frozen on State accounts since March 30 and it’s a killer process. I have five large budgets to monitor and I’ve encumbered funds down to the least cents before the State sweeps it away. It’s not my money and I don’t really care about it. It’s just another job-related function I need to perform, another headache, and another pain in my a...

Budget prep for 2007-2008 began today in a 2-1/2 meeting at one of our campuses located very close to the Charlotte-Douglas airport. This is the type of meeting that causes my eyes to glaze over. I yawn. Oh, yes, I participate in the number crunching while I’m dreaming of those US Airways and Southwest planes flying by so close that you could count the number of windows on them. I arrived at the meeting twenty minutes early, with camera around my neck, and explored a beautiful campus. No birds. No flowers. What a waste. But they do have aircraft. After the first hour of the meeting, I wanted to call a break to put my camera to the window to see something in flight!

When we lived near the Dover Air Force Base a few years ago, I had the best view of the largest aircraft in the country – those C-5’s and C-19’s that were large enough to carry 15 eighteen-wheelers. When they flew low over our community, the sound was deafening but you could wave to the pilots (rookies in training…scary, yes!). My next door neighbor was a squadron commander and we waved the American flag to him when he trained pilots. That was cool.

I’m off course here. Perhaps my mind is blown away due to those dang numbers. Allocated budget, deficit, revenue, blah, blah, blah. I arrived home much later than usual. Chloe threw up outside because she knows by the time Oprah Winfrey is over, the local news starts at 5pm and I wasn’t home yet. Yes, I leave the TV on for them during the day. They see Good Morning America, Kelly and Regis, Dr. Phil, and various soap operas before Oprah. I should really switch to a radio instead.

Dorothy from PA calls my photos “eye candy”. I like that adjective. She’s been commenting frequently and she just started a blog of her own while battling the beginning Blogger woes.

When I arrived home after a ten-hour day, I found some eye candy. (Lizards? Eye candy? YES!) With my handbag still on my shoulder, I first noticed a new lizard to add to the other two species I have found at my house. So far we have Five Line Skinks and Eastern Fence Lizards. When I’m not so tired, I’ll try to identify this skittish, tiny creature.

Click to enlarge. It was very curious. See it peeking and holding on to the brick?

REAL eye candy. A butterfly. Something else I need to ID. Later…

I want to be a little closer. Please don’t move… The honey bees rule this patch of blue and purple.

Ahhhh. Just what I needed. I'm delirious and you are medicine for a tired soul.

Directly below the nesting place of the Barn Swallows, I found this. It matches a description of her egg. Did she come by to annoy me? Or, will she arrive again to build a new nest? Time will tell. My heart still aches.

Barn Swallow Drama

The baby house finches left the nest three days ago, just as Julie predicted. I didn’t think they looked mature enough with their little scrubby punk rock hairstyles, but they did flee.

Springtime has finally arrived to stay. This weekend has been glorious! I filled the hummingbird feeders in hopes to see their return but I haven’t planted the flowers they crave yet. The recent freeze still haunts me, so I’ll wait another week or two.

Now the drama begins.

We spent lots of time outside yesterday and I asked Michael to bring the step ladder around to the front porch so I could examine and clean the nest the finches recently fled. This is a nest that a pair of barn swallows built last summer. It needed a good scraping and cleaning, but the only way to get to it was to remove the nest from where it was planted, on a rock, high and close to the porch ceiling. Michael pulled the rock and nest away from the aluminum and handed it to me. He continued to scrub the area clean while I examined it closely.

One pale blue finch egg was left…

While we worked, the hot western sun was beginning to set on us at 6pm and caused us to squint. While I held the nest in my hands, I saw something magical and surreal beyond the porch rail. There was no mistake about it. The swoop, the sleek, long deep blue wings illuminated in the sun, the pale belly…oh, so familiar. A sight I haven’t seen since last summer. She dove and spiraled around close to the porch for about a minute and I muttered to Michael, “She’s back!” I could hardly say the words through happiness and grief. My heart was instantly broken. Why did I feel this way? She returned to see a step ladder in her corner. I held her nest in my hands. My chest was heaving and I could barely see her through tears. Frankly, I lost it, and turned into a weeping ninny. What are the chances of the return of the Barn Swallows at the precise time we removed their nest? Wanting to regain my composure, I told myself, “Oh, come on, Mary. Get a grip. It’s just a bird…What's wrong with me?”

Was this the same lovely bird I knew so well last summer? If so, was she so outraged that she might never return?

Our porch sits high above the ground and being on that step ladder near the rails frightened me. I tried feverishly to get that nest back into place after I removed loads of debris and scraped it clean. During my last attempt to place it firmly, the nest broke away from the rock. I was desperate in my attempt but I failed.

I left a firm, wide base for a new nest.

This bird business is getting to me enough that I am ready to quit. Can you quit caring, though? I never imagined I’d be so emotional over such a beautiful pair of swallows that trusted me. Now I may never see them again.

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The weekend wasn’t a complete loss, I guess.

No flowers or pond plants yet, but I’ll be busy soon. The pond is in good shape and the pump and filters are doing their job. More work is needed.

Some cleaning in the skimmer basket produced all sorts of things.

Feeding Frenzy at the Ferracci house. How’s this for a vibrant splash of color and life! The frogs were crooning again last night!

Chloe wants me to put some cheese in it. A bit of cheese in the crevice of a rawhide goes a long way!

Big dog? Little dog? No difference. Mr. Biggins and Bella rock the house..

If I can’t have Barn Swallows, I’ll settle for the Mocker, “Old Faithful”. Sigh…

If you are longing for house finches, you are welcome to the Ferracci Finch House of Fun!

Meanwhile, I’ll be looking for the dashing swoop and spiral. Sigh...

