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! 

 

 

Ho-Hum

 

“Au revoir, mon ami.” 

~Susan Kay,

 Phantom 

 

Okay, it's the last day of February and I have not yet lit a candle, but as I compose this post there are still about 6 hours left in the day so I am not finished with that. After dinner I will go to the new room and try my best. Ugh. It will happen. It will.

 

 

The Birds Of The Enchanted Forest

 

“Everything you can imagine is real.” 

~Pablo Picasso 

 

While birding in Louis Park/Pixie Woods, I spotted this wonderful sight! A gorgeous Great Egret perched amongst the art work at the volcano. Pixie Woods is a small amusement park, as called the Enchanted Woods, within Louis Park. It is a cute little place, but it is now mostly open in the summer months, however during the rest of the year it tends to fall into disarray. One thing that's nice about having a hobby like birding, is that I can use the park year round, but autumn is my favorite time to be there. It's a terrific resource, I have found some fascinating birds such as the magpies, mergansers, wood ducks and as you can see, the Great Egret. As of late, a pair of White-tailed kite are nesting there, its one of the most interesting finds, at least for Pixie Woods. I have been lucky to add the Red-breasted Sapsucker to my birding life list. The day I spotted it, was the first time I had ever seen a sapsucker of any kind. That was another really good day, and to think the park is just next door!

 

 Just a few birds from Louis Park/Pixie Woods

 

White-tailed Kite

 

Meanwhile...

 

“Have you ever noticed that neither cats nor dogs ever laugh? I used to think I was doing something wrong, that maybe I needed to start telling better jokes. But no, all I needed to do was get a different audience. That's when I discovered ducks.”
 

~Jarod Kintz,

  Duck Quotes For The Ages. Specifically ages 18-81.

 

February is not over, so don't think I have chickend out when it comes to meeting that goal, I haven't given up! I have been tired. I have been busy. I have been under the weather. But I will get to it, even if it is just before midnight on February 29th. Meanwhile, enjoy this photo of a female Hooded Merganser. I saw them floating in the pond at Pixie Woods. I love these little ducks, and they are only around for a brief time during the winter migration, so any time I get to enjoy photographing them is a day well spent!

 

By the way, it has been my experience that not only do ducks laugh, but they have a wild sense of humor! I won't go into it, but I know for a fact that they sometimes point and giggle! And I wouldn't have it any other way!

 

Oh Shut Up... The Weekend Isn't Over!

 

“Never put off till tomorrow

 what may be done day after tomorrow just as well.”
~Mark Twain 

 

So... nope... I haven't tried my goal for February, which is using a lighter for the first time and lighting a candle. I also didn't make it to the February meeting of the Lodi Democrats, where we were going to become members, and I only saw one new bird at the Clifton Court Forebay on Saturday. But what a great bird, the Clark's Grebe is! So that was a nice moment in an otherwise shitty day! There is nothing like fighting with your spouse over stupid shit, gas, while you are late and you haven't eaten. Anyway, Saturday would have been a complete loss had it not been for the new grebe. It brings the total for the year to 83, but only our second for February. It's been a very busy month! We are in the middle of painting the condo, and the weather hasn't been cooperating. But forward I move, and a lot of good is waiting for me.

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!

 

 

Secens From Woodbridge Road

 

 

“Farming is a profession of hope”
~Brian Brett 

 

 

 

 

I love my birds, but there are other beautiful scenes along Woodbridge road. The farm country has some gorgeous views of farms being farms, even just the farm equipment has a charm to it and the summer and autumn harvest's are my favorite time of year to see it all! But during the autumn and winter you can see absolutely breathtaking views of light and shadows, which look great to my photographer's eye, whether in color or black & white. Birds swimming in bodies of water created by the rain, are especially picturesque with the setting sun and the view of Mt. Diablo in the background. After the water recedes, comes the planting and the harvest that grows the plants that encourages the birds to visit the following year. I love that cycle, and now that I live here, I get to watch it renew year after year! 

 

It probably seems silly that all this intrigues me so much, after all that's how nature works, but when you have grown up in the city, as opposed to living where it is farmland all around you, you just get a different feeling of what beauty is. I see the amazing architecture of San Francisco and Berkeley and I never want to leave the city's, sounds and energy that living there generates, but when I spend an entire day, doing nothing more than listening to the sound of geese and ducks flying around, I reach such a zen-like state that I find myself sleeping better. There is an elderly man, in a blue vehicle, that I have seen napping in his car on many afternoons. He has noticed us diving by too, because of how frequently we visit, and we wave when we see each other now, like neighbors who love our neighborhood. We both understand what it feels like to be adjacent to so much beauty.

