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  And it feels very un-ecological of me to not repair my ailing camera but then I would of had an outdated camera that still had a lot of worn parts.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

Baby Huey Has Arrived

Song - Baby Huey Quack a Doodle Doo Classic Cartoon (1950)

Our mama mourning dove was showing off her baby on Sunday.  I didn't want to get too close and frighten her so I used my zoom lens.  It kinda looked like there were maybe two babies in the nest but when I walked around the back of the ladder......

Nope.  Just one extra large darlin'.

I had asked Mr. B to have a talk with daddy bird as to his late arrivals recently to relieve mama bird of her duties.  Smarty pants Mr. B said "Nope. Daddy bird is right on schedule because he is going by daylight and it is lighter a little later each day!"

"I want to sing like the birds sing

 not worrying about who hears 

or what they think." 

- Rumi

Mellow Yellow

Song - Yellow Bird by Chet Atkins

Can you see him?

He is right in the center of the shot, trying to avoid the Paparazzi....me!

A flock of Western Tanager's flew into our garden late in the afternoon.  I was taking my end-of-day walk around the garden and as I stopped near the creek, I saw them.  Beautiful!!!  

I ran back inside to get my camera and by the time I returned, they seemed to have disappeared.  Like in the top photo......but they were still there!

Male Western Tanager

Female

I pulled up a chair and patiently waited for them to show their sweet little faces.

And just as I was changing my camera settings, I saw this.  

But he was so fast that I couldn't quite capture him very well.

 

Do you see him?

Quick.....look right.

A beautiful hawk buzzed right by me and I quickly tried to refocus but he was too fast for me.  It just amazes me when I see real photographers who capture amazing bird photo's.  I have been trying for years and it really makes me appreciate their photo skills!

I was hoping to show you a photo of the Tanager's drinking water from the creek but decided to just take a photo of the branches that they like to hang out on that are hanging over the water.

When I came inside and opened up this shot on my computer...oh wait...

........do you see them?

The female is at the upper right in the sunshine

 and the male is at the lower left.  

I was surprised that they have such good camo!

Heading into the house, I decided to take a peek at mama Mourning Dove.

  

No babies sighted yet.

Daddy Mourning Dove arrives later each day.....6:11 this evening!

Mr. B better go have a talk with him!!!

"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang the best." 

-- Henry Van Dyke

 

Plein Air Painting in Napa

Song - Autumn Leaves by The Carlos Herrera Band

Woke up early on Saturday morning to head up to Napa to paint with some friends at Chimney Rock Winery.

Bay Area Studio Artists actually did paint outside!  Well, most of us did......

It was a lovely clear day and the winery was having a new release celebration.  They had a the Carlos Herrera Band playing in the courtyard and we painted while members ate, drank and enjoyed the music, art and sunshine.

This is the outside of the barrel room....

....and inside......

I took most of these photos before the crowds arrived.

Sharon Tama and Susan Bonebakker discussing their painting plan of action!

Sharon painted a lovely little courtyard painting of the trees and flowers while Sue painted the iron gate and flowers.

Marcy Wheeler hamming it up after selling her painting of the band.

Ellen Reintjes chose to do some creative iPad paintings!

Suzun Almquist had a beautiful little painting of the interior of the courtyard. Suzun, myself and Joanne all painted from behind the low courtyard wall looking in at the activity.

Here is Joanne Taeuffer packing up a little early as she had finished her "schmoozing" for the day!!!
Actually, Joanne is an incredible artist and lot's of fun to paint with but she just wasn't "feeling it" on Saturday.

And here I am getting my easel set up to paint.  I did paint the interior of the courtyard as well.  It was great to be surrounded by the vineyard, listen to the Cuban/Spanish music and paint.

 Some of the food servers found these little birds that had fallen from their nest.  They look about ready to fly!

"Beautiful day, good friends, great music and happy to be painting!" - Jeanette Crawford Baird

The Bird Ladder

Song - Mourning Dove Singing by MPG Ranch

We have had this errant grape vine that simply does not want to stay up on the pergola outside of our dining room. I think with the unseasonably warm spring, they went bonkers.

And they were joined by a few more straggling vines. 

Since Mr. B and I are not too keen on climbing ladders (is that just something that happens when you reach a certain age?) we asked our sons to grab the ladder from the side yard and fix the vines back onto the pergola.

And this is what they found.........

I guess the ladder will remain non-operational until after the little ones have flown away!

Happy Thursday!

"The dove, On silver pinions, winged her peaceful way." 

-- James Montgomery

Small but Mighty

Song - Little Bitty Pretty One by Frankie Lymon

 Late in the afternoon, just before dinner, Mr. B and I like to sit on the back deck with a glass of wine and watch the birds come & go.  The other evening there was a Green Heron sitting in a dead tree near the bank of our creek.

Upon closer inspection, we noticed that he was being "buzzed" by a little bitty - Hummingbird!

 Now the Heron kept his eye on that Hummingbird but that didn't stop the little fellow.

Which way did he go?

He's not behind me.....

Oh yeah, he is!!!!

It's the skank eye, stare-down portion of the show.

And a final happy good-bye buzz from the little Hummer!

"Hummingbirds are incredibly powerful. They are the only bird whose flight power comes from the upstroke as well as the down stroke. They teach us not to judge power by appearance."

Mother's Day

Song - Mother and Child Reunion by Paul Simon

Have I told you about my mom?  

No one could ever fill her shoes.  She came from a family of Italian immigrants who were dirt poor but they knew that family was everything.  My mom instills that in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren every day, by example.  She is what holds our family together......tightly but with love.  I feel enfolded daily by her loving kindness. 

Thank you mom for who you are and how supportive you have been in my life.  You have an amazing spirit filled with love and generosity.

 

 

"Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly."  --Ambrose Bierce