Welcome To Spring

 

“Clean air; bird song; fresh flowers;

 and the leaves unfurling on the twigs.”
~Pierre D'Alverne 

 

A little later today we say goodnight to winter. I am a bit blue about that fact because I enjoy the dark rainy day, I like when the wind blows so hard that it makes spooky noises in the house. I like watching old black and white monster movies, because being scared shouldn't be held to autumn exclusively. But as I sit here mourning winter, I realize that I also enjoy the warmer summer days. My arthritis really enjoys it! And I adore Jelly Belly Jelly Beans. Every single flavor! Which I tend to crave this time of year. In autumn, its candy corn, in winter, Ghiradelli chocolate. Summer finds me crazy for old fashioned candy, like Whoppers and Mounds bars. It's all good, but I just bought a 4lb bag of Jelly Belly for the season. It helps me deal with Trump bullshit, but I will save all that for another day.

Joey And His Shadow

 

“What greater gift than the love of a cat.”

 
~Charles Dickens 

 

I certainly agree with Dickens on that. I don't know any greater honor than to be loved, but cats constantly remind their owners that love isn't automatic, just because you feed them, and put a roof over their heads. The relationship builds over time, but once there is love, it's the most honest love you will ever have. I would be completely lost without my boys. I love them so much!

 

 

It's There's Blossoms And Birds, It Must Be...

 

“Springtime is the spirit of strength.”
~Lailah Gifty Akita 

 

Okay... fine... it's SPRING! I know spring doesn't officially begin until next Wednesday, the 19th, but I cannot fight it anymore, it's spring, and has been for a couple weeks! Oh well, hopefully summer will begin early also, and then we will arrive back at autumn, the most beautiful season of the year, faster! Usually the autumn light begins in August, towards the end of that month, but I will take it earlier than that! Yes, please! Now, lets address a different subject, why I capitalize the names of the seasons. I get that they are general nouns and therefore not subject to capitalization, but don't they look nicer when capitalized? So, I am perpetually wrong about that, but it's a hard habit to break! Oh well, I'll try. Okay... spring... there!

Hey, I just seemed to grow as a person,

 and I have Spring to thank for it! DOH!

 

👧

Thank You, President Biden!

 

Desmond Road

Galt, California

March 2024

 

 

“The sure way of sustainable management of the ecosystem

 is to make human kind environmental stewards.” 

~Lailah Gifty Akita 

 

 

The beauty of Desmond road will become even more beautiful because of the money being put into the Cosumnes River Preserve and it's ecosystem, by Joe Biden and his administration. Maybe next year there will be more birds. Maybe a fish will not end up on the endangered species list. It is critical to save this precious part of the wetlands, as it is so important for the birds who return year after year on the Pacific Flyway. Among them, my beloved Greater White-fronted Geese, and the Sandhill crane. Last year I witnessed so much damage that had been done by the storms of early 2023 and an especially dry summer, so I have so much hope for life along the river. Even the Mexican Free-tailed bat has an interest! They have been eating on the mosquitoes and living under that nifty bridge for years, and soon they will be back and ready to feed. Sometimes the ecosystem makes me sad, it is what it is, but knowing life is working as it should helps me sleep better at night. This is the only wetlands we have, on the only planet we have! Thank you, President Biden, for working for America, and for the small souls that save us!

“May it fill your heart with joy to extend your family to include every insect, native plant or animal and fluffy bird

 that finds sanctuary there with you.” 

~Mary Reynolds

 

 

Greater White-fronted Geese

American Avocet

Black-necked Stilt

Prick!

 

“I know many of you are hurting.

 It happens every year. It's called the anniversary effect.” 

~Richie Norton 

 

I care so much about this, that I thought my Twitter anniversary happened sometime in in February! Calling it an "X anniversary" is stupid and nonsensical! I never joined X, it thrust upon us. I am so much happier on Threads! So why am I blogging about this, well, sigh, I got nothing else. I am just... ugh.

 

 Fuck Elon Musk! 

 

 

Bird On A Wire

 

 

 "I would like to paint the way a bird sings."

~Claude Monet

 

 

 

"The early bird gets the worm,

 but the late bird doesn't even get the late worms."

