Presented Without Comment...

 

PER ABC News...

 

 

The arraignment is scheduled for

 Tuesday, June 13th 2023 in Miami, Florida.

 

 UPDATE: The BIG BABY speaks...

 

 

Two Presidential Candidates And A Blond...

 

"Bad times have a scientific value.

 These are occasions a good learner would not miss."

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

Just three things...

 

1. Marjory Taylor Green used the word, "decorum."

 

2. Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, announced his candidacy for President of the United States on Twitter today, with Elon Musk by his side. A fun idea I guess, if only Twitter hadn't continually crashed the announcement and interviews. When will Elon Musk learn that firing all the tech engineers is a bad thing, if you want to play King Shit in the tech/ world? And when will Republicans learn that Elon Musk is a fraud? Oh wait! Oh well, here is what it looked like as a screen shot...

This is funny too, but in the best way possible...

3. Former President Donald John Trump sent a letter, yesterday through his lawyers, to Attorney General Merrick Garland. It can be read in it's entirety below, but I will sum it up right here, right now. It reads...

"PLEASE DON'T PROSECUTE ME!"

 

Did you ever get the impression that you weren't the only

 one with a brain short-circuiting?

 

 

 

Spring Into Autumn

 

"I think the seasons complete me... for once autumn comes I can fall freely along with every leaf. I don nit have to bloom, yet I must die in ever delicate line of October."

 

~Laura Chouette

 

 

About a month ago, or so, we paid a visit to one of my favorite autumn trees, the gorgeous Judas tree in Ione, California. We had a lot of rain this past winter and a little into the spring, so it gave the tree plenty of water that it had been missing due to drought conditions. I am, hopeful that it will produce a beautiful display of autumn color come the fall. It was sad to see it so dry last year, and have no way to help it. Now there is a lot to look forward too.

 

Ione, California

Autumn, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

Haunting Desmond Road

 

"It was that time of dusk when there is a—deepening of the interior shadows. It is a melancholy time: all you need do is switch on one lamp and the inside and the outside will separate, held apart by the reflections in the glass, and evening will begin.” 

 

~Rudolph Delson

Maynard And Jennica

It was getting dark, so it could have been most any bird that haunts Desmond road, but I really believe it was the Red-winged Blackbird, that was sitting on that fences post being silhouetted against that dimming light of day. Photogenic, and singing so beautifully. I have come to love those birds, who are always the highest in numbers of the perching birds. Spring fills the air with the sounds of the last migrating birds, and then becomes deafeningly silent for those depressing summer months with nothing to do, but dread another day taking place. I think I have mentioned this before... I hate the spring and summer with a great passion! The upside, however, is that we are a season away from autumn! I don't count the season I am in when counting. That sounds a lot better than it's 4 months away. 4 is more than 1. Anyway, here are some other photos I have done along Woodbridge and Desmond roads and on a recent trip to Knights Ferry.

 

Woodbridge Road

Desmond Road

Knight's Ferry

It's really lovely out here, but I wish it was already autumn.

A Third Of The Year

 

"Don't waste time beating on a wall,

 hoping to transform it into a door."

 

~Coco Chanel

 

 

So, it's been almost two months since we have last talked, and in that amount of time a lot has happened. One of my favorite things, which actually might be one of my favorite things for the rest of my life, Donald Jessica (John) Trump was finally arrested by the District Attorney of New York City, Alvin Bragg. In this  case, there are multiple cases against him at the moment, involves the hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels, during the 2016 Presidential campaign. He cheated, of course, but this time it is all coming back to haunt him.The next case, which will go to the jury next week, is the E. Jean Carroll defamation case. It will be a part of history soon, so I don't want to go into detail right now. I have the full complaint against him, if I can get it to embed in this post. I am not terribly savvy at that kind of thing. But all of his arrests are important to me, as will be his subsequent arrests and, I am sure, convictions!

 

 

So, why is this particular thing so damn important to me, that I am writing an entire post about it? Because I have been waiting to see this lawless criminal have his day. The chickens have finally come home to roost, just as they did for Rupert Murdock and Fox News, in the defamation suit brought by Dominion!  Trump lied about the election having been stolen, to their network, and then FOX new anchors repeated them on air, despite knowing and in some cases believing it all to be a lie. LORDY, there are tapes! Carlson is gone from the network now, a huge relief for the truth, why Laura Ingram and Hannity remain is a mystery! Perhaps they will be removed when they reach the lawsuit brought by the other voting machine company they disparaged, Smartmatic. Here's hoping they will be brought down. It's possible Maria Bartiromo, the other Fox news liar will be fired next. There is nothing behind her eyes anymore. She is simply a Trump cultist, and that's all that remains of here "soul".