Embarrassed? Naaa...

Have you ever felt like you should be embarrassed but you didn’t feel embarrassed at all? I have, on many occasions. This will be short and sweet because it’s Friday and my wits are leaving me fast.

It all started on my lunchtime walk. Only one other person was on the trail for my thirty sacred minutes. He was a man about my age with a windbreaker tied around his waste and it was maroon and orange. I guess he might have been a VA Tech alum or had children there. He was power walking and I was just strolling. I’ll call him “VA Tech Man”. Perhaps he needed some stress relief, bless his heart.

Lucky me, I came upon birdsong that was deafening on a dark part of the trail. And I stood there, looking up. Camera ready. It was like I was suddenly in an Alfred Hitchcock movie with birds darting overhead faster than lightning. My eyes were wide, only seeing flashes, shadows, and blurs but I knew something was happening. Blue Jays and Cardinals and Crows and Sparrows were all around me BUT I COULDN’T SEE THEM. My hot hands were holding the camera as I stood in one spot and repeatedly did military about faces, right faces, left faces, over and over again and then I dashed from one set of trees to the other. I stood motionless and listened again. Then the VA Tech Man rounded the bend coughing his head off. It’s only a .3 mile track and I think he hacked and coughed and spit the entire time.

I wanted to yell at him, “Don’t you have any freaking cough drops, man?”

The sun was glorious but when I was seeing blue flashes soar right over my head, an enormous white cloud covered the sun’s rays. Great.

This is the type of photo I took today. Arrrrgh! See a patch of blue in the middle? A flock of these birds teased the living daylights out of me. I fumbled with the camera which was too darned slow for the action. I held my breath. I cursed. I ventured into the woods, backed up to get a view, put my camera on the low light mode, then lost my footing on pine straw and fell backwards on my bum. Pine straw is too darn slippery. The VA Tech Man was rounding the bend again, coughing his lungs out, and smiled at me as I was pulling dried pine straw from the back of my pants. I know he saw me land in the hole. He inquired if I was OK and I graciously replied, “Oh, I’m fine. Thanks.” But I wanted to say, “Screw you, and mind your own business. And thanks for scaring the birds away, you fool. Take a drink.”

HELP! Can anyone ID this bird? My field guide can’t. Bad photo, I know… Blue, yellow, black.

On my way back to the office, I cackled. I couldn’t stop laughing. That man probably thought “I” was an idiot. HA! No, but I do like the sun shining on the wings of bumble bees.

This is the Chipping Sparrow photo I wanted to post yesterday but I made a mistake and posted a Field Sparrow instead. I didn’t know it was a Field Sparrow but the Science Chimp caught it right away! A Chipping Sparrow visited my yard AND a Field Sparrow! I love both of them. Small and sweet.

He doesn’t need a better set of lungs. Here, he’s singing and raising himself UP. The loudest bird in the group tonight. You Go!

It’s been a very long week and I’m glad it’s over. I wanted this post to be short and sweet. Maybe next time…

Sunrise, Sunset, and Thoughts in Between

Resisting the urge to stop my car and capture this sunrise was impossible this morning. I still made it work on time.

My mind is tired during this busy time of year at the college but it was on overdrive today about recent happenings and current events while I stopped to admire colorful weeds during my daily walk. Mundane things, like, "What will we have for dinner tonight? What’s the status of my laundry? I wonder how the baby finches are doing?” Foremost in my mind was what happened yesterday.

I know the media is haunting and killing us with too many details about VA Tech and we are getting tired and annoyed with it all. It’s time to be quiet and let the issues take their course with those closely involved and to quit reminding us of the horrid incident. Privacy to those families matters now. In advance, I apologize for once again writing about an unpleasant matter but this one is very close to home for me.

While I was on my campus walk yesterday and thinking about the scent in the air and the beauty around me, something very critical was happening during those minutes. I was unaware. Less than one-half mile away from where I was walking, four schools were in lock-down, including a high school, middle school, elementary school, and a charter school.

On the high school parking lot, a sixteen-year old male student carried a handgun and threatened to use it on two students. Supposedly, he had an issue with a girlfriend. Police followed him to a nearby gas station and when the boy was asked to release his gun, he refused, and shot himself in the head. He died later at the hospital. My daughter works in the same company with that boy’s Mother.

Did I deserve a nice walk in the park at the very same time a young boy took his own life? It seems so unfair…

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On to more happy thoughts!

This afternoon when I was sweeping my mailbox, I saw and heard some little kids near me stomping on caterpillars for fun. Sweet little kids but obviously clueless. After their lesson from “Miss Mary”, they promised never to harm a caterpillar again. No one told them. I think they really got it and also realized their Moms wouldn’t appreciate caterpillar guts imbedded in the soles of their sneakers!

I’ve been eyeing up this arrangement for a while. It’s “Nature’s Arrangement”.

Before the clouds rolled in tonight for expected storms, I was breathless when I saw a new visitor at my house. I saw Chipping Sparrows on campus last week but I never saw them in one of my trees! I thought I heard a familiar song… If these tiny little birds had cheeks, I’d want to pinch them. I think they are the cutest sparrow on Earth.

Many times over the years I said that if I didn't have a full-time job, I'd be bored and would spend too much money in my spare time. Now I know it isn't true.

Chloe watches TV. She’s gained interest in TV in the past few months. Shows like COPS and commercials really intrigue her. Last night she enjoyed American Idol for a while. Does anyone else have a dog or cat that watches TV?

Bella has no interest in television. Her main interest is putting her mouth around something edible and her waistline confirms it.

The rain and cold will return tonight. This sunset is chilling, I think.
All around the world we have different views from our front porch but we all share the brightest star in the universe.