~Charles Schulz

 

Usually I just post one quote, but hey I today I found two that fit perfectly, so why not share both? Cutting to the chase, I need to improve my photography. So, I am going to look into some online courses in digital photography, so I can get more out of my photo jaunts. I hope by the end of the year, I have photographs so good, that I won't have to make any adjustments. I am going to start tonight, by lighting a candle for the first time ever. Yep, my adventure in growth for February, will be facing my fear of fire! I know I can do it, I have faced other fears before, however this will be a big one to conquer, but aren't all fears?

 

 And besides, I promised a mere 12 months of new opportunities to myself, and that seems appropriate so there should be no whining about how hard it will be to do. One should always keep the promises we make to ourselves. They weren't New year's resolutions or anything, more like a continuations of the new experiences I began doing last summer. I think it came on the heals of so much personal loss. It jarred me. Life is beginning to pass me by, so I want to experience new things, and create a lot of new memories because those loses drove home the point, with deep clarity, that life is nothing, if not short.

January... Attended a political meeting, containing real humans.

Done. 

Result... I had a positive experience.

 

Why did I choose the title of a Mel Gibson movie for the title of this post? Well, in the movie, Bird On A Wire, Mel Gibson was in the witness relocation program until he was accidentally outed by a former lover, so he had going on the run from bad guys thrust on him, so he was scared but there was no hiding from it, he had go into the open, and face the bad guys to be truly free. In the end, he faced it, and saw a bright future in front of him. You might not be able to tell, but it was actually a very funny film. Goldie Hawn was in it too. Anyhoo, I kind of feel that way about my fears,"...like a bird on a wire."

 

 

 

 The movie takes its name from the Leonard Cohen song whose lyrics include the words ''like a bird on a wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir, I've tried in my way to be free. ''

 

Via New York Times 

 

Wish me luck! I need to try new things, and be free of what holds me back. If I fail, I will have to find a new fear or experience to do, but I really hope to do this one. I will share the result in tomorrow's post! Hopefully there will photos to accompany the attempt! It will nice to work with low lighting!

 

 

Golden Blossoms, Red Fences

 

“We tried the golden age's of lands, what of all the other soil, water and air, with all that lives in each, who wants a bit of gold too. 

 

 Who knows when does winter ends.”

 

~Unknown

 

That's was a beautiful autumn moment in front to me, but obviously winter and spring are there too. Seasons are magical, as I overstate every autumn. To be honest, I believe it's the magic of autumn that allows me to see it in nature, when I need it the most, and there it was the other day... autumn, winter, and spring all sharing one space. Some folks may not notice the things that make each seasons special, but in that photography keeps you in the moment, I am lucky enough the be able to really see spring blossoms, the Mexican free-tailed bats of summer, the glorious autumn leaves and the shadows of winter. I live in the moment as much as possible.

I love it. 

 

Working My Way Through It

 

“There are wounds that never show on the body that are

 deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.” 

~Laurell K. Hamilton,

  Mistral's Kiss

 

I am just going to jump right in here... I am moving along with my grieving just fine. I think I have experienced all 5 stages of grief. Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and finally, Acceptance. My niece, my nephew and my sister died last year, as did a very nice man, Treat Williams, who I considered a Twitter friend. He was a man who cared deeply about the well being of others, and that is extremely rare in the times we are living in. It all happened last year, but well under a year ago, so while I have dealt and moved on with four of the five stages, I am still dealing with one, the sadness or depression, or whatever label you want to assign to it. I still have sudden thoughts, or memories of those I lost, including Treat. I miss them all. I miss Treat for his compassion and ability to see the glass half-full and my family for a lot of complicated reasons, but mostly the good times we shared.

 

 I have been spending a lot more time by myself, watching old movies, reading, and I like some computer games. The meeting at the democratic club in Lodi went very well, in fact we plan on becoming members, so I think that was a healthy move, more on that later. Like I said, life is moving on, but the depression remains. But I am not completely lost. I have my photography and I have my birds. Some of my beautiful beautiful Sandhill crane remain along Woodbridge road, and they are great for erasing sadness from my heart and mind. I am going to need my photography more than ever as we move throughout this year because of the upcoming election. Trump will only get more and more irritating, scary and embarrassing as we move closer to November. I am truly going to need my birds and my photography, just to keep my sanity.

