Bird House Days

 

"An hour in nature, prevents a year in the hospital."

~Abhijit Naskar, 

Yarasistan: My Wounds, My Crown

Hubby and I got in the car, pointed it toward the Cosumnes River Preserve wetlands walk, and took a long walk around, just looking at all the birds in the tress and birdhouses, and it was glorious! Just a couple hours of listening to the sound of about 40 different birds, or so, was enough to make my achy body feel better. I unclenched my fists, and concentrated on different angles with my camera, and depth of field shots. This one is not perfect, by any stretch, it just made me happy to try to feel better. Little forward steps. But boy oh boy is that first step forward a difficult one. Depression sucks, but I know with some effort I can move past it toward light and hope. Like with this photograph, I will get perfect this shot as the year moves on, and that's a good thing to look forward to, but if I don't strive for the perfect shot, this scene with remain forever in mediocrity. Who wants that?

Spring, Yet Autumn Too

 

“She turned to the sunlight
    And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
    "Winter is dead.”

 ~ A.A. Milne,

  When We Were Very Young

 

 “There's a promise between
beginnings and end.
And, there's a hope between
end and beginnings..!!"

O' Autumn, you'll never stop,
singing your sanguine songs.”

 
~Monika Ajay Kaul

 

I found this photo, while rummaging through my photo files from last April. I didn't post it at the time because I was feeling less than enthusiastic about everything. Yes, everything! The election had been rough, and I caught Covid-19  in December. Dylan passed away, and Hendrix was having some problems with grief and age. Last spring seemed black and white most of the time. But one day I was out with Alan, enjoying a walk through the Cosumnes River Preserve, I saw this blossoms beauty, but I don't think I grasped the bigger picture. I took that picture, because the blossom's colors remind me of autumn. Through all the sadness, I knew deep down that autumn would eventually come, and despite everything, I would feel better again, and I do. We are only a little ways in, and it's been incredibly magical. Marin county was stunning the other day, and we added 5 new birds to our album for this year, and one to our life list! Needless to say, Bodega Bay was... fabulous! Pictures to be posted soon! And we are planning a lot more trips. One for next week, fingers crossed. I am not mentioning where we are going, it seems like every time I do, something happens and we end up not going. So, you'll just have to keep visiting Ellipsis to find out where I am gallivanting off to next!

 

And there's a lot more to come!  

 

 

 

 

  

No Really, I'm A Nuthatch!

 

“Katy stayed in the treetops, no one ever found her. Except for the squirrels and the birds all around her. At last she was free, just as free as the breeze, And how Katy did love it up there in the trees.”

 

~Bill Peet

The Caboose That Got Loose

 

I spend as much time as I can in tree tops. Not literally, obviously, but what I mean is, I am a birder, therefore my eyes are constantly gazing upwards. It's good for me, because often my moods and body condition leave me weighed down. The other day I was sitting on a bench, at the Cosumnes River Preserve Wetlands walk, when I heard a rustle in the tree above me. I was excited, perhaps this was my chance to finally capture a beautiful photo of a White-breasted Nuthatch! Ummm... nope. It was this gorgeous squirrel making all the ruckus! I was delighted! It was pretty and funny and it entertained me long enough to leave a smile on my face for the rest of the day! Nature is a great healer! Just look at these photos and argue my point!

 

 Go ahead, I dare you!

 

 

 

 

I Went On A Winter Walk In My Wheelchair

 

Cosumnes River Wetlands Walk

Galt, California

January 15th, 2025

 

 

“At this season of the year, darkness

 is a more insistent thing than cold.

 The days are short as any dream.” 

 
~E.B. White

 

  Essays of E.B. White

 

I am slowly finding the beauty of winter. I will never be a winter person, my arthritis and scoliosis won't allow it, but I forgot how interesting shadows can be. I can see more birds because the leaves have all fallen from the trees, although I will post tomorrow about a truly beautiful leaf I found on the Consumes River Wetlands Walk. Winter brings new sounds from the sky. I am up to 69 birds in the file for 2025. That's roughly half of what I go all last year, and I will probably add more tomorrow, when I go to Monterey! I am looking forward to real life for a while. I will be back to posting about politics at some point, but for now, there is winter in the real world.