Sherry at Q’s Corner has a way with the camera that is so beautiful. For some smiles and wonderful photos, scroll down to “Mating Doves” she posted on April 15. Enjoy her bees and butterflies, too!

Hit and Miss

The stormy weather moved out and the winds calmed enough to take a nice walk at noon. The sky was a clear blue canvass and the rain-soaked ground smelled of fresh dirt with a floral hint. The pine trees swayed in the light breeze. Ahhh, the smell of fresh, moist pine.

It was a refreshing, heavenly walk around the track that circles the playing field and park and I could have walked all afternoon. That is…until…the people came. All in about ten minutes, two school bus loads of kids arrived at the park. On the trail, one soccer ball dribbler, three walkers, and three joggers were whizzing past me and scaring the birds away. I couldn’t help but glare at these people after their backs were facing me. A recreational park employee started weed-whacking under the spectator bleachers. I wondered, “Is this a JOKE directed towards me?”

Feeling desperate for a few photos, I zoomed in on a black trash bag I thought was a crow and a leaf on the grass that had a little wind under it. Drats!

I did see a lifer, though. Somebody up there likes me and offered me a view of a Brown Headed Nuthatch! A swirling little bird that's in and out of sight in a flash.

Another type of lizard was sunbathing at the bottom of the downspout on my driveway. Heck, I don't know much about lizards except that I love them for their patience and cooperative spirit in front of the camera. My opinion might be unpopular, but I think they're very cute!

“Well, hello there. Move in a little closer. I promise not to blink.”

I poured some bottled water into the splash block and he loved it! "Thank you, ma'am!"

It was time for him to find some dinner. My neighbors can watch me through their bedroom window as I lay across the concrete driveway. I guess by now nothing surprises them...

For almost a week, I’ve been concerned about the nest of house finches on my front porch since I hadn’t seen Mother near the nest for several days and she stopped resting there at night. I was certain the babies died although I saw more sacs of poop surrounding the edge of the nest. I learned that house finches don’t clean up the mess. Before I went to fetch a step ladder to check on them, I peeked at the nest through the window and thought I saw a little scrawny head looking out.

There are two! I climbed onto the bench and took their picture. These babies didn’t flinch or move. They are very quiet and sort of lifeless so I hope they are thriving. Standing on the bench with the camera around my neck, I spoke softly to them, “You know, little babies, I think your Mother is a whacky, unattentive lady and not very good at housekeeping, either. But she must be doing something right.” I am still concerned as I saw a house sparrow at the feeder this afternoon. A month ago, I saw one and it didn’t return until today. My reaction was to throw a hula hoop against the fence to scare it off. And I did.

There are times of despair and there are times that despair turns into a smile at the sight of very small, precious life.

Blue Day Here and Around the Country

On my drive home from work I heard of the horrific tragedy that struck Virginia Tech this morning. As I write this, hundreds of parents and families are dying a slow death and scrambling to learn of the welfare of their loved one. They are on the road and booking flights across the nation. I can hardly imagine the fear and trembling they are feeling right now.

Images of the numerous students I know personally who attended Virginia Tech rushed through my mind and the only consolation I have is knowing that they have graduated from the college and are safe from a crazed shooter who has killed thirty-three thus far and injured as many ~ the worst killing spree in U.S. history.

I am sick and grief-stricken. Few details are known and I’m still processing, in my mind, this awful crime. My anger can’t be suppressed right now.

In 1999, the deadly massacre at Columbine High School shook the nation. The high school in which I worked, and where my daughter attended that same year, took immediate steps in developing a crisis management plan. Safety lock-down doors were installed but the main entrance was open with a sign that read, “All Visitors Must Register at the Main Office”. No help there.

For a few years, until 2005, I worked in a State office building for the Delaware Department of Education. All four entrances to that building were open to the public during working hours. At one of those entrances, my cubicle was the first stop for the general public and on a daily basis, the scum of the streets would enter the building and approach me to ask for directions to the nearest restroom. It was my restroom they wanted to visit, so I had a hard heart and directed them back onto the streets. Were they disease ridden? Were they packing a revolver? I put that thought out of my mind and took my chances on receiving a possible conflict.

There are grave failures happening in our society. Is the media responsible for the sensationalism attached to violent crimes that triggers repeated scenarios in the minds of potential killers? Will gun control laws inhibit these crimes? Or, do “family values” fall short in raising respectful citizens? It’s so complex and miserable.

Let’s face it. We are all sitting ducks. That’s why we should tell our loved ones, as often as possible, just how much we cherish them. A simple, “I Love You” will do at least once a day.

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The weather is wild. In my area, sustained winds are at 30 mph, with 50+ mph gusts (70+ mph in the mountains, not far from us). There has been terrible damage in the surrounding areas. This is the first time my feeders flew off the station.

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It hasn’t been a good day but it’s my birthday and I’d like to end this morose post with something a little light-hearted.

I’ve been admiring the childhood photos of blogger friends I’ve seen in recent posts. After looking for a few of my own, I realize that I don’t have many childhood photos that my parents kept. I’ll find them on my next trip to Maryland! There is one color photo that my Mother had taken of me, around a year of age, sitting near a stream of water and I was examining a tall weed next to it. I can't find that photo! I didn’t walk until I was about 16 months old, I think, because I was the observant type and was content to sit and contemplate pools of water and grass. I haven’t changed much! (Gee, I wish my scanner would work. I've been technology challenged lately...)

I guess it was me who found an ink pen and marked myself up.

Around the age of three, just inside the Baltimore City limits. Rowhomes were new. Never one for wearing dresses, I smelled like dirt most of the time. Yes, I haven’t changed too much!

Wild Weekend

The sunset on Friday looked like a warning. The storms didn’t arrive until Saturday night and dumped two inches of rain while we slept. That’s the way I like it. We need the rain but I’m glad I didn’t get blown away during all of my running around over the weekend. Gina and I went to the most beautiful bridal shower and the two days flew by. I did manage to schedule time for an hour nap each day. It was heavenly! Naps should be a requirement for healthy living.