 

My photography is beginning to reflect my moods, although I guess it always did to a degree. Anyway, I hope to heal in a steady manner, but one thing you cannot do, when it comes to depression, is will it to go away. You have to try your best to not let it consume you, and you have to remind yourself of what you are grateful for. Embrace what you love and don't let go. When the Sandhill crane finally move on, I will search out the Bonaparte's gull or the Caspian tern, and look forward to the crane's return next September. I will be on Woodbridge road, around the 15th of September, with a packed lunch, a pair of binoculars and my ears listening for the sound of a quaint old rocking chair, creaking across the sky. You can hear it from a mile away!

 

Donald Trump? Donald Trump who? 

 

 “That's the thing about depression: A human being can survive almost anything, as long as she sees the end in sight.

 But depression is so insidious, and it compounds daily, that it's impossible to ever see the end.” 

~Elizabeth Wurtzel

  Prozac Nation

 

My nephew committed suicide last July. Please, if you are contemplating ending your life, or even if you are not thinking about suicide but are depressed, there are resources available. Please contact the National Suicide And Crisis Helpline. Call or Text 988 to reach someone 24/7. Please reach out.

 

Turning Down The Volume Of Life

 

“Quiet is peace.

 Tranquility.

 Quiet is turning down the volume knob on life. 

Silence is pushing the off button.

 Shutting it down.

 All of it.” 

~Khaled Hosseini,

  The Kite Runner 

 

The little bird you see in the photo is a Least Sandpiper. It is a mighty little bird, in fact they are the smallest of the sandpipers. They are about the size of a sparrow, and I have misidentified them more than once, but I have come to know them now, and I look forward to them every year. I love their sound. While I can't wait to photograph them, they are quite a challenge as they move about in a manic pace. I also enjoy just putting the camera down and observing them. I know I say this about all the birds I photograph, but I love them. I truly do. Each bird is so unique, and for these birds it's how small and mighty they are. They inspire me to keep trying. They migrate thousands of miles in a year, and are only around for a little while before they are on their way, so it is a true honor to just turn off all the noise and be thankful for their visit to my corner of the world.

 

Learn More About The Least Sandpiper Here.

 

 

“My imagination functions much better

 when I don't have to speak to people.” 

~Patricia Highsmith

Ahhh Yes... Sodium

 

“Sir Humphrey Davy
Detested gravy
He lived in the odium
Of having invented sodium.” 

~Edmund Bentley 

 

Ahhh yes... sodium. I enjoyed sodium filled products my whole life. Chinese food. Italian food. HAMBURGERS. Buffalo wings. You name it, I was a sodium fiend. Let me stress, I was a sodium fiend. Ugh. Age makes us alter our thinking about food, and now that I am 106 years old, well, it's just a matter not wanting to fall over dead, while picking out Blood oranges at Trader Joe's. I just hate the thought of dying in public, don't you? Having to look at total strangers staring down at you, speculating on everything from why I was wearing a mask in public, to whether or not I had a next of kin in the car, while you see the white light of a thousand or more fluffy angels come flying to your side. Your last thoughts could be, wait... did I put underwear on this morning? Or perhaps, why the HELL did I have that salt platter of death last night? If I had just listened to my doctor, I might have at least made it to my car before I dropped dead. Sigh.

 

The delight you see in this post is from Panera. It's the absolutely perfect, Cranberry Orange Muffin. Worth the calories. Worth the sodium. Worth every naughty crumble, especially if you just do a little planning for it. Figure out what you want to spend your calories, fat, sodium and all the rest of it on, and give yourself a free day once a month! It will work for weight loss, I guarantee it, and it will work with cutting back other nutritional concerns as well. I tried it just after I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes back in 2007, and honestly it was one of the easiest things I have ever attempted. I gave up restaurants. I ate all the foods I loved, but they were homemade, and once a month I fed the culinary cravings, which I think made me less likely to drop the modified diet, because I knew there was a day waiting for me to enjoy each month. It works. So, that's what I plan to do now, all these years later. Salt in moderation. Salt measured. Not only am I lacking for nothing, I might just live to reach the car, the day I go tits up!

Well done, future me!