 

Of course visiting back home does that to me too, but back home is 90 miles away, and that is a long trip. I still visit Berkeley and San Francisco, I get deeply homesick, but it's down to only a couple times a year, as opposed to yearning for a trip every month. Oh well, I don't know, I guess in my old age I need to be in nature more than San Francisco. I sure never thought I would say that! I think of my former life almost daily! I think about the art, and the comedy clubs and restaurants we frequented, and long for it to the point it hurts, but now that spring is almost here, just wait until you see the barn and wildflowers of Desmond road. You'll smile.

 

 

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.

 

The Con At The Con

 

“Fast. Good. Cheap. Big. Any three and it's exploitation.
All four and it's destroying someone somewhere,
maybe even you.” 

~Shellen Lubin 

 

The conman was selling his cheap, more than likely made in China, sneakers at Sneakercon. He did it to pull his ass out of the fire regarding his multiple lawsuits and criminal charges. Do I have to say how completely full of shit he is to degrade the office of the presidency in this manner. He is making a fucking laughing stock out of all of us, and I wish to GOD that people would wake up to that fact!

The Guardian

Trump launch gold high top sneaker line,

 one day after 350M dollar court ruling.

 

 

 

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

For The Love Of Money

 

Download the decision here, via the New York Times.

 

Top 15 Things Money Can’t Buy

Time. Happiness. Inner Peace. Integrity. Love. Character. Manners. Health. Respect. Morals. Trust. Patience. Class.

 Common sense. 

Dignity.

 
~Roy T. Bennett

  The Light in the Heart

 

 

RICO CASE #23SC188947

 

Inmate No. P01135809

Charged with the following...

 

 

Click Graphic To Enlarge

 

 

 

 What happens if it all goes away? What happens if the case is thrown out due to misconduct on the part of Fulton County D. A. Fani Willis? As Rolling Stone said today, it's "messy". It feels like one more arrogant person (Willis) thought, once again, they could out Trump... Trump. I want to believe in Fani Willis. I do. But right now, I feel like I saw her make mistakes today, when she took the stand, that did her NO good. I totally get her emotion, I get the damage he has done to her, her reputation and her life. It seems like she should have known better than to get involved with someone she worked with, especially under these circumstances, or do anything for that matter, that a gave the impression of impropriety. We all watched Trump's attempts to steal the election. We watched as his surrogates defamed Ruby Freeman and her daughter. We watched as fake electors were chosen, and we watched and heard recordings of Trump strong-arming election officials in Georgia, so prosecuting him should have been easier than this. In a perfect world it would have been, but alas, we are not in a perfect world are we? All I know is people make big mistakes sometimes, and what Trump did was no mistake, it was a deliberate act of trying to overturn the results of a free and fair election.

 

 

50 Worst Decisions In The Last 50 Years Of American History 

 

I just noticed that this post looks really weird. I am unable to fix it. I can't get the form to move to the left, and the font went off the rails. Figures. Trump in all ways is a pain in the ass. Can't fix it, so FUCK IT!

 

 

End Of Discussion... AGAIN.

 

“Speaking personally, you can have my gun, but you'll take my book when you pry my cold, dead fingers off of the binding.” 

~Stephen King 

 

Once again, Stephen King makes the most poignant of points.

 

Another mass shooting. 

 

Do I have to say it again?

 

Stricter gun laws must be put in place! No one takes an assault rifle hunting. No one has a "God given right" to own a gun. Open carry is stupid! Do you really need a gun to buy a can of peaches at Walmart? Why can't there be mandatory courses for gun ownership and use? Assault weapons need to be banned... END OF DISCUSSION! Stricter laws for misuse of a gun need to be put in place! Misuse of a gun should mean a mandatory sentence of 50 years only if the victim is injured, if a death is involved life in prison with no possibility of parole. If a gun is not stored properly, you lose your gun for life. If your child takes your gun, and uses it with or without your permission, you get a mandatory sentence of 10 years above and beyond any other charges. 

 

Most voters are ready to move forward with common sense laws regarding guns, but our politicians love the support ($$$$) they receive from the gun lobby more than the will and support of their constituents. A good sign, that perhaps means there is a small movement toward something positive, the NRA has seen a steep decline in membership in recent years. I am not sure if it is due to the virus of gun violence, or if it is because the former CEO of the NRA is a giant crook!

I am done with this post. Currently at least 20 were shot in Kansas City this morning, and 1 death. I am sure that will change, it always does. All these folks were doing was celebrating the amazing historic Super Bowl win of the Kansas City Chiefs. It should have been a fun day. The schools were given a celebratory day off to have fun with it. It was something to be happy about! I know if the San Francisco 49ers had won, I would have been filled with all kinds of pride. I may have even tried to talk dear hubby into going to whatever celebrations being held.