Bella took a ride to the vet for a manicure. She’s the only dog I’ve owned that sits in the passenger seat quietly without standing at the window and watching the world go by. I encourage her to enjoy the scenery and savor the smells of fast food wafting through the air. No. She keeps her eye on me and the floor of the car. Sweet thang…

What a sissy man-dog. Mr. Biggins loves to visit and I don’t know why. My two girls play mind games with him and his treatment here is quite pathetic from a guy’s point of view. They tease him with toys and rip them away before he knows what happened. He just loves the females, no matter what!

Chloe is missing from this post. I’ll be sure to include my lovely old girl next time (as if she knows it…). Sorry, Chloe!

Gina and Billy bought a house and will go to settlement early June! One of the highlights in my lifetime was buying “our first house”. As to be expected, they are feeling overwhelmed and scared but they are very excited at the same time. I wonder how many hours they've spent in the home stores and furniture stores, dreaming of what they will do to make this house into their first home and castle.

I met them at the house this morning with their agent while they took window measurements and signed the final contract. Gina contracted ME to help do a thorough cleaning and put some paint on the walls before they move in. Billy and Michael will take care of the garage stuff, fence, and lighting things… I’m anxious to help them with some landscaping and…perhaps…a bird feeder station as her first housewarming gift. She said, “Mom! No feeders! I need blinds on the bathroom and bedroom windows first!” I understand that, but how can they resist seeing this from their kitchen window?

Or how about this view of an overweight Mourning Dove and a Red Winged Blackbird sucking the feeders dry? Ugh.

She’s getting a feeder from me and she’ll like it. My rule.

This morning the weather seemed calm and warm despite heavy storm clouds passing through. Later in the afternoon, the temperature dropped twenty-five degrees in one hour and we were pelted with heavy rain, wind, and hail. Very strange.

All Dried Up

It’s April 13th and snow storms are still raging in the northern part of the country. Winter arrived late and is refusing to leave on schedule. Should I complain about the recent freeze that sucked the life out of the bright green leaves on the Crepe Myrtles? No, I shouldn’t. But I haven’t seen so many trees and plants take such a beating in mid-April.

I walked the campus today, thinking of a possible site for the Wildlife Habitat I’m organizing with the college. A naturalist employed by the State of NC will be meeting with me and a small group of campus employees for a tour of the grounds to determine a few good sites for our project.

There is something about new, bright green, moist leaves in early Spring that shakes me up. There is a lot of life around. It’s been put on hold, that’s all.

Of the six campuses, we are the only campus without a water supply. There is a creek bed behind the buildings that is swamp-like and dries up completely during summer months. To gain certification for a Wildlife Habitat, we need water! The small amount of money we've been granted won’t even cover a truckload or two of mulch, so installing a water feature is out of the question unless we rely on community partners/donations.

The Japanese Willow on my pond survived the freeze very well! Ahhhh… It’s a young tree and is quite beautiful!

I took the afternoon off and went to buy some sunflower seed and stopped at Target to buy stuff to wrap gifts for a bridal shower Gina and I are attending tomorrow. The cold rain is gone so I wiped the feeder ledges clean and enjoyed the sunshine but my wedding anniversary post from last night kept haunting me.

Why does Old Man Winter do this? Was that me in those photos? How can that be me when I see myself in the mirror now? (really profound, huh?) The thought behind that post and choosing those photos invoked some emotions that I didn’t think I had. I’ve never fretted over aging and always accepted the inevitable. Now I’m heartsick, missing that young girl I once was and a few times today I was on the verge of tears.

What saddens me more is that I regret being so critical of myself and insecure at that young age and for many years after. Why didn’t I enjoy the youthful beauty I owned? A harder question to answer: Why don’t I just accept my age, shut up about it, and take better care of myself? I always embraced a phrase I heard before, “A woman is like a bottle of wine, aging better over time.” Well, that’s a crock. I miss having one chin and resilient skin. My eyelids are beginning to rest on my eyelashes, the lines on my face are beginning to look like a road map, and my waistline disappeared years ago.

If someone tells me I’m silly and that I don’t look like a dried up hag, I won’t buy it. I know what I need to do to reverse aging and it doesn’t happen at the cosmetic counter, either (but it helps…). I have work to do to reverse some damaged I’ve unintentionally done to myself.

When I’m down and want to be alone, there are two little angels by my side that are always providing reasons to smile. They’re interested in bunny poop in this photo. Can you guess which butt belongs to whom?

We switched from rolling real golf balls in the house to throwing small Air Dogs that squeak! I can't figure why Bella looks taller than Chloe in this photo...hmmm. She's much wider than Chloe but a bit shorter.

A little while ago, I fed the pond fish and three Chickadees landed around the feeders. Did I have my camera? No. I shouldn’t curse under my breath to birds I love so much…

I feel so much better now.

A Kiss for Luck and We're On Our Way...

Through laughter, joy, grief, and tears, we made it.

Through harmony and discontent, we made it.

Through dreams that came true and those that were shattered, we made it.

Through thirty-two years of living as one, we made it.

Through compromise, we made it.

Through a love that has evolved to a deeper one, we have become true friends and companions. We made it.

On April 12, 1975, we were so young and I couldn’t even imagine what my life would be like thirty-two years later. I don’t even think I thought about it. Today, here we are, still together, and I wonder, when I look back at a flash of memories, where did the time go?

Does anyone remember 6-inch clogs, polyester Leisure Suits, fat ties, and sideburns?

For some of us, a successful marriage is a work in progress. An on-going effort in remembering to have compassion and a little selfless caring will get you there.

