"Once upon a time, there were three little girls who went to the police academy... "
~Charlie Townsend (John Forsythe)
Charlie's Angels
Opening credits all 5 seasons
Who didn't watch Charlie's Angels when they were kids? I was 14 or so when this movie first aired, and it was good by 1976 standards, but it wasn't what made the biggest hit with friends and me, it was the way Farrah Fawcett-Majors wore her hair! We all returned to school the next September with variations on her famous haircut! Farrah brought a certain quirky glamour to her character, Jill Monroe, that was more playful then her fellow angels. The TV movie pilot for the show premiered on March 21st, 1976, and it was an instant hit with, America! It didn't hurt that one of the actors who appeared in the pilot was Tommy Lee Jones, of whom I was already a fan of, from his days on One Life To Live! Yep it was television magic for a while, but with the departure of Farrah Fawcett-Majors some of the sparkle disappeared and was never quite found again. The 5th, and final season, was unwatchable in my opinion. By the way, fun fact, the address of the Townsend Agency was, 8619 Sunset blvd, Los Angeles, California.
Meanwhile...
It's Wednesday, and I am weary, so I feel like jumping into the way-back machine, and ignoring the stupid. Charlie's Angels, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, The Bionic Woman, Vegas, they were all big hits, and an excellent escape from the stupid of the mid-70's and early 80's. But there are a few current shows that do that for me in the here and now. Your Friends and Neighbors, and Widows Bay come to mind. Both can be found on Apple Tv. Your Friends and Neighbors has concluded it's second season, so let the bingeing begin, and Window's Bay will air it's season finale today. I sure hope it comes back. It's got horror, comedy, drama and intrigue all wrapped into a nifty mystery! It's so much fun to watch! If you haven't seen it, go, right now to Apple TV and binge this season. Trust me, it will hook you right in! It will also make you laugh out loud, scare you, and warm your heart.
"Sunsets prove that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully."
~Kristen Butler
Here are my photos of a gorgeous sunset. Both taken along Franklin blvd the other night while we were birding and batting. But, is it the past spring sunset photos, or the first summer photos of 2026? Summer hasn't officially started yet, but a couple weeks ago, we celebrated Memorial day, which most folks think of as the unofficial beginning of summer! I guess we are closer to summer than spring. Spring is feeling tired and quiet, while summer is raring to go! Okay, I talked myself into it. These photos represent the first sunset photos in my summer folder!
"If everything seems out of control, you're just not going fast enough."
~Mario Andretti
Okay, so our lovely Basil is no more. He was 14 years old, and had well over 120,000 miles on the odometer, so he lead a good long life and served us well! As happy as I am, its bittersweet saying goodbye to a car. We share a lot with our rides. The best memories with Basil, were the times we went birding, and that's what I am thinking about. Getting to know our new friend, who does not have a name yet, will have some new challenges, like getting used to what it's like owning an EV for the first time! I miss the olden days, where when you bought a car, it had a steering wheel, four tires, and if you were lucky, air-conditioning, but time does move on, and while somethings have gotten exceedingly easier, somethings come with built in complications. But time will shake it all out. No worries, but I do need a day of an emotionless state of being, and for that, I need a pillow, a cat, and a Sibley guide to plan my next day in nature.
If you dream it, it will come. Right now, I'm dreaming of a stress free day.
I don't have a witty quotes for today. I am tired, brokenhearted and really sad. And I admit I found it surreal that the New York Times had the same headline for, Saturday, and Sunday. Forgive me if this is a less than perfect post. History will remember this time, and will not look kindly on these assholes. Say his name, Alex Jeffrey Pretti. He was an ICU nurse at the V.A. hospital, in Minnesota. He was a son. And he was so much more, including a hero, for trying to save a woman who had been shoved to the ground by ICE agents.
He was the same age as Renee, Nicole Good... 37.
