Look Deep Within The Big Picture

 

"May you soar on Eagle's wings, high above the madness of the world."

~ Jonathon Lockwood Hule

Okay, so on the surface, things may seem scary as shit, but deep down, below all the muck, there remains the magic of life. There is a lot to look forward to, and Trump can't steal it. Take for example, the picture you see above. I took it on Friday, on Desmond road, at the Cosumnes River Preserve. I was looking for a Cinnamon Teal, we had captured one the day before, but I wanted another one that showed ducks beautiful orange eyes a little better. The photo came out hopelessly blurry, due to fog and misty rain, but if you look carefully in the background, you will see the magic! A Bald Eagle, sitting in the water, having a meal! I didn't see it when I took the picture! It was only on closer observation of the details of the photo that saw it. You can't even imagine how happy I was!

I saw an eagle, fly over the same space in the spring of 2022, and managed a photo of the bird in flight, but never saw one there again, until last Friday. I was treated in 2022, to seeing it soar low to the water of the preserve, it was so majestic it took my breath away, and I never saw it on, or over Desmond road again. I thought perhaps it was a one off! Then the next time I saw one, was when one flew over the bay, in Bodega Bay. I got a fairly good photo of it sitting in a Eucalyptus tree. That was a wonderful experience too, and just like the other day, for a little while the world was fine on it's own, I didn't have to drown in the muck.

It's Monday, so back to reality everything goes, but I will be okay. I plan to chase down a Common Yellow-throat, that hubby said he saw, at Stone Lakes Preserve. It's a beautiful bird, but quite fast and quite wily. It loves to hide on the ground. So wish me luck. Who knows, maybe I will go looking for the yellowthroat, and find an Osprey, or a Merlin. I would love a Merlin, I have been searching for one for years, and have just never been in the right place at the right time. I also need a Red-bellied Sapsucker. There are so many birds left to find. I am currently on bird number 55, so much more to discover. 

So, the lesson is, don't believe what's on the surface of the big picture, look deeper into it. We will be out from under all this stress, one day. But in the meantime, don't ignore what's right in front of you! We have the right, at least for now, to be as happy as possible, and I intend to choose happiness!

MAGIC!

Necessary

 

 

 And then this happened...

Via New York Times

 Full transcript

Today, at my direction, U.S. military forces — together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands — successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways.

These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history. These attacks have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners and our partners, jeopardized trade and threatened freedom of navigation. More than 50 nations have been affected in 27 attacks on international commercial shipping. Crews from more than 20 countries have been threatened or taken hostage in acts of piracy. More than 2,000 ships have been forced to divert thousands of miles to avoid the Red Sea — which can cause weeks of delays in product shipping times. And on Jan. 9, Houthis launched their largest attack to date — directly targeting American ships.

The response of the international community to these reckless attacks has been united and resolute. Last month, the United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian — a coalition of more than 20 nations committed to defending international shipping and deterring Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. We also joined more than 40 nations in condemning Houthi threats. Last week, together with 13 allies and partners, we issued an unequivocal warning that Houthi rebels would bear the consequences if their attacks did not cease. And yesterday, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding the Houthis end attacks on merchant and commercial vessels.

Today’s defensive action follows this extensive diplomatic campaign and Houthi rebels’ escalating attacks against commercial vessels. These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes. I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.

The First Full Day Of Spring

"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

I guess I should have posted my Welcome To Spring post yesterday, but I completely forgot about it! I used to think about photography, and the turning of the seasons. I used to enjoy documenting things like that, but that was before Trunp. As much as I hate to admit it, I find myself either consumed with Trump and his shenanegans, or with working on the house, or with paying bills. It's a tough time right now. I flux between being scared to death and too tired to feel anything. It seems like life was a lot easier before Trump decided to take over the world.

Was it really? Or did it just seem that way? I am not sure. I guess there have always been things to worry about in the news, but with every other president that I can remember, I don't think I went to bed scared every single night. I do now. Will I wake up to the sounds of sirens going off, warning us that a missile is on the way? Did he collude with the Russians? And if he did... is it too late to undo whatever damage that has been done? And what about all the people that are going to lose not just their health care, but the very food out of their mouths?

I flux between feeling deeply sad for them, and resentful that they refused to listen when we told them Trump was a charlatan. It's all so sad... so frustrating. Yesterday, James Comey admitted that the Trump and associates have been under criminal investigation since last July, yet nothing was said prior to the election. Comey sure found a way to plant serious doubts about Clinton, but didn't tell anyone about the Trump investigation. Unbelievable. And yet I believe it! Our own FBI swayed the election toward a man under criminal investigation for colluding with a foreign government attempting to undermine our democracy.

So yeah... I am in a bit of a fog. The seasons are just going by. Hopefully the fog of this past winter will lift soon, and things will be clearer this spring and summer. I hope so.

Welcome To Spring

 Mood: Quiet

~Me 

World Events...

 

 "Even a blind squirrel will finds an acorn sometimes."

~Proverb

This post doesn't feature a new photo, or a photo from the archives that hasn't been previously posted, but that's okay I think. I love this photo, and the memory of haven taken it. Alan and I were on vacation, on the 17 Mile drive in Monterey, and this little guy had just been attacked by a rather large, mean, seagull! Fortunately, Alan jumped to the rescue, yelled and waved his arm at the mean bird and chased off, probably saving this little guys life! The poor squirrel was so frightened that he just stood in place, on that rock, as his whole body shook from fear. It broke my heart. But he finally calmed down, and went about his business... he was fine... I never forgot him!

And now a little wisdom from Mark Twain

"Man is the Reasoning Animal. Such is the claim. I think it is open to dispute. Indeed, my experiments have proven to me that he is the Unreasoning Animal... In truth, man is incurably foolish. Simple things which other animals easily learn, he is incapable of learning. Among my experiments was this. In an hour I taught a cat and a dog to be friends. I put them in a cage. In another hour I taught them to be friends with a rabbit. In the course of two days I was able to add a fox, goose, a squirrel and some doves. Finally a monkey. They lived together in peace; even affectionately.

Next, in another cage I confined an Irish Catholic from Tipperary, and as soon as he seemed tame I added a Scotch Presbyterian from Aberdeen. Next a Turk from Constantinople; a Greek Christian from Crete; an Armenian; a Methodist from the wilds of Arkansas; a Buddhist from China; a Brahman from Benares. Finally, a Salvation Army Colonel from Wrapping. Then I stayed away for two while days. When I came back to note results, the cage of Higher Animals was all right, but in the other there was but a chaos of gory odds and ends of turbans and fezzes and plaids and bones and flesh... not a specimen left alive. These Reasoning Animals had disagreed on a theological detail and carried the matter to a Higher Court."

~Mark Twain

 Letters from the Earth: Uncensored Writings

Mood: Okay/Happy/Good... I'm Good!

~Me :)