It’s been a wild ride and we’re still hanging on!

Wahoooooo!

Birds: What makes them tick? (second try at posting)

Please take some No-Doze before you start reading or have a cup of coffee, at least. (This is the post that crashed on Tuesday night…sigh...maybe because it's dreadfully long.) Regarding the photos below, I've already used my "best" bird photos in other posts. These are just second or third best and I'm OK with it.

TIME. It’s so important to allow some time every day to enjoy things you love. Today I only took two photos because time wasn’t on my agenda. How could I have botched it up? Silly me… Since the weekend, I took many photos but didn’t schedule time to view them until this evening. I really don’t have the time to be sitting here tonight but I’m putting off some things so I can post here.

I’ve been thinking about this passion I have for birds. For years, I’ve been digging out blizzard-deep snow to fill the feeders and slosh around in heavy rain in the same pursuit. It seems I’ve become fond of something of which I know very little. Should I read more? Yes. Do I make time to read more about the birds? No. So, I just take in the view. And watch. Today I’m commenting on my observations of some birds that have visited me recently. Some of them are new here and others are constant houseguests.

Starlings have been visiting because they’ve discovered the suet and they love a riot. Hmmmph! I call my dogs when I see them. I am seeing that as the seasons change, birds change accordingly.

I listen for birdsong when I take a short walk around campus in the middle of the day. For the past month, I’ve been wondering where the bird is with the huge lungs. A constant, loud call made me scan treetops with no luck in spotting this unusual bird. Until…last Friday I made the connection and what a surprise it was! The sweet chirps I heard all winter long have changed into a boisterous chain of musical notes from a male Cardinal. I saw its throat bulging while he cranked up the volume. I felt so uneducated when I discovered this bird dwells twenty-five feet from my bedroom window.

It would be a terrible shame not to acknowledge the beauty of a female Cardinal. They’re just plain gorgeous!

This afternoon I saw a little glimpse two tiny beaks in the House Finch nest on my front porch! I thought they might be hatching since the female has been sitting higher in her nest for a few days. But where has the mother been since I got home from work a few hours ago?

Out socializing with her Sugar Daddy! I caught her! What about those babies with enough strength to look for food?

The finches residing in this nest are disappointing to me. A pair of Barn Swallows worked their little tail feathers off to build that sturdy nest last summer. They worked together for several weeks until the fledglings took their first flight. I admired their devotion to each other and their family as they completed an exhausting job. How do these relationships form between two birds? I think humans fail at relationships at a faster rate than two small swallows! Two weeks ago, the finches moved in. When they leave the nest, I’ll clean it out and hope the swallows return. The swallows were a pleasure to live with and they knew me well.

Speaking of love and devotion. Here are two soul mates. They perched and preened together on the same branch for almost an hour last night. Reciting poetry together, perhaps?

Speaking of TRUE love and devotion. Bluebirds include exude romance. I could go on with more but...enough said, ey?

No story here. I just like the photo.

A Brown Thrasher has been visiting. It’s always alone but mixes well with the others who are foraging around. It reminds me of a Towhee “thrashing” with loads of energy. It pounds its beak in the brush like a miniature jackhammer. Do birds get headaches?

I can watch birds for hours. Those hours are broken up in small increments, though. Feed fish – watch birds. Play with dogs – watch birds. Throw dinner in the oven – watch birds for five minutes. Throw a load of laundry in the tub – watch birds for five minutes. Oh, I need a part-time job!!!

When you look up “bravery”, “egotism”, or “camera hog” in Merriam Webster’s dictionary, you should see an illustration of a Mockingbird. I saw two or three Mockers attack and chase a Fish Crow out of my yard and did it successfully. I’m learning to respect them despite their early morning wake-up calls. They dare me to get closer when I have a camera around my neck and it makes me laugh!

Birds of a feather flock together but unlike humans, they’re able to peacefully gather at the same table for a meal despite the number of species present, i.e. ethnic origins or races. Oh, they do squabble! I don’t think they hold grudges, though.

It took one Common Grackle to visit. Then he spread the word to his first, second, and third cousins, plus all of his other distant relatives to visit the suet. Large flocks of these seemingly starving birds arrive and the suet flies like over-popped popcorn all over the stove. I call my dogs out to play in the yard. Enough, already!

Grackles remind me of some managers and directors I’ve worked with in the past…

They have been away on a business trip for a while.
They fly into town and arrive at the office screaming, shouting, and pissing everyone off.
After raiding the office and pooping all over the place, they fly out again on another business trip.
We all think, “good riddance"!

My lovely little favorites weren’t featured in this post. I would only want to show wonderful photos of Chickadees and Titmice. Check out Jayne’s blog for great photos of birds. Her sidebar includes these two eye pleasers.

I don’t know if any of this will make sense to others but I know what I’m learning. Every day.

Birds: What makes them tick?

I

just

lost

12 photos

and

a

post

I worked on

for nearly

two hours.

It

wasn't

my

fault.

I

can't

believe

it.

Thanks, Blogger.

Prayers for Pam

Pam lost her dear Dad yesterday after his two-week struggle in ICU. Let's keep her in our thoughts and prayers. She's a spirited lady who will get through. I'll be checking in with her often and I wish for her days like this...

Easter Memories & Traditions

In Laura’s post yesterday, she shared some childhood Easter memories and traditions and invited us to share some memories as well. Today I'll share and I'm very much in the mood to do so since it hasn’t been a traditional Easter Sunday at my house.

On Thursday evening, Michael received an invitation from a vendor to go the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia for the Sunday final round! He loves to play golf and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile as much as he did before he left on Saturday. I love golf, also, and would be tickled to death to see Tiger Woods (in a Speedo…), Vijay Singh, and Phil Mickelson take a shot at the green jacket. I’m happy he had this opportunity ~ one he might not ever have again. He brought home a load of gifts including tee-shirts and hats for all of us. The best gift he received was being there and walking the most beautiful golf course he has ever seen. The framed photo above is one he'll treasure.

