The Smallest Of The Falcons

 

"A kestrel can and does hover in the dead calm of summer days, when there is not the faintest breath of wind. He will, and does, hover in the still, soft atmosphere of early autumn..."

 

 ~Richard Jefferies

 

This is one of my favorite birds, the American Kestrel. I love it for it's beauty, but just watching how it flies, really draws me in! They soar with such whimsy, and they hover for food with deep precision. They are stunning birds, and in my opinion, not mentioned enough in the arts! Did you know they are the smallest of the falcons?

 

 

Imposter Seasons

 

"If I were a flower…I would be a sunflower. To always follow the sun, turn my back to darkness, stand proud, tall and straight even with my head full of seeds."

~Pam Stewart

It's late summer now, and but there are still some tiny sunflowers to be found along the roads here and there in the San Joaquin Valley. They always make me smile. I want to stop at each spot and take a photo, just so I refer back on cold days of winter, to keep me warm inside. The weather was perfect this summer. Not too hot, if not a little too cool. One night in July, I was actually shivering, while I was batting on the Franklin Bridge. I hardly got bit, there weren't nearly as many mosquitos as in years past. But there were sunflowers, which no matter what, they are always there in summer. That's a good thing, if not, I might not know if spring had ever ended!

Deer Crossing

 

“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” 

~John Muir 

 

While out waiting for bats one evening, on the Franklin Boulevard Bridge, I was enjoying that night's twilight of mild summer temperatures, when I spotted a group of deer wading through the Mokelumne River toward the southern bank, and let me tell you, it was just what I needed to see, when I needed to see it! The Mexican Free-tailed bat is a yearly visitor to the bridge, with numbers that on some years reach as many as 200,000, but for some reason their numbers don't seem to have nearly that many this year! When that happens, the photographer in me has to rely on other things in nature to photograph. Birds, dragonflies, even spiders are some of my favorite subjects, and I do have plenty of those to share, but I had been hoping to see something new to try, and then the chance presented itself. It was one of those magical moments, when the camera was with me, and the camera was charged up, and the camera actually had a memory card in it. You see, I tend to forget all those things from time to time. But on this night it all came together.

 

As I said, it was magic!

 

And there's a lot more to share with you!

 

 

I Met A Friendly Little Junco

 

“In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.” 

― Robert Lynd 

 

I was in Cull Canyon Park, birding, and I just wasn't seeing anything, I heard a lot of chirping, but I wasn't actually seeing the birds! They've gotten crafty about evading me. I guess they are taking advantage of the last of the summer's green leaves to hide in. Autumn will be here soon, and some leaves are already beginning to turn, so they know it's only a matter of time until birders like me will be visiting the parks and preserves. This dark-eyed junco wasn't so shy, it hopped right over to my car, and played in the fallen leaves, and I was so jealous, because that was something I would do if I could. Still, I got a lot of happiness just watching him. It was one of the best parts of last week!

 

 

The Smile On The Block Of Something

 

“I never realized how much you meant to me until someone spoke your name and an irrepressible, goofy grin stretched my lips.”

 
― Richelle E. Goodrich,

 

  Slaying Dragons: Quotes, Poetry, & a Few Short Stories for Every Day of the Year

 

As you know, I see smiles in inanimate things. It's called, Pareidolia, It's common, but not everybody experiences it at the same rate. I see faces all the time. In trees, in work equipment, in painted surfaces, and even road delineators. I love it! It makes my creative side excel at trying to find out why the object feels the particular emotion I see, it also makes me more aware of how people, even those I don't know, are feeling. And when there is no one around me at all, it makes me feel less alone somehow. I love the gifts the human mind offers. There is a lot to think about!

 

 

By the way... what the heck is that block of whatever, smiling at me?

 

 

Also on Friday, August 29th, 2025

 

 

“There was no other sound in the world like a car crash.”

 
― Maggie Stiefvater,

  The Dream Thieves

 

Also on Friday, as we were returning from picking up our new kitty, Tyler, this happened! Not to us, but these two cars. One was making a left turn into a gated community, the white car was speeding in the right lane, coming in the opposite direction, and hit the SUV and a crash occurred which knocked the SUV on its side. We stopped immediately, to provide help if needed, and to make sure they had a witness if need be. As it turns out, the car parked behind the accident, also stopped, and that man had to run down the passenger of the white car that got out and ran. I am reluctant to show his photo, as he was only 15. But what does that say, that he would leave his friend, who was injured, and run? Amazingly, an off duty police officer was driving behind the white car and saw him hit the SUV! That's very bad news for him!

 

 And get this, that was the second accident we had seen in two days!

 

We had to drive down to the Bay Area on Thursday, to pick up Tyler. That ended up being it's own drama, I will share about that sometime. So, anyway, we were kinda stressed on the way home, which I am sure you understand, and then, suddenly, we were witnesses to an accident. We also stopped at that one. Fortunately, there were no injuries! They exchanged their info amicably and we were on our way again. Luckily, there was no need for the police. As was good, so we were on our way.

 

But...

 

On the very top of the Altamont Pass, the engine light came on in the Cooper! Holy Hell! It turned out to be a minor thing, and again we were on our way, but doggone, can anything else scare the Hell out of me? Whew! Thursday was a day, and Friday had it's moments too, but we were okay. The biggest dramas were happening to others. It didn't matter to me if it was a democrat or republican, it never entered my mind, all I knew was that we had to stop when those accidents happened, and help! End of story. I hope others feel the same, but I don't know, we are all so fractured right now. Sigh.

 

Anyway was a strange week, and I can't help but wonder how much the moon, or sun flares, or just plain being distracted, by all the worldly drama played a part. All I know is we are okay, and that's the story. Driving on HWY 4 and the Altamont is a challenge. People speed, and weave in and out of traffic. You have to really be aware of what's happening around you. You just do. I hate taking HWY 4 in any direction, but if I want to do some birding this year, at the Clifton Court Forebay, we have to take HWY 4. It's the only way to get there! I guess I will worry about it when the time comes, sometime after the middle of this month!

 

For now... Ohmmm Ohmmm, HERE KITTY KITTY KITTY😊

 

 

Friday, August 29th, 2025

 

“There are two means of refuge from the misery of life 

— music and cats.” 

― Albert Schweitzer 

 

So, this post is all about what you see in the above photo. That's not a throwback picture of Hendrix, that is the first photo of our new kitty, Tyler. We adopted him on Friday, August 29th! He is adorable, and is already fitting in terrifically. It's less pressure for Joey, and for us too. One thing about kittens, they will use the hoomans, and the established cats, as scratching posts. Also, less harmfully, when they jump on us out of play and pure joy, kitty nibbles take place! Kitten nails and teeth can hurt. It's called owning a kitten, so I am not super worried about the less fun parts, I am focusing on what about them that fills my heart! I love to watching them grow up! In a few months it will be time to get them fixed and chipped and then it's fairly smooth sailing through their first year of life. It will be fun, and scary and well worth the effort. They are little for a such a short time, then before you know it, you are saying goodbye. But now is they time to celebrate all the love in this house, but also the love we once knew.

 

Welcome, baby Tyler! 

 

Come back tomorrow for Friday... Part Two. It's a really something.