 

 

I have nothing more to say on the subject.

 My heart goes out to all touched by this stupid gun epidemic. 

Sporting events. Schools. Churches. Grocery Stores. Parades.

Where will it happen next? And will you are I be there?

 

Oh and by the way, it is also Valentine's Day, so there's that!

 

And By The Way... Birds Aren't Birds, They're Drones!

 

“Suppose you were an idiot.

 And suppose you were a Republican.

 But I repeat myself.” 

~Harry S. Truman 

 

Common conspiracy theories...

 

*Birds are drones

*Lizard people are living among us

*John F. Kennedy jr, will return from the dead

 and join Trump on the ticket 

*Wind turbines cause cancer

*Michelle Obama is a man

*Jan 6th insurrectionist were actually F.B.I. agents in disguise

 

I have nothing to say to anyone who believe these and other conspiracy theories. They always lack any sort of evidence, and when you confront the nutjob spreading the bullshit you get responses like, "leading experts say..." and when they cannot produce any logical or believable argument, their "feelings" come into play. "I just know Joe  Biden stole the election." 

I am so sick of the bullshit. Funny how most conspiracy theories propagated by republicans, usually end with gullible people buying a,"Never Surrender" t-shirt that's made in China, and costs a mere $34.00! A steal! It never occurs to these people that he did exactly that, four times, and covering 91 felony charges? But by all means, arrest Dr. Fauci with no evidence of wrong doing on his part, and remember... wind turbines give you cancer, but I am sure all you have to do to cure it, is drink bleach! Don't believe me, just ask leading experts!

Full disclosure... 

DRINKING BLEACH WILL MORE THAN LIKELY KILL YOU!

In Search Of Leonardo DiCaprio

 

“The whole of life is just like watching a film. Only it's as though you always get in ten minutes after the big picture has started, and no-one will tell you the plot, so you have to work it out all yourself from the clues.”
~Terry Pratchett,

  Moving Pictures

So what if I told you that last Tuesday, Leonardo DiCaprio came all the way to Stockton to film a movie? If I heard myself say those words out loud, I would have to say back to myself, umm... what? Leonardo DiCaprio? Why the HELL would he come to this GOD FORSAKEN place to film a movie? At first I thought it was a joke, because really, and I can't stress this enough, why would he be in a film that has anything to do with Stockton? But low and behold, it was no joke, he was actually in town filming a movie! In fact he was just a couple miles away!

 

 The movie will be based on the bestselling book,Vineland, by Thomas Pynchon, and aside from that, I don't know a lot about the project. In 2012, when we followed Woody Allen around San Francisco as he was filming Blue Jasmine, we managed to find out a partial cast list, Alec Baldwin and Cate Blanchett, and that on the days that they filmed, there were signs taped up along the blocks that read, W.A.S.P., which stood for, Woody Allen's Summer Project. I have always wondered it that was a joke, or a funny oversight? Either way, it gave us a bit of a giggle. Just from small clues, we were able to watch a couple days filming, and I got to photograph Woody Allen in action. I had the time of my life!

 

Anyway, this film crew has permits in Sacramento through at least the 20th of February. There were several Warner Brothers trucks lining the streets surrounding the courthouse here in Stockton and the capitol in Sacramento. I know Sean Penn will co-star in the film. I don't know if I am too late to get just a glimpse of Leo, but I am trying to do a little lite stalking of where they might be filming next! Social media and Google maps are excellent for that, but it isn't easy. You have to get as much information as you can, and in then check the maps for closed off streets. Wish me luck! As demonstrated by these photos, I am way less than 100 percent on my game. It's February. It's cold, I am old, we are in the middle of redecorating, and it hasn't just been cold, we had an atmospheric river come through! Did I tell you we picked out a nice shade of green for the hallway up stairs? I need more energy than this if Hollywood is going to be visiting Stockton!

 

 

 

 

Drab And Empty

 

“Some birds are not meant to be caged, that's all. Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild. So you let them go, or when you open the cage to feed them they somehow fly out past you. And the part of you that knows it was wrong to imprison them in the first place rejoices, but still, the place where you live is that much more drab and empty for their departure.” 

~Stephen King

  Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption

 

No, I haven't forgotten to post some trivial dribble about my life, I have simply been busy with painting the awesome room, a winter storm and a lack of inspiration. Call it the winter doldrums. Call it depression. So, anyway, I have decided to take a short break from posting. No worries, just till next Monday, February 12th. I need to finish the painting, and get out with the camera and find the photos... the horror, the beauty, the mundane, the glamorous, the spooky or whatever appears before me. It's all waiting, I just need to find it.