There are no Easter bunnies in my house today but this Easter rabbit visited me. A very disapproving rabbit, I might add! One false move on my part and he was “out of here!” so I had to keep my distance and grabbed one shot through the fence before he disappeared.

My hard boiled eggs. Colored. White is a color, isn’t it?

There was no Easter dinner, no decorating, and no candy. Gina and Mr. Biggins were here for a while and we enjoyed some time together anyway.

After she left, I remembered some things about Easter Sundays past. Alone in the house, I brought out eggs she decorated when she was in elementary school. It’s hard to believe the shells haven’t been crushed after so many years and moves. Sweet. The one on the left has yarn hot-glued to its head to look like hair.

My mind drifted to my own childhood. I can still remember the Church altar being filled with beautiful lilies and how wonderful it smelled inside; shiny leather shoes; frilly dresses and hats; boys wearing suits and sporting fresh haircuts; and pink, purple, and yellow cellophane covering a basket full of Easter treats.

The most vivid memory I have is one that makes me laugh, more than forty years later. My brother was around four years old and I was nine. On that Easter morning, we awoke early and ran downstairs into the kitchen where we found my Mom sweeping a pile of gray and white hair off the tiled kitchen floor. We stood still with our eyes wide and wondered where all that hair came from! I still remember her words.

“Darn rabbit shed all over the place. Mary, hand me that dustpan. You know, I saw him just as he jumped over the fence out back. He must have been at least as tall as this ceiling.”

I looked at my little wide-eyed brother wearing his footed PJs and he looked at me. He blinked once, made a U-turn and ran back to bed and hid under the covers. My Dad was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and sprayed it with a sip of coffee when my brother high-tailed upstairs. Poor kid had a fear of the Easter Bunny for years later!

Oh, don’t be bashful.

Now you're too far away! Don’t hide. Let me see your beautiful self. Strike a pose, please?

That’s what I’m talkin’ about!

I hope your Easter was a joyous one.

Reasons to Enjoy Blogging - I've Been Tagged

News update: I have a live mouse and keyboard!

I’ve been tagged by Annie at the Transplantable Rose in Austin, Texas, to give reasons I enjoy blogging. She’s a garden expert and I have enjoyed her writings for a few months and learned a great deal from her. She’s one reason I like to blog. Annie’s post on this subject is so eloquent that I don’t think I can say it better than she, but I’ll offer this anyway.

Several weeks ago, I wrote about blogging here. But let me describe it in a different way.

My alarm clock shatters my dreams at 5:20 a.m. on the weekdays and after I groan and drag myself from the bed, let the dogs out to relieve themselves, make the bed (well, not perfectly), I scuffle to the computer and check my e-mail to find who has visited me and I, in turn, view a few blogs to see what everyone else has been up to. But it’s early, with only a few minutes to spare, so I choose to read more and visit later in the day. That’s a great thing about blogging. You visit and read at your own convenience and because of that, there is one less deadline to meet in your hectic day.

During the last few months, I have been graced in getting to know a variety of personalities with different lifestyles and talents. In the United States I have grown fond of bloggers from Maine to Florida, New Jersey to California, and Alaska. There are a few in Canada I couldn’t do without, either. I’ve recently met and admire a blogger in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a blogger in Austria, and another in England. Blogging is good for broadening your horizons and seeing life through the eyes of others who you may never physically embrace, sadly.

During the course of just one day, without blogging, would you ever meet and visit healthcare professionals, writers and published authors, artists, teachers, musicians, retirees, historians, social workers, naturalists, photographers, bunny lovers, cat lovers, dog lovers, nature lovers, and people with distinct personalities, desires, dislikes, and likes? Definitely not! They’re all compassionate people with a desire to share their lives of happiness and sorrow through wonderful words and photographs. All of this comes from the heart and it's SO GOOD. They are soulful friends who laugh and cry with you and for you and there have been times when I wanted to reach through the monitor to hold them…

Could I run up and down my street or call my family and friends to shout out, “Hey, I have horny toads!” Not really. So I share them with my photographs.

Will anyone come to see why I know they are horny and what they have contributed to life? Not. Shouting from my front porch, “Anyone out there? Look what I found in the pond skimmer! And you know what I did? I took a spatula from the kitchen and scooped them back into the pond!”

Who would be able to see disobedient dogs? Hula Hoops are NOT allowed in the house.

Would anyone share my grief over my twice bitten Canna due to another sub-freeze last night unless they could see it?

I wouldn’t dream of having a phone conversation with an old friend about a weed I saw on my walk yesterday but I’ll show it with the magic of my camera…

Only my birding mentors would understand my glee in finding the Goldfinches have returned.

Who would have the time to come see a Brown Thrasher visit me before it flew away? And who in my neighborhood would understand the meaning of seeing a Lifer? I’m grateful to the Science Chimp for the ID on this one. She’s the best.

Blogging is all about sharing. If I can make someone smile or hold back a few tears now and then, consider it not from me, but through the grace of God.

If you are reading this now, consider yourself tagged! Thanks, Annie, for inviting me to think about the gift of sharing.

Customer Service, then Advil

Could this plane be carrying a package for me?

The saga continues. My dead remote mouse and keyboard are still collecting dust.

March 24: Dell technician makes the decision to replace both parts and sends a follow-up e-mail outlining the plan.

March 26: Dell leaves a recorded message on our answering machine stating the parts will ship in one to two days and apologized for the delay.

April 2: No delivery. I call Dell from work. The computerized voice at the other end is asking me numerous questions that don’t even apply to my case and waiting for me to give answers I don’t have, so I fake answers.

