Thursday, April 23, 2009

Funny or Not Funny

They say everything happens for a reason. Isn't it odd that we never know the reason for those "things" that happen? They also say a sense of humor will save the day. Yes, yes, yes, it does.

On Easter Sunday, two weeks to the day before I’d leave for the first birding adventure of my entire LIFE and my first vacation with just me and for me, me, me, my camera spoke to me softly. What did that strangely new, faint motor noise mean during auto focus? Was I imagining this in the muffled quiet of my car? Was my camera struggling and dying inside? And what about that slight vibration I could feel with my right hand and forefinger resting on the shutter? Is this funny?

It’s as funny as this, dammit,


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or the prelude to a Starling/Grackle face-off...

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An animal attempted to crush the wire on this sturdy feeder. I wonder what animal had the strength to do this. A few weeks later, I found the red cap lying under a bush nearby the feeder pole but the feeder itself disappeared. I replaced it with an older, smaller nut feeder and still wonder what happened that night… Not funny.


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That used to be a Bluebird house. Not funny at all.

Instead of sending my beloved camera to the Digital Camera Hospital, I’m keeping it for the trip. In the horrible event that my beloved big Fuji dies, I purchased a small back-up Fuji… Cha-ching.

More fun:

One week prior to the day I’d leave for the first birding adventure of my entire LIFE, I held my jaw with a cupped hand, walking off a toothache in the shopping mall. This was not good for making decisions on footwear in the mountains. For four days, I guzzled Advil like dark chocolate M&Ms until I saw the dentist and had that bad boy wisdom tooth eliminated, near abscess. By the time I get to the mountains of West Virginia, I should be eating more than mush.

After surgery instruction: Avoid strenuous activity for twenty-four hours.

So I bent over to tie my shoes and ended up with a bloody mouth.

That was very funny. Strenuous, too.


While I’m away and spotting oodles of lifers in West Virginia, I’ll think about my backyard birds once or twice.


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That’s funny.


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Sweet.


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This is the first year I’ve seen female Cardinals wanting peanuts.


I’ll insist hubby cleans and refills the hummingbird feeders once while I’m gone, but I will let the birds eat bugs and berries for a week. Do y’all know that safflower seed is too expensive? I withhold food most of spring for that reason. And for this reason:

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Funny? Or, not funny?

Heck, I’m cackling right now. It's hilarious. Yeah.

Talking about cackling and laughing your arse off, you must visit
Murr (Mary) in Oregon and Mary Lee in North Carolina. These two women are funny! They both have a great style of story telling - if it’s a belly laugh you crave.

I’ll be away without laptop so this will be my last post for a while. I sat in the yard with the Licker Sisters late this afternoon, feeling overwhelmed and tired from all the rush and worry of leaving. I took their picture.


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Bella.

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Chloe.


That’s when I began missing them, already.

It’s time to start packing my bags. I'll start tomorrow,

or maybe on Saturday :o)

The birds will be great but

the people will be the real deal.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh Mary. I do hope your camera is going to function perfectly for you on this trip. But I suspect you'll have a great time regardless! Thanks for this post; it's put a big smile on my face. Well, maybe not quite as big as Bella's....

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Ouch about the toothache! I am the world's biggest woosie-baby when it comes to tooth pain. I'll mash your food for you. Wine is a good pain killer and from the emails flying around from the Flock, we'll be swimming in it.
I'm bringing a back-up camera too. Maybe if you don't need your back-up, you can return it!

Deep breath May.

See you in THREE DAYS!!!!

Kathleen said...

What the heck are you doing getting a toothache. Geez! I'm glad it sounds like you will heal up in time for WV.

The Bella & Chloe shots are dear. I also always get homesick BEFORE I leave home.

See you one week from RIGHT NOW!

Tina said...

Well, I also hope your oldie but goodie camera holds up to take some more fine pics of your trip...but you have such a great eye for great pics that I'm sure your back up will also do fine! Sorry to hear about that tooth...had to have a back molar pulled not too long ago..felt horrible losing a tooth..scarey too!!
Funny to see your pooches smiling...but I think they just want you to have a great time..plus while the cat is away..the doggies will play...:) Relax and enjoy..you deserve it and more!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Bella's little tongue looks like a heart shape at the tip. Sweet indeed. I do hope you have a great vacation and you come back full of stories. You will be invigorated by all the hustle and bustle of the trip. Meeting new people, see new birds. Bon Voyage.

Susan Ellis said...

Hi!
What a joy to find your blog...brilliant writing and great photos..thank you!
Pretty recent arrival here, and already I can tell your photos and quips are several steps above the norm.Lots of fun!

Anonymous said...

Holy crap! A WISDOM tooth?!

What IS the bird in the tree? That's funny. . . but not as amusing as the girls. Miss Bella is quite the ham. Makes it easier to leave when they're home with daddy and not being boarded, huh?
Tell him the hummingbird patrol will be making random checks.

Have a fabulous time!

Anonymous said...

beautiful bird pictures, cute pup, fun blog and great recommendations! thanks!

Wendy said...

Have a blast! Hope your mouth stays bloody-free. That must have been awful! Yuk.
Your pics are nice, funny or not. I love the licker sisters, especially the pink tongue.

KGMom said...

Jeez--Mary--the way you started out. . .things happen for a reason, I was holding my breath expecting you to say you are staying home.
Except for missing the puppies, there's no reason not to go.
I love Chloe's dignified indulgent look.

J.G. said...

Have a fab time, and remember to bring your shoes to your face when you tie them, not the other way around!

A New England Life said...

Chloe and Bella will surely miss their mom while she's away. When we go to NYC next week-end I told hubby I'll be worrying about the dogs the whole time even though they'll be safe and sound. They are such an extension of who we are.