 

Now, let me explain why there is a lovely Bonaparte's gull at the top of a post like this. You see, he represents hope. I have been doing a lot of birding since January. There have been a lot of birds that I didn't find last year, and in fact so many, that recently I exceeded my number from last year. Presently, I am at 136, besting last year by four. So I know I will end the year with many more, because there are easier to find during the summer and fall. Birding has healed me from a lot of the bad things that have happened the last few years, and really the decade. The first move, the hideous depressing second move, the mental break I suffered, Covid-19 (Omicron) the loss of taste and smell and other LONG-COVID symptoms from last year. The stress of purchasing the condo, and the sudden loss of money we had in the account we had saved from the sale of the house.

We are okay. We have fun birding and finding a bird as beautiful as the Bonaparte's gull excited me greatly. I had never seen one, and so it is always a thrill to discover a bird I haven't seen before. Despite finding so many birds, there has been a dreadful bird virus devastating the bird populations, but it seems like they are fighting back because I am finding more and more of the species that have been most affected, so that's awesome. The Pacific Flyway is closing for the year, but I am sure when it begins again in September, there will large numbers of my favorite avian friends. September is a glorious month for birding. I will never forget the sound of 4 Sandhill cranes arriving in Lodi, over Woodbridge road. It just filled my heart!

While DJT remains in the news, and will for some time to come, I have found some peace. The Proud Boys and Oath Keepers that have been arrested for their part in the January 6th attempted coup, have all be found guilty and that is a healing event as well. Perhaps we will hear GUILTY in regards to Trump as well, but if we do, it will be a while off from now. There is still a long way to go, before I am completely me again. But hey, another big step forward is that my eating has returned to nearly normal. I am able to have salad again! That was huge! And we ate out at Red Robin the other day, another victory! The fish and chips were amazing. To make a long story short, I am beginning to feel alive again, and I owe my bird friends, and all their beauty for helping me along the way. Well, that and the occasional GUILTY verdict!

 

It's all good. And Autumn is only a season away! We are two thirds through 2023, there is a lot more to come.

 

 

Me

 

 

Um... Yes... SIgn Right Here Please.

 

"Would you like to know your future?

If your answer is yes, think again. Not knowing is the greatest life motivator.So enjoy, endure and enjoy each moment as it comes to you in it's proper sequence... a surprise! 

 

~Vera Nazarian

The Perpetual Calendar Of Inspiration

 

 

Um... Yes... Sign Here Please.

 

Surprise! I photographed an Oak Titmouse! In my favorite park! In February! And it's in a tree, rather than on the ground where I usually photograph them! Lots of surprises happened in February... also... fuck me, we bought a house! Well, a condo, but still. I didn't think we had a snowball's chance in HELL, but somehow... we bought a condo. This condo. Everything closed on the 15th of February, and as of today it's been ours for nearly a whole month. And what a month it's been! We bought some new appliances, we bought some paint. We even have some new rugs on the floor to place, so it's coming right along. Some windows come next, but that won't be for a couple months or so. We had another surprise, a big financial deal, and it has set us back, but we will regain our footing. I am planning to say more at some point, but for now I would rather just move on from it. So, that's my big news. Before and after photos will come as I do the renovations, but for right now there is a peach pie in the oven, a storm brewing outside, and I am a little old lady who is home for the night.

 

 

96 Tears Or Wood Ducks And Hooded Mergansers

 

"You don't need a vacation. You just need to dig a pond on your land and buy some ducks, and then you can enjoy moments of escapism without ever leaving your property."

 

~Jarod Kintz 

 Music is Fluid, and My Saxophone Overflows When My Ducks Slosh In The Sounds I Make In Elevators

 

Isn't that a great title for a book? I have never read any of Jarod Kintz's books, but the title of that one alone makes me want to buy a dozen, or so, lock the doors, grab a cat and a blanket, and get to reading! 

 Anyway, I spotted a Hooded Merganser down in the channel the other day, but the photos I got were less than my standards. Most birds don't care if you peer at then, or take their photo, while others make an absolute point of posing for you. The Hooded Merganser is not one of them, but I did the best I could, and they can be identified, so I suppose I was successful. I had 90 for the month of January, and I just picked up another six more, that makes 96 for the year so far! Not too shabby. Now about the ducks you see above... those are Wood ducks. My absolute favorite of all the ducks. They are gorgeous, like they were painted by an impressionist painter. I suppose God is the ultimate impressionist painter, so if you look at it that way... they were!

 

 

Sandwich 23152

 "One of the most important things you can do on this earth

 is to let people know they are not alone."

 

~Shannon L. Alder

 

Sandwich 23152

 

One day, late last year, I was in Sacramento doing some autumn leaf photography, when I spotted a sandwich lying on top of a parking meter. I didn't touch it, obviously, so I don't know what kind of sandwich it was, or who placed it there, but I have a suspicion that it was put there to help feed the homeless in, and near, the park. The particular park sits across from the Crocker Museum. But that's just a guess on my part. If true I approve. Empathy is something that isn't practiced enough in this world. No child born aspires to be homeless, and we have no idea what each individual struggle was, so if we can just remember that it could happen to any one of us, perhaps homelessness will one day decline by real numbers, but as long as it remains ignored or treated with ignorance then we are are causing the very thing we revile and fear.