My stewing began after wasting ten minutes without talking anyone. The first technician I spoke with was sweet and cheery but unfortunately, she needed to transfer me to the Parts technicians. I waited and listened to a recorded message suggesting I get on line and visit www.dellcustomercare.com and get quick and easy responses to questions within six hours on their chat line. I also listened to suggestions for computer upgrades, adding peripherals, and all sorts of stuff I could purchase to enhance my system but I didn’t give a rat’s ass about buying anything new and I didn’t want a chat line! I wanted someone on the phone line to tell me when my stuff will be delivered. That’s all I wanted!

Ten minutes pass. I’m still conducting business, e-mails, etc. and waiting…stewing. Steam rising from my scalp. Ordinarily, I would have just hung up and tried another time but I had this rage thing going on…

Finally, a technician (dialogue, nearly verbatim),

“Welcalm do DELL. I am Williom. How canna help you dooday?”

This guy spoke loudly, slowly, and deliberately. I don’t even think he had a foreign accent – it sounded more like a speech impediment. Oh, this is great, I thought.

I gave him my case number and a few other numbers he asked for and he was so pleased,

“Well, Maury, tank you for providing doze numbers. How do you pronounce your name? I am sorry bud I am not vera good with names.”

Me: Mary.

“Marie?”

Me: No, Mary. Like, Mary had a little lamb. [my eyes rolling]

“And ess your last name Furanchi?”

Me: Ferracci. It’s pronounced ‘Ferr-a-cci’.

I’m glad he didn’t give Ferracci another try.

Our entire conversation, lasting about twenty minutes, consisted of his extremely professional and courteous lines like, “Ok, den. I will need to put on hold you while I check some-ting. Is that OK, Marie?”, or “Tank you for waiting while I check on diss item.” This was too much politeness and small talk for me. Let’s get on with it, please… The music on hold was screeching loud enough to make me put pressure on my temples.

After his long apology for having me on hold,

“I see dat Michelle did cancel the parts order.”

Me: What? Who is Michelle?

“States dat Michelle cancel the order. Is another name on your account?”

Me: Yes, that would be my husband, Michael.

“Sorry. I am not vera good with names. Den Michael cancelled diss order.”

Me: Impossible! We did not cancel this order. We are expecting a delivery, according to Dell… [now I’m really getting hot]

He put me on hold again and for a long time. I’m massaging temples. He came back and apologized profusely for putting me on hold and thanked me for waiting. Before he could finish his repertoire,

Me: Ok, Ok. What’s going on?

“Da parts were ordered as separate from da computer Inspiron 1710 (and then he recited all of the specifications – why???). And dat warranty expire in 2009. Your two udder parts were ordered separate on December 12, 2006 and dat warranty expire in 90 day.”

Me: What???!!! This is ridiculous. We had problems with both parts in January. You must have a record of our case numbers.

“Well, dat is vera good, Maury. But I cannot deal with diss part. I will need to transfer you to other rep but you understand the warranty expire all ready.”

You know? I had enough and wasn’t getting anywhere with this kind fool. So I ended the conversation in a pleasant way. Looking back at that conversation, it’s so funny, and if I weren’t so frustrated, I could have talked to him for a long time, just for the fun of it.

Later that evening, Michael, a.k.a. Michelle, got on the phone and after a one hour conversation with several people, our issue was resolved. I should have my new keyboard and mouse before Friday at 6:00 p.m. when a Dell rep will call to confirm its delivery and help us to properly install the new parts. My guess is that the saga will continue…

I have so much work to do on my blog template and it’ll be wonderful to let my fingers fly around the keyboard without wiping out a post caused by one brush and touch of a finger.

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The winds howled today and I was downright cold. The pollen and wind made my eyes run like open faucets but I was able to see a little surprise that was nearly hidden in the grass. I was shocked at the small size of a Chipping Sparrow. [enlarge photos]

Look at the back of this little fast moving, hard working bird.

Taking baby steps and trying not to breathe, I tried to get closer but I knew I was pushing my luck. There were four of them jumping around gathering fine nesting material. Sweet.

These photos were taken during my mile walk on campus and at the moment I decided to pack it up, I saw a very shy Robin. Very nice back!

Last photo of the day, taken on my way to work at dawn. I trespassed onto a private driveway to get this photo. If I could have waited five minutes, the sky would have illuminated these adorable sheep.

Four-Word Wednesday: Investigative Techniques

Good Morning.

Good night.

Grief, Compassion, Fright, Confusion, & a bit of Silliness...

Events that happened over the weekend in Charlotte have created a somber mood at the office. Two Charlotte-Meckenberg police officers responded to a domestic on Saturday evening and were shot and killed on an apartment complex parking lot. The suspect, a twenty-five year old male with an assault record, has been taken into custody and so far the investigation finds no relation to the call on which the officers responded. Two young officers with families died over the weekend and the community mourns. One of them has a baby on the way. This is a story too commonly heard around the nation. Working in a law enforcement atmosphere, I am seeing men and women outwardly grieve for their counterparts. They are strong individuals with heavy hearts and show more compassion than the general public will ever see. Here is a poem that was passed through e-mail today, written by an officer in Delaware County, PA. It’s not Henry David Thoreau material, but comes from the heart of a law enforcer.

I fight not for glory or fame,
For they are momentary,
I fight for those who can’t.
I fight for the oppressed and the down trodden.
And if I should lose my life for these just causes, then I have no regrets,
For I serve to protect the innocent.
It matters not where or when,
For evil knows no boundaries.
Be it fire, flood, or the threat of tyranny,
I will not flee.
Justice is my weapon.
Faith is my shield.
Hope is my armor.
Cry not at my passing,
For it was my Honor to fight for you.
Shed not tears of sorrow,
But tears of joy,
For now,
I stand with God.

