Mockingbirds, Ghosts, Winter Storms And Dracula

"Listen to the night sky; the mockingbird

 always sings you my lullaby."

 

~Jmemo

 

The Northern Mockingbird is one of those birds that seem to be increasing in numbers, as the winter migration continues. They are such pretty birds, but they are difficult to photograph, they move really fast. I photographed this one at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve in Lodi, California. I haven't seen one at my other haunt in Galt. And I haven't seen one in my neighborhood either, but one reason that might because we have some Scrub Jays, which seem a bit hostile and territorial, so I suppose that could be a reason. 

 

There is a big wind storm going on right now. I am in my office and it sounds like ghosts banging on the walls, and crying as they float through the house. It's not ghosts, but it's easy to imagine it could be. We have lived in our house going on six years, and I have never seen, or heard, a storm like the one that's happening right now. While it's kind of fun, I can only imagine the damage Stockton, and our yard in particular, will wake up to later today.

 

The night sky might have the sound of beautiful Mockingbirds, but tonight it carries the sounds of the an angry, powerful wind. Haunting and destructive. I hope all my bird friends are okay! The wind sounds like it would carry them away. It's spooky, which makes me very happy. It's almost like having autumn back! Maybe I will go watch a scary movie movie. I'm in the mood for Rosemary's Baby or perhaps, Halloween.

 

~Carly

 

Working With Light

"There are darknesses in life and there are lights, 

and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights."

~Bram Stoker

Dracula

I was in a restaurant the other day and saw this pretty light. It was in the middle of the day, but the light photographed as if I had taken it in a completely dark room. I loved it. I need to experiment more with lighting I think. Anyway, the lighting situation reminds me of our current political climate. There is a light. But then everything around it seems to swallow it up and thrust it into darkness.

 A 24 hour news cycle doesn't always jive with the position of the sun... does it? It can be a hot, clear, August day, and yet when I hear about North Korea successfully launching a missile or Donald Trump's latest hateful musing, I suddenly feel a winter chill down my spine! What season will we be in, when we find ourselves on the last day of the world?

 I think about the surreal beauty of the morning of September 11th, 2001, with it's clear blue sky, and mild temperatures. It was a day that you muse to yourself that nothing bad could possibly happen. Then it did. Except it seems like we have forgotten about that day. We have gotten used to pain or maybe we have gotten good at ignoring how it felt to be an American that day. I don't know which. Truth is, it's probably different for everyone.

But...

Did the darkness swallow the light?

Did the light lie to us, when it swallowed the darkness?

Where it begins and where it ends is a mystery.

Maybe we are better off not knowing much about tomorrow. Maybe some days are like the light in the picture. There is a little light, in the middle of some darkness, but the light is shining anyway. It isn't giving up because there is darkness surrounding it. If I chose to not see the light, that's on me. I can't fault the light.

The light will shine, with, or without me.

Mood: Introspective

~Me :)