Dang girl, between the tooth and that camera . . . talk about stress! Once you get there it will be just fine. You're going to have a great time with your blogging friends! Wish I could go too!

My peanut feeder looks just like that, dented. I'm thinking it's from all the times those nasty squirrels have knocked it on the ground : /

Wonderful photos, as usual! Have a great time Mary!

Dawn Fine said...

So sorry about all the mishaps...Hope that is all...
Those pups are adorable..i would have a hard time leaving those cuties behind.
Have a great time!

Susan Gets Native said...

Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Kathie is doing dangerous yoga to get pictures of baby owls and your teeth are falling out.
What's next? Someone gonna go into labor????

*I've been secretly terrified that my camera will fall in a lake or I will accidentally leave in on top of my car and I will drive over it.*
Let's all stay in one piece so we meet on a mountain?

Mary said...

Susan Gets Native wins the prize for making me laugh the hardest tonight! My God girl you crack me UP!

TR Ryan said...

Are we gonna laugh!!! I have'nt started packing yet. Gulp!

Unknown said...

Mary you are going to be so excited seeing everyone that all will be good. Keep telling yourself I'm having a great day and great things are happening to me.

The Quacks of Life said...

have a super trip and I hope the camera is ok!

Peg Silloway said...

How about that you're going through all the rotten stuff ahead of time so that your first time ever vacation for YOU will be all that you hope and more?

Have a wonderful trip - I know we'll have a feast of magnificent photos when you come back.

Julie Zickefoose said...

The starlings gobble down my peanuts, too. But there's a hairy and a redbelly on the feeder together right now, so it isn't all bad. I'm slowly taking care of the house sparrows. My cameras, so far, are only as noisy as they're supposed to be, and my mouth hasn't filled with blood lately...yecccch! You have my extreme sympathy, and I salute you for getting that bad boy out!

Those pictures of the girls just make me weep, especially Chloe. Chet Baker is primed to give you some extra kisses. And he knows that Boston terrier people need about 100 a day, especially when they're missing their puppehs. Cannot believe it is almost upon us. I'm workin' on my talk! Love you!

Rose said...

Have a great time, Mary! Bella and Chloe will miss you, too, but I'm sure they will be fine. And the birds will do just fine as well on bugs and berries for a week. Good thing that toothache happened before you left! Here's hoping the camera recovers as well.

jason said...

Curious about the feeder, Mary. Nice mystery--and give a shout if you identify the culprit.

I hope your camera is okay. Maybe it's just reacting to humidity or temperature changes. But you were smart to grab a backup camera just in case.

Enjoy your trip! Remember, the only thing you need to plan on is having fun. Everything else is secondary.

Murr Brewster said...

Oooh, I wish I were going! I'd be a terrific birder--right up there with Helen Keller. Some day I'll join you all. I think I have what it takes: I've got a cranky camera and just had my wisdom tooth taken out. I'm READY. Have a blast.

Kate said...

Careful with the camera! If you love birding like I do it is the rock of the relationship! Bella is adorable too...

*I Donated To Cornell Ornithology*
http://www.opticsplanet.net/cornell-lab-of-ornithology.html

Heather said...

I know you will have so much fun at the festival Mary. I am going to be jealous of all of you when you come back and share your stories on your blogs (you will do that, won't you?!). Be safe - I'll be thinkin' of you all!

Q said...

Dear Mary,
Have lots and lots of fun! The birds will be fantastic and the people the best part. Meeting all your bird blogging friends will be the highlight.
No worries...just have lots and lots of fun.
Hugs,
Sherry

gretchen said...

Have a wonderful time Mary, and safe travels; hope your tooth problems are over and that you are feeling better; smart move on bringing a back up camera with you even if you don't need it. I think I'd have a panic attack if I found myself cameraless on such an important trip!
Can't wait to hear all about it and see your wonderful photos- no matter which camera you use, as long as YOU are using it, the photos will be gorgeous; and you'll be back with Chloe and Bella before you know it!

Heidi said...

OH gosh, I think I'd be missing them already too :) Well mine anyway. I've done that when preparing to leave for vacay.

I'm sorry about your wisdom tooth. I do love the way you put the after surgery instructions and activity together. Perfect ;)

Actually, I've done that myself. Been 15 years though.

ENJOY YOURSELF next week and hope you don't need your backup camera.

Ramblings of a Villas Girl said...

Hi Mary! It sounds like this vacation is just what you need. I'm sorry to hear about the camera. Hopefully it works for you.

I'm so excited. My first hummer showed up last night. The little jewels are finally here Mary. Lisa

Anonymous said...

It's great to have a lot of activity at the feeder. Sorry about the camera being on the fritz.

Unknown said...

Great advice. The corollary is that adversity breads strength. The easy path never leads to the promised land!

RuthieJ said...

I can tell you are so ready for this trip Mary. I hope you have a wonderful time away from the "daily" stuff, see good birds and LYAO with those other flockers!

Larry said...

Sounds like it should be a fun trip.-That would be the way that things start going wrong just as you're getting ready for a trip.
Great photos as always.-Hopefully little fuji is just along for the ride and a test drive.

dguzman said...

Sit down, take a deep breath (but not a strenuous one!), and remember that this trip is about FUN and FRIENDSHIP. Don't be stressed! Just relax and let the Flock flow over you!

Unknown said...

Nice post with sharp images. The shot of the face-off shot is very sharp.

JeanMac said...

Too bad about the toothache - Murphy's law!

Lynn Kellan said...

Yowza, tooth problems always make me squeamish. I like dentists; but I'm scared of hygenists...they always yell at me ("You better floss!").

I hope you're feeling better for your trip! Tweet!