Ptlm. Mark Marchesi #2528
Parkside Police Dept. (Delaware Co, PA)

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Fire ants (click to enlarge). Until I moved to NC, I never knew of the danger one might encounter with them. Last fall, our college conducted a fire drill and herded our group to an area with 8-10 inch tall mounds of volcano type ant hills – the homes of ants that will tear you up. We pranced around those hills of doom and I wondered what would happen if we would have mistakenly stepped on one. This is what might happen. Lately, I’ve been taking walks around campus with safety in mind! The untreated, open areas I gingerly pass through are now loaded with these horrendous hills of doom. At first, I was considering poking my finger in the hill but luckily gained my senses and tossed a stone on one of them to see how angry fire ants can be. They were HOT!




Parking lots are always filled with new finds and I'm still slowing down and stopping. Through my drivers’ side window, I saw a few of these congregating. Sparrows drive me crazy with identifications. The best guess I have is a juvenile Song Sparrow but what do I know? I spent twenty minutes with my field guide and I GIVE UP. The next time you fill your gas tank, be sure to have your camera with you! I always see something new and different.

Millie and Johnnie showing their bluebird bellies.



There is an undercurrent of strange behavior going on at my feeders and it’s freaking me out. During the past week or two, I’ve seen new birds at the feeders including grackles bathing in the pond, red-winged blackbirds devouring the BOSS, one house sparrow last week that I haven’t seen since, and the above large squawker, only once. I don’t know what happens during the day and I wonder why I haven’t seen goldfinches or titmice at the feeders lately and a few others I can count on. This large black bird visited my neighbors' yard and I rushed outside to get a shot two doors away from me. My reaction was to call in the dog army and I sent them out in an urgent mission before I took this photo, of course. It flew out but returned in less than five minutes.



"Squawk!!! Look what I have and I didn't need you! Nanny Nanny Boo Boo!” A Fish Crow and amphibian. Creep. Yea, I know they have to eat, but...



Are you tired of Mourning Doves? Join my club. Sick and tired, but this one was ready for a dive into the pond and watched me photo its lovely self.

There is something nice I saw today, though. I’ve seen nervous ground feeders and wonder what the brown bird could be. Not a wren…



Female Towhee. How cute! I saw a male once in January but she’s a lifer at my feeders!

To my birding mentors: Tell me if I’m wrong about these IDs. I'm getting quite used to my own mistakes. I can take it…

Ruth talked about her young nephew who is a bright naturalist. I’d like to mention Trixie’s daughter, Zoey, who I think is elementary age and has created her own birding blog. Check out her sketches, especially the “Jumpin’ Junco”

Living Ordinarily Ain't Too Bad

This morning I received a comment on my last post from Sandy at Garden Path. At the end of her comment she questioned, “Do you ever have an ordinary day?”

In response to that, I thought, “Wow, that’s a loaded question!” Staring at the monitor with my chin cupped in my hand for several minutes, I was thinking of a reply. Instead of replying, I picked up my dusting cloth and continued to wipe the layer of pollen and little black dog hairs that look like human eyelashes off the furniture and thought more about it.

All of my days are ordinary and some of them are quite painfully ordinary, if the truth be known. My husband and I aren’t jetsetters or travelers. We live simple and ordinary lives as working stiffs. We’ve moved a few times during the past five years and haven’t taken a vacation for a long while because of the job-changing that goes with the moves. The relocations have been exciting, but, oh, how I would enjoy a vacation away from the ordinary! I dream of me one evening: on a vacation far away in an exotic place, with a glass of wine on the nightstand in our hotel room, my lap top on my lap, cursing the keyboard like I am now, and sharing the wondrous views of the world on my blog ~ unlike the ordinary views of my backyard.

We will vacation soon but until then, I’ll rely on myself to make life a little extraordinary, like I have done for most of my life. Shall we have lean chicken and tossed salad for dinner? Or shall we have lean pork or fish with a tossed salad for dinner? Will I have time to make a stew tonight? No, we’ll have DiGiorno’s frozen pizza since AI airs. But maybe I should just heat the leftovers. Yes, that’s quick and easy.

Since childhood, I’ve been more observant than most people. My sarcastic and humorous nature allows me to view the ordinary in an enhanced sort of way… My knowledge of nature surrounding me is quite limited and I very much appreciate the patience of my blogging community when I write about my silly musings. I don’t have much time for research but I love running around and finding things that makes my heart beat a little faster. It’s the observant, sarcastic, and humorous attributes I own that feed my soul. Ooops...is sarcasm an attribute?

So, now I'll talk about a few things I noticed over the weekend. And, thank you, Sandy, for making me think about my life in general.

Splashing color.

"Use your best aim. I'll catch it."

The sprinklers were running on the bank last night and I sat and watched a pair of Doves enjoying a shower. It's a community rule to have your fence erected ten feet inside your property lines. I don't agree with that and a few other rules imposed on us.

With every hit of the spray, this dove lifted a wing. I laughed the whole time. Right armpit: check. Left armpit: check,

Mr. Biggins: "Let's take a drink break, Bel Bel. Wanna?" Bella: "Ok, Mr. a Biggins. I'll b-b-beat ya to it!"

Here's another type of lizard we live with. I like them. It's a Southeastern Five-line Skink. It's very young and only about two inches long. I love the color of its tail and it brightens when it nears foliage.

Last night I couldn't resist another moon shot. The full zoom focus is on the leaves of the river birch which I think is a bit eerie.

This reminds me of a circle view of an Idaho baking potato in the sky.

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We had surf and turf for dinner tonight and Michael surprised me with tickets for a long weekend in the Barbados!!!

APRIL FOOL!