Renee Nicole Good
Murdered by ICE
January 7th, 2025
Alex Jeffrey Pretti
Murdered By ICE
January 24th, 2026
How many more will have to die, at the hands of the Trump Administration?
The stupidity speaks for itself. Don't let yourself be Gaslighted.
The one thing we can all do is get down on our knees and pray."
~Pete Hegseth
Did Pete Hegseth commit a war crime through the act of Perfidy?
I hope not, but it appears that he may have done just that! This is the year that the midterms decides our long term future, and I know that as we move closer to next November things will become more and more crazy, but honestly, America is so far into the dark right now, that I am not sure we will find our way home. This year marks America's 250th anniversary, now what?
"Life is like a wheel. Sooner or later it always comes around
to where you started again."
~Stephen King
2026 has gotten off to a devastating start. I had such hope for a bright future this year, but it's been one dark event after another, with no sign of letting up. I am riding the days, and pushing myself to do birding, but I struggle with having the energy and will to do so. But all is not bad, there is still some autumn happening here and there. Leaves in big piles, orange kitties, and Sandhill Crane preening against the backdrop of dried reeds, all make me heart smile, as autumn reminds me that it hasn't died, it is just merely sleeping.
"At this season of the year, darkness is a more insistent thing that cold.
The days are short as any dream."
~E.B. White
Essays Of E.B. White
Tired. It's been a long couple of days, and I am tired. But I have even better news, and I will share soon. But today I want to enjoy some football games, and not think about things that are too much for my tired brain.
So for now, don't you just love cold, dark January days. Naps. Hot Chocolate. Snuggles with cats, and really good days with a camera, birding, these are some of the things keeping me sane.
what a blessing and privilege it is just to be alive."
~Marty Rubin
Yesterday was day 1 of our birding year. Yep, we begin on January 1st, and it's perfect, because we encounter more birders, then the annoying, rude, downright nasty and dangerous who speed right by us, as we enjoy the birds. You might think I am being nasty myself, but it gets a little old when you are standing on a narrow road, which also serves as a narrow street that runs through the preserve, and some guy in a truck whizzes by doing 60, when the posted speed limit is 35!
By the way, the above sentence isn't me speaking in obscenities, it is, however, Tyler's take on things. Naughty kitty got on Mommies desk. Naughty Mommy forgot to turn her keyboard off before leaving to do errands. LOL. We are having a good time in 2026, so far, and I am thinking more positive then ever, so to heck with speeding drivers, more naughty kittens is what we all need. And encountering birders on our travels. I have 43 new birds in my 2026 folder, and I am adding more tomorrow. My new favorite numbers are, 1, 43, and 26, so perhaps I should play the Lottery!
"A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels,
in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed."
~Ansel Adams
For some sill reason, this photograph has been liked, as of the composing of this post, 151 times, on BlueSky! I can see all kinds of technical errors, the lighting, the foreground, it's not perfectly straight, there is a telephone pole keeping it from being a perfect landscape, but somehow... they liked it! It's the second to last picture posted to the photography community on BlueSky for 2025 and the first to this platform for 2026. I like that. And hopefully, it's a sign of good things to come! Here's to thinking positively!
solitary, self possessed, free from grief and numb to the hurts of human life."
~Helen MacDonald
H is For Hawk
I spotted this absolutely gorgeous, Red-shouldered Hawk, the other day, while we were on Woodbridge road. There aren't as many birds, in our usual places, as there should be, another sign that 2026 will be another difficult year for birding. It's okay. I know there are some hawks like this one, and a particularly chatting Belted Kingfisher along Woodbridge, and some Greater White-fronted Geese on Desmond, so we will start out okay, then it just might mean trips along the coastline for the seabirds and shore birds. Spring will bring the perching birds, and certain hawks in the summer. Pretty soon, I will sitting here again, just before the calendar turns to 2027 and I will be thinking about another year to come. For birds, health and life. But that's a long way off... and five minutes away.
