Eat, Pray, Bird

 

“I am a better person when I have less on my plate.”

 
~Elizabeth Gilbert,

  Eat, Pray, Love

 

This is one of my favorite go-to lunches when I am out birding, although most times I share the boiled eggs with dear hubby. Two seem a little much. I am careful about my salt so I eat them plain, and I love fruit as a pallet cleanser, so the meal is just about perfect. I don't always grab Starbuck's, I bring my own lunches as well. Later today, for example, I will be packing a half ham sandwich, two mandarin oranges, a thermos of soup, two cookies, and a Baby-Bel Gouda. It sounds like a lot, but most of the time I skip breakfast. As you might expect, Bodega Bay gets COLD in winter, so as I said my soup is a must, so its soup of tomato or chicken noodle for me. Yum!

 

I love going on long drives with hubby, and Bodega Bay has become a favorite since we decided to become birders. I have seen some truly wonderful birds. The Bald Eagle. The Eared Grebe and one of my absolute favorites, the Common Loon. Right now, there is an impressive list of birds reported in, and around, Mitch Brenner's house. I love that particular spot for birding. The Bonaparte's Gull took my breath away, it's a stunner, and one was reported this week. And of course, both species of pelican will be present. Can you tell I am excited? It's worth the 119 mile drive! As I mentioned in a previous post, I am hoping for 10 birds. 15 would make me smile all the way home, and 20 will make me sleep happily for a week! 

 

Here's to traveling lightly and with hope! 

 

Birds I've spotted in the past in Bodega Bay

 

 

Past Interpretations

"A path is a prior interpretation

 of the best way to traverse a landscape."

~Rebecca Solnit

Wanderlust: A History Of Walking

This past summer I was on a path. A path that came along suddenly, and seemed to only have one direction. When my rental cottage was ripped out from under me, it meant one thing, Alan and I would be moving on, and moving on meant one thing, it was time to buy our own place. Buying our own place meant one thing... we would be leaving the Bay Area and heading east. And that's what we did! We moved east! Well, not at first. At first we planned to move slightly southeast, but when that all changed we took out a map, and a Zillow app, and ended up in Stockton, California. Oddly enough, Stockton was where I thought we might move to, prior to the ill fated decision to move southeast. Anyway, to get to either place from the Bay Area, one must travel through the Altamont Pass.

 The pass can be one of the most tranquil drives in the area, or a bumper to bumper nightmare, depending on time of day, and the day of the week. I took this picture almost a month ago, on one of those bumper to bumper drives, which as it turns out, would be my last trip over the pass. A bit of information I didn't know at the time. But that day, as I looked at that moon shining in the sky, I felt tranquil and ready for the future, whatever that meant. I don't know why, but the sight of the moon made me feel safe somehow. I had my camera out, the moon was posing for me, and the landscape was serene. I am smiling now just thinking about it, and I know that it makes me want to try really hard later tonight when the moon goes into it's eclipse.

 After all, I will be photographing it from the comfort of my own back yard! How awesome is that? My first lunar eclipse, in my own back yard! I have all the cameras charged and loaded with batteries! I have some snacks and beverages ready. My tripods are all set up, and everything is a go! Well, except for the ridiculous end of the world theories and the possibility of some low fog out here in the San Joaquin valley. It's always something! If the end of the world doesn't get ya, there is a "possibility of fog!"

LOL.

Am I worried? Nah! I am not worried in the slightest! If the end of the world comes, then so be it! All I ask is that I am not in the shower when the trumpets blare.And as for the fog, well, who knows, maybe some fog will give the photos just the edge I am looking for! Phooey on fog and end of the drama junkies. I am happy. 

And I am home!

Leaf Of The Day

September 26th, 2015

Mood: Happy

~Me :)