And For Todays Entertainment

Song - Birds the Word by The Rivingtons

It's been so warm in Northern California lately that for the past few weeks Mr. B and I have been relaxing by the side of the pool in the early evenings. We have a glass of wine and he plays me a little air guitar!

 This patio is near the shade garden, under some oak & maple trees.  While the rest of the garden has fried from the hot weather, the shade garden is still refreshing to look at.

Some evenings we take a swim and other evenings we just watch the birds flit by getting their last meal of the day.

Hi there Mr. Chickadee!

 I have several platform feeders hanging off the deck over the creek. The Tufted Titmouse enjoys the freedom of feeding near large trees that he can escape to if needed.

 Other birds like the standard tube feeder. I have an assortment of seeds for them so no one is left out. As well as several (well maybe 8) bird baths placed all around the yard.  When it's really hot I try to put in a few ice cubes to cool the water for them.

A House Finch in the tree is patiently waiting her turn at the feeder below.

 When the House Finch finally gets a turn, the Titmouse returns and is surprised to find someone in his dinner dish!

 Mr. B and I love watching the birds.  I don't know if it's that we finally have the time to do so or if it is that "at our age" we appreciate them so much more.  Basically our kids think we are nuts when we tell them what our garden birds were doing that day.

 And just look who is in the lavender!  

Mr. and Mrs. American Goldfinch

I love that brilliant yellow against the purple lavender.

Thanks for entertaining us for one more night! 

See you tomorrow.

“Slow down and enjoy life.  

 It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast-

you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”

 – Eddie Cantor

H is for Hawk

Song - Bird On A Wire by KD Lang

Ever since we returned from Tahoe, I have been waking up with the morning sun.  To my delight it is a beautiful time to enjoy the birds.

The little Black Capped Chickadee.....

.....and the Oak Titmouse waiting his turn at the feeder......

.....several American Goldfinch's nibbling at my Salvia........

.....a grumpy looking Black Headed Grosbeak - that plops onto the feeder and chases all the other songbirds away......

And almost every morning I wake to a hawk calling but he seems too close to the house so I go out on the deck and spot a bird about the size of a Robin that is making this hawk-like noise.  But he is too small and does not have a raptor type beak. As he flies away, I notice the red feathers under his wings and realize that he is actually a Northern Flicker!

The next morning, I am ready for him with my camera.

 

Isn't he a beauty?

Love that morning light on him!

 (If you click HERE, you will open a new tab from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  Then click on the top call - The Kyeer Call to play - doesn't it sound like a Hawk?) 

I also caught this little Hummer sitting patiently waiting for the sun to warm him up.

And yesterday afternoon, I spotted this Red Shouldered Hawk in front of our house.  A big guy with beautiful wings that I saw when he got tired of his "photo shoot" and flew away.

"Be like the bird who, pausing in her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing she hath wings."  --  Victor Hugo

 

In Flight

Song - Fly Like an Eagle by the Steve Miller Band

Titmouse

Right after I took the photo in my last post (of Baby Huey - the extra large baby Mourning Dove) my beloved camera died.  Just stopped working - suddenly.  I had two full batteries and I tried them both but she was a goner. 

Female House Finch

I was devastated and felt lost.  It's like going somewhere without a purse or cell phone.  You know you will survive but it's a little unsettling.

Crow

So last week I knew I would have to take it to our local camera store to be repaired - it took me three days to adjust to the idea of being without a camera for awhile.  The man at the store was very helpful and quoted me repair prices and length of time I would be "camera less". 


SIX WEEKS! 

Chickadee

But right now I can hear you saying "But Jeanette, how did you get all of these photo's that you are inserting in your blog?" Well......

American Goldfinch

......the helpful camera man told me that for just a few dollars more than the cost of the repair, I could get a whole new camera body that all of my old lenses would fit on. 

Yes!  They were having a SALE!

Green Hummingbird that is imitating an Oak leaf

Be still my heart!  You mean I could walk out of this store with a new working camera? 


What a concept! 



A store that sells cameras!!!

A Hawk that was chased up into this tree by that little Hummingbird!

Now I have to tell you that part of me felt guilty, as my old camera was only four and a half years old.  And it feels very un-ecological of me to not repair my ailing camera but then I would of had an outdated camera that still had a lot of worn parts.  Kind of like putting a new engine in a 1967 Volkswagen - there are still other parts of the car to be considered. 

Titmouse & House Finch

Weighing all of this information while holding a bright shiny new camera was a little like holding a new puppy.  Hard to put down (maybe just one more sniff of puppy breath).


I was a goner......

Forgive me world - I purchased the new camera!

You WHAT?

Yup, I did. 

I could hardly wait the three hours to charge the new batteries before I could start rapid firing my new partner in crime.


And I have to say, I am loving her!

THE END

Spring Iris

Song - John Denver "Inch by Inch"

Our garden is a riot of color right now due to my obsession with Bearded Iris!  Well, that and roses and Spring bulbs and Lilac's and Wisteria and......well, you know how it can be.

My Grandpa Art got me started with roses.  He always had several roses in his front yard in Oakland with cuttings and onions underneath.

Grandma Sophie in the rose garden in Oakland

Grandpa Art with 3 of his 4 daughters in the rose garden.  My mom is on the far left.

Both of my parents are wonderful gardeners and their yard looks like a park.  They are in their mid-eighties (shhh...don't tell them I told you that!) and it wasn't until this year that they hired someone to "mow & blow" but all of the rest of the work, they do themselves.  They get great satisfaction from working in the soil and coaxing a plant along.

My parents at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco while they were dating.

My mom & her sister Marie in a garden

 

My Grandpa Art working in the rose garden while his four daughters pose for the camera.  L-R is my Aunt Bernadine, my mom, Aunt Alma and Aunt Marie.  Not sure who the little girl giggling on the steps is.




Now that all of the Spring blossoms have left the trees and the bulbs are withering and my roses are just about to burst into bloom, I have time to enjoy my Iris.

I hope you enjoy them too.....

 

 

Where I relax after gardening.  Ahhh......

Had to add a beautiful white Lilac!!!  Can't you just smell the lovely fragrance?

And some Peonies just about to bloom!!!  So exciting.....

Our Wisteria at the back gate.

You would not believe the iridescent colors on this Iris when the sun is shining.  Unfortunately it was a hazy day today.

Some white Clematis on our fence.

The entire fence is a beautiful creamy white.

A little American Goldfinch taking a sunbath on the birdbath.

 

PS - I picked my first bouquet of Sweet Pea's today and they smell glorious! 

"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul. " - Luther Burbank