Kodak Moments

A new camera is pretty much an open invitation to take pictures of any and everything in sight, play with all of the crazy settings and generally, lose your focus! This is, after all, a blog that is supposed to mention birds from time to time. But, peaches , log homes, sunflowers, Lola and Vera, and eggplants have pretty much taken over of late!

Time to remedy that!

I am so lucky to live in an amazing place, on the water, and with a back yard filled with mixed hard and soft woods. So on any given day, there's lots to divert my attention span, and render it to a series of Kodak moments.

Kodak One -

Black-capped Chickadee dee dee dee. I think these are the cutest little creatures in the world, and love it when they land on my hand to take the proffered sunflower seed. Like being touched by a fairy!

Kodak Two - Goose bums. I would love to get a picture of these guys under water. Are they standing on their bills?Are they tilted totally forward on their little webbed feet?

Is it a contest?

Kodak Three -Knock knock !

Who's there?

Gonna.

Gonna who?

Gonna Getcha!

What, you expected better from a bird brain?

Kodak Four - Private Screening. The awesome thing about this not so awesome photo is that I'm actually standing inside the screened in porch, and the tiny RTHB is sitting outside.

And the amazing camera has shot right

through the screen mesh!

Wow.

Kodak Five - Milkweed Seed Pod...no birds yet,

but once it opens, the American goldfinches love to use the fluff to feather their nests.

And all's right with the world.

Skywatch Friday

Today was a glad to be alive day here in the Ottawa Valley! Skies that give the word 'azure' its meaning, clouds that look like you could live on them, and sun that warmed the soul!
Looking due south from our home on the Ottawa River...Take a turn to the east...

90 degrees to the right brings you to the north...this is a blog about, among other things, birds..but I don't have a clue what little feathered friend this is...a bird in the north, caught by the camera..warbler, and that's as far as I can go...any guesses?So then I look to the east, beside the cottage... this little sprite I do know...


And a turn to the west brings us to this view that we get to enjoy daily...And one more look just before I post this...a spectacular harvest moon that will likely keep poets, songwriters and lovers busy tonight. Enjoy!

For more views of the sky from around the world, visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Toes to my daughter

I have always had problems with my feet, ever since I can remember and especially since I had bi-lateral bunionectomies (!) when I was just 16. I think the bunions, which are essentially extra calcium deposits, were helped along by the ubiquitous foot x-ray machines that popped up in every shoe store for awhile in the late 50's early 60's. Regardless, had the big boney bumps removed and couldn't walk properly for 2 months, and had lovely garbage bags as sox for a week or two, but I eventually heeled -er, healed - and the only residual foot issue is that they ache quite a lot, and yearn to be rubbed and massaged frequently....ahhhhhhhah hhha....

So when my daughter came home recently for a holiday, imagine how sublimely happy I was when she insisted that we go shopping for stuff...like nail polish, foot scrub, and cute ickle remover! Peddie party time!!

Amazing how polished the colours have become in the past three decades! I mean really! There was an entire array of colours, a complex rainbow of polishes, some for before, some for during, some for after. Some with sparkles, some with hints of sunlight, some with gold dusting...who knew the little piggies could have so many choices? And after much consideration, having picked a colour, that it would be so satisfying! To look down and see a ruby toed ankle-ender simply glowing! Or a brilliantly hued turquoise bouquet of tiny toes...that's something that calls for a celebration!

So here's a toes to you my clever colourful daughter for putting your foot down and refusing to let me feel defeeted!

FINALLY! Hummers are here!

Monday, May 4th, 7:34 pm -Allumette Island, Quebec,
about 5 minutes from Pembroke, Ontario. Let it be noted that the first Ruby-Throated Hummingbird of 2009 (in our yard) has been spotted at the feeder!!! -which I put out yesterday just in case...It was such a big thrill because this year's winter/spring transition has felt long, cool, rainy, and depressing and this just makes it feel like finally(!) spring has sprung!
The little guy made it! and I feel really good! Like cheering on the tiniest marathon racer in the world with all odds against him...and he wins! Yayyyyyy! There is a glimmer- no, an iridescent explosion of fuchia - hope indeed.
I reported this first annual siting on: http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html and if you haven't already seen one, then this is the place to do it. Cheers all!