Happy Or Sad

 

 Yellow-billed Magpie

Louis Park

January11th 2024

Minolta ProShot MN67Z

 

“A magpie can be happy or sad: sometimes so happy that he sits on a high, high gum tree and rolls the sunrise around in his throat like beads of pink sunlight; and sometimes so sad that you would expect the tears to drip off his beak.This magpie was like that.” 

~Colin Thiele

  Magpie Island

 

It's seems magpies are a lot like humans in the sense that we all have good and bad days. This magpie was quite happy, he was hopping about from tree top to tree top, searching for seeds or acorns, or perhaps he was simply playing with his magpie buddies. I never see a magpie alone, they always have a community around them. Some birds are definitely loners like, for example, the Shrike, but magpies apparently believe there is safety in numbers. The shrike, by contrast is an aggressive bird that will, in human terms, will cut a bitch! LOL. Truthfully, they are simply nasty, cruel bird, but they sure are pretty. Figures. I love learning about the lives of birds, I have missed so much in my life by taking nature for granted. 

 

 

Wait... Monetery?

 

“Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a

 new day with no mistakes in it yet?” 

 

~L.M. Montgomery 

 

Honestly, I should never blog when tired, drunk or sleepy. The other day I titled a blog post, A Winter's Day In Monterey, or so I thought. What I actually titled it was, A Winter's Day In Monetery. A simple slip up, but nonetheless embarrassing. I can provide tons of reasons for my error, and excuses too, but I know I just need to slow down and proofread before I hit the little publish button. It's what would be best for everybody. Unless there is such a place as Monetery, California. It definitely sounds like it could be a real place. Don't you think? Maybe it's just off Rodeo drive or something. In any case, I am thinking of running for mayor or princess of Monetery. Do I have your vote? 

 

 

2024's Cedar Waxwing

 

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

 
~Robert Lynd 

 

I quit X about 10 days ago, and what I have learned in that short amount of time is simple... I was ready to turn off the noise. Social media, overall, has been good for me. I have met amazing people, shared my photos, got to know celebrities I've admired and just generally felt more connected to fellow democrats and those who share my values. It has made me feel less alone. 2024 is a different beast. I will share my opinions, particularly as we move closer to November, and I am hoping to volunteer for my local political chapter, but when it comes to the sounds I want whispering in my ear, I am ready to just hear my birds, and not the head noise Donald Trump causes. Yesterday, as an example, I heard a small group of Cedar waxing land in a tree above me. I heard them, and knew what they were, without looking up! They make a cool little high-pitched sound. Sreeee or  seeeeew. It's fairly easy to miss if you aren't into birds, but if you are, their sound is unmistakable, as is their beauty. I think they are one of my absolute favorites at this point. And as I mentioned in a post last year, sometimes they fly around drunk, which is amusing to watch, bu I can't help buy also feel bad for the bird, like the time I watched one fly beak first into a drive. It wasn't harmed, it flew off dazed but determined to be on it's way. Like all of us I guess. We all walk around dazed these days, but in my case I am determined to be on my way. It's healthy.

#74 for 2024

The First Robin Of 2024

 

“If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.” 

~Emily Dickinson 

 

This was not the first picture I took for the year, but it is the first picture of a bird I took for year. The first picture I took was of a dumpster with a refrigerator sitting next to it. It looked like it had been a pleasant enough appliance at some point, but now it was a discarded old fridge that probably had stored many a New Year's Eve snack. What a way to treat a faithful old pal like that. And on New Year's Day to be exact. On the other hand, I once had a refrigerator that I hated so deeply, I begged my husband to let me personally throw the damn thing down the garbage chute at the dump myself. But I save that story for a different day. Right now it's all about the birds, and as I sit here, I am a happy girl. We have almost 50 birds in the 2024 album, most of them from yesterday, so the year is off to a wonderful beginning, and we are planning on visiting Bodega Bay later this week. A lot of gorgeous stuff has been reported in the last couple days, and hubby and I are both really excited for the possibilities. Who knows, maybe we will make this a really BIG YEAR and top our number for 2023. We ended at 163 birds, many of which were new sightings, like the Black Oystercatchers and Caspian Tern. Maybe 2024 will be there year that we spot a California Condor and a Snowy Plover!