Just Thirty-five Years Ago Today

Song - Happy Birthday Swing by the Lucky Seven

My oldest son Andy turns 35 today............wasn't it just last week that he was blowing out the candles on his second birthday cake?

Andy has always been a hard worker.  Here he is helping me dig and water in the vegetable garden.

 And happily helping his dad build something with a large piece of lumber!

Andy has always enjoyed fishing............except that when he was younger he wasn't to keen on touching them!!!

Andy loves to cook..............

.....and always makes us a heartfelt meal!

 He is my barefoot entrepreneur.....

 As well as a kind older brother!

 Andy has always been athletic whether it is golf, swimming, hiking, baseball or water polo.

And a loyal Giants fan.........

He is handsome and funny............

And he has always been a ladies man..............

I'm not Joking.............................

Until he met Ashley.......

Now he only has eyes for her!

And occasionally his mama....

Thank you Andy for being a kind, loving man who is fun to be near.

I am so happy that you are in our lives!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

"Your birthday reminds me 

of the old Chinese Scholar:

Yung No Mo"

 --unknown

Creature Comforts

Song - Birds by Neil Young

Meet my new bird friend "Hop A. Long".  Every morning he shows up on my outdoor fireplace expecting some peanuts.  And again in the afternoon. He hops along (hence the name) any lifts each peanut in his beak assessing it's weight....then he flies off with the heaviest one.

But sometimes......

.....his enemy Mr. Scrub J will show up as well and they will duke it out over who will get the most peanuts.  

God.....I really need a life!

Hop A. Long will keep watch while grabbing more than his share of the nuts.  

But look who is overhead peering down on Hop A. Long......Mr. Scrub J!

I truly need a life.............

 I see you little trouble maker up there......

Help.............

Friday and Saturday I spent the day between my pool and vegetable garden staking up my tomatoes.  The tomatoes are so heavy with fruit that it took me half a day each day to untangle the vines and pound stakes into the ground to hold them off of the soil.  I even used my son & daughter-in-law's wedding sign for some support!

 On Friday I was able to pick two zucchini and three ripe tomatoes as well as a ton of Basil! We have had a heat wave in Northern California and every thing is either frying or maturing rapidly!

And look at this cute little guy - he is a little watermelon!  I have never grown one before.

A dragonfly resting on some of the tomato stakes.

I still see you Mister.....don't even think about raiding the bird feeders!

My shade garden is fairly happy because they don't get that blast of sun but just a little heat and dappled light.  Above is the row of Limelight Hydrangea's that I planted for the wedding two years ago.

The Hosta's are in bloom right now along with the Gardenia's.........

....which smell heavenly!

I have fresh water all around my garden for the birds and they really appreciate it when it's warm out.

But since I have been feeding the Steller's and Scrub Jay's, I have noticed that they are chasing the songbirds away from their feeders.

And they are making a mess on my patio furniture..........so, as much fun as they are to watch I think I am going to have to stop feeding them.  

Yesterday afternoon as I was reading by the pool, a family of five Blue Birds came to my feeders to eat a little and drink some cool water and then flew off happily!  I did not have my camera at the time but I will from now on!  It was a magical moment!

As the day was ending Mr. B joined me in the pool and we both read and relaxed.  He motioned for me to come over to the deck to see something.  So I grabbed my camera (I had grabbed it right after the Blue Birds showed up) and there was a Great Blue Heron looking for fish in the creek.

I guess I do have a life.....in my own backyard!

And look who snuck into the bird feeder while I was busy admiring the heron...........

"Do not take life too seriously.  

You will never get out of it alive." 

--Elbert Hubbard

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

Pecking Order

Song - Blue Jay Imitating Red Shoulder Hawk Call

The crows have been taking over our little neighborhood for the last few months.....and I don't like it!

On Sunday there must of been about 25 of them flying overhead and landing in our trees. Just at the point of peak noise, a hawk flew low across our patio and deck and headed straight toward them! He did it about four times and we figured that he was just trying to retake his favorite lookout tree near the creek.

He/She has a nest in the Oak trees above our driveway.  When we went to get in the car later that evening, Mr. B noticed an adolescent hawk dead on the driveway beneath the nest.  That must of been what the attack was all about.

I don't really like the hawks because they kill my songbirds and doves but they are majestic birds and have amazing life energy.

The other day I heard a hawk in the bushes while I was out watering the garden and as he hopped onto the deck railing I noticed that he wasn't a hawk at all but a Steller Jay!  I had heard that they sometimes mimic other birds but I don't remember hearing one before.  It was spot on! If you listened to the "song" above you will see what I mean.

On Saturday we had a little Green Heron on the dead trees near the creek. Those dead trees sure do attract a lot of birds! Luckily Mr. B & I were reading on the back deck and spotted him.

 He paused long enough for me to run inside to get my camera and tripod. He was looking up and down the length of the creek.

He observed the moon for awhile........

Then flew off for other adventures.......

We have had a couple of Spotted Towhee's in our side lawn area and although I have not had the opportunity to photograph them yet, they look a lot like this grosbeak above.

When I do get a good photo I will share it with you. 

 Meanwhile, right over our front door I have been noticing a lot of debris and assumed it was our gardener who blows the front porch weekly. But several days ago when we come in or out of the house, we have noticed a bird flying away from the area and looking up......there is a little nest on a two-inch piece of molding above the door. 

Hi little Mama Bird - just what made you pick that spot? 

She is welcome to it for a few weeks.  I have now posted notes inside and out to use other doors if possible.

 Just this morning as I was filling my bird feeders I spotted a Snowy Egret down in the creek looking for something to eat.....

He wasn't too sure about me hanging out and snapping photos of him so he slowly.....

....gracefully....walked further down the creek where he could eat in private!

"Something opens our wings.  

Something makes boredom and hurt disappear.  

Someone fills the cup in front of us. 

We taste only sacredness."  

--Rumi