 

 

 

 

23 And Me (Part Two)

 

"Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come,

 whispering, 'it will be happier'... "

 

~Alfred Lord Tennyson 

 

23 And Me...

(Part 2)

 

Will the year to come be happier then 2022? That remains to be seen, but so far, yeah, I would say it has potential, even though I am still perpetually in transition. It started with the move, way back in 2015. The anniversary of the first day of this adventure will be here soon, and it still fills me with a unique sadness that I know is deeply misplaced, yet it will be here soon, March in fact. But it feels like I am finally letting go of all that, and I am finally beginning to transition through the experience of owning and losing my first home. That's the easy part. Dealing with the pain of selling my first home, under the circumstances that existed, will be a little later down the road. Nope, I still haven't grieved over the loss of the house, but I know I will one day, and it will be spectacular! 

 

Speaking of houses, grieving, and transitions, guess what? We are currently in escrow to buy the condo! I can't believe it! Nicole decided to sell the place late last year, and the thought crossed our minds to purchase, rather than pack... again... so soon. Its what's best, and as Ajeanna said about the first condo... the one in Patterson that started all this... it's not forever. As I have come to learn, "it's not forever" applies to just about everything. Why am I not bouncing off the walls in a nervous fit? Simple, I don't think we will get it. There is a lot working against it, debt to income rations being just one. If we do get it, well then, life won't change from what I am currently used to, so I guess I am flowing with the white caps, and doing just fine. I'll worry about the potential for Tsunamis after it swallows me up. What else can I do?

 

2023 is revealing itself a little at a time, and I am not scared.

 

Steady on. 

 

 

23 And Me (Part One)

 "It's not like I planned it. It's not like I woke up one day and said, okay, world, today I am gonna spaz."

 

~Shannon Celebi

After Spring Comes

 

23 And Me...

(Part One)

 

 

Sigh. Okay, I meant to do a post on New Year's Day. I really did. But... you see... a big storm came knocking at the door. An 'atmospheric river' if you will. Both literally and figuratively. A REAL series of storms has been pounding California for a couple weeks now, knocking down trees, knocking out power, and basically turning rural roads such as Woodbridge into small lakes and rivers. Great for the birds, lousy for humans. As bad as Woodbridge is, Cosumnes is a lot worse. Flooding so bad we can't even think about venturing down Franklin, Desmond or Bruceville roads. The Clifton Court forebay has been one of a handful of places still available for birding, and Woodbridge is now sufficiently passable, but Yolo is still under water as is the Cosumnes Visitor's Center. The forecast has improved, however, so there is light at the end of the tunnel. With any luck, the roads may be open late next week. We'll see!

 

Oh, and I guess we are buying the condo.

Oh, and as of yesterday, I have 75 birds for 2023!

 But I will save all that for another post! 

 

2023 is off to quite a start!

 

 

It's Better, But...

 

"Birds know themselves not to be the center of anything, but at the margins of everything. The end of the map. We only live where someone's horizon sweeps someone else's. We are only noticed on the edge of things; but on the edge of things, we notice much."

~Gregory Maguire

Out Of Oz

 

It's Better, But...

 

I had to pick up a prescription the other day, and because I am a very lucky woman, Alan offered to get it for me, while I waited in the car. Fortunately, I  had my camera with me, which meant I got to play with a group of Cedar Waxwings floating just above my head. Cedar Waxwings travel in communities. This particular community had about 12 or so, which means there was a pretty good chance I would be hit by a bird bomb, or at least one of those juicy berries the birds were getting drunk on. That is the blessing and curse of owning a car with a sunroof, but I happily chanced it, and to my delight, they didn't hit me, or the interior of Bridget, once. The outside got some poop, but the only thing that made it's way inside the car was the berries that fell off the branch as they ate. I had the same trouble getting the wingtips and tails, but look how pretty they look in the sunshine! The photos are better than the last time I tried to photograph them, but practice will make perfect.

It's Better, But...

 

Can you believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve?

 

 

No cold, Flu or Covid-19 so far. Yep, you read that right, our most recent Covid-19 home test is negative, so could 2022 be the year that breaks the spell? Will this be, the first time since moving to the San Joaquin Valley, that Alan and I aren't sick on Christmas? To be clear, we have both been sick on Christmas in other years, but not with the consistency we have experienced since moving here. We have been sick, EVERY... SINGLE... YEAR since 2015! Life is an adventure, but last year was a little more than an adventure, and I would rather not repeat it. Sometimes it feels like Covid-19 is just waiting in the wings, like with the original Omicron, which was basically unavoidable. Shrug. The numbers are climbing here again. They are climbing everywhere, because folks are dumb as dirt, and don't take it seriously. Sigh. If you look at the stats, things are definitely better than last year, but, there is even more room to improve, and the problem is, I can do my part, but if the guy at the store next to me isn't, I am sunk. I guess that is pretty much true about most situations in life. 

Sigh. I guess the best we can hope for at this point it is,

 

 IT'S BETTER, BUT... .

 

 ~Me