Birds - birds - and Birds

It's April - it's weird weather - and it's migration time.

Ring-billed gulls attacking grader...

Ring-billed gulls WIN!

Great Horned with fluff baby

Yellow-headed blackbirds

Eastern towhee pushed in by freak snow

Red Fox Sparrows - soo beautiful

 Note-worthy tidbits...

The first two weeks of April have been Omaha's second-coldest on record dating to 1871 -- and Sunday last set a reccord for the daytime cold of 33-degrees - breaking the record of 37-degrees set in 1872.

"See happiness not as getting what you thought you wanted, but wanting what you've wound up having."  Liesl Schillinger


Quote of the Day has to be from Nikki Haley earlier today --> "With all due respect, I do not get confused!"

Monarchs ready for Migration

The monarchs are hanging like leaves in evening light at GCP - swarming and waiting for those perfect conditions - sunlight and a north wind - time to ride the thermals ...

 

Back to blogging - snowflakes - african violets - first pages of books

Apparently, 2015 was not a good year to write...but today is 2016 and it is a good day to write...

Needle Snowflakes

from 28 December 2015 snowfall - collected at Dewey Circle.  Needle crystals are the products of warm, wet snowfalls, forming when the temperature is close to 23-degrees F and humidity is high - needles are the longest of the columnar snow crystals - it was 22-degrees F with 83% humidity the day of snowfall. 

- collected at TL Davis Preserve in western Douglas County - conditions were different from Dewey as the crystal shapes were more dendritic interlocking crystals - barbed branches lock together to form an exceptionally light fluffy blanket of ice - any sound that strikes the structure is efficiently absorbed by friction between the crystals - these also require high humidity - the ample water-vapour supply vigorously drives the branching instability to produce numerous side branches - after this type of snowfall, it is a very quiet place. 

At TL Davis, the Lespedeza heads easily captured the snow crystals - however the hilltop catches full sunlight and the crystals quickly disappeared - whereas on the north facing slope, the melting crystals remained days longer

AFRICAN VIOLETS

And what better way to start the New Year than with fresh crisp blooms of the african violets...

 

First Pages of Books

"This inscription could be seen on the glass door of a small shop, but naturally this was only the way it looked if you were inside the dimly lit shop, looking out at the street throught the plate-glass door.

Outside, it was a gray, cold, rainy November morning. The rain ran down the glass and over the ornate letters.  Through the glass there was nothing to be seen but the rain-splotched wall across the street.

Suddenly the door was opened so violently that a little cluster of brass bells tinkled wildly, taking quite some time to calm down. The cause of this hubbub was a fat little boy of ten or twelve.  His wet, dark-brown hair hung down over his face, his coat was soaked and dripping, and he was carrying a school satchel slung over his shoulder.  He was rather pale and out of breath, but, despite the hurry he had been in a moment before, he was standing in the open doorway as though rooted to the spot.

Before him lay a long, narrow room, the back of which was lost in the half-light. The walls were lined with shelves filled with books of all shapes and sizes. Large folios were piled high on the floor, and on several tables lay heaps of smaller, leather-bound books, whose spines glittered with gold. The far end of the room was blocked off by a shoulder-high wall of books, behind which the light of a lamp could be seen.  From time to time a ring of smoke rose up in the lamplight, expanded, and ..."

end of page one.

 

Resurrection and Rear Window

 RESURRECTION

On NPR I listened to an interview with poet/author Jason Mott about his 2013 book The Returned. A new TV series, Resurrection, is based on the book and aired on ABC last night.  It is about people who come back from being dead, not vampires but resurrected people.  As with all resurrections, the people return at the age they were when they died. (Actually, if one thinks about that, why does that have to be explained? Naturally they would return at the same age they left (died), unless the body continues to age after death, which is not likely. But it could make for interesting twist on the TV series.) 

Jason Mott related that his idea for this storyline came from a dream experience (I guess one could say he dreamed it up…hahaha!!!).  His mother passed away when he was in his early 20’s, maybe 22; he is now mid-30’s, maybe 35, and still misses her very much.  One night he dreamed that he came home and his mother was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for him.  They sat for hours, talking and talking. It was so comfortable and real that he thought when he woke she would still be there in the house.  After waking, though, she was not there, but he continued to ponder his dream. He was 22 when she left/died. He was 35 when she returned.  She returned expecting to see her 22-year-old son, with all his 22-year-old thoughts, actions and expectations.  But he was 35 and had moved on from the 22-year-old version of himself.

Jason Mott said from this dream he fashioned the storyline for his book The Returned.  I think maybe he watched the Japanese film, Yomigaeri, and then had the dream about his mother, as his book bears a striking similarity to the plot of that film! 

Then I too started thinking about his dream. The mother was expecting the 22-year-old son, but he had now advanced to a 35-year-old son. The person, as she knew him, was no longer that person. But that scenario is not limited to the resurrected.  Frequently, it is what parents do to their children and children to their parents. Often, both keep each other in a snapshot of time where it is hard for the parents to let the children grow up, and it is hard for the children to let the parents grow old.

And it is not limited to families. It can happen in any relationship where growth or just plain change is stunted or stifled.  Often people do not realize that they are framing someone in a snapshot.  And they can only stop this “framing” when they recognize it of themselves, for if pointed out by another, they would shake their head in disbelief.

And what’s my point? That we can either remember, not remember, or change our memories of the person in the past. But we should always be acknowledging who IS the person of the present.

So, in the NPR interview, the question became, “If a loved one could come back to life, would you want them to?” 

REAR WINDOW

Just as L. B. Jeffries (Jimmy Stewart) viewed clandestine scenes from his rear window…I embrace a rear window view into our wooded yard abounding with faunal shenanigans (in this sense, meaning high-spirited bahaviour!). And just as “Jeff” Jeffries becomes familiar with and photographed all the tenants of his apartment courtyard, I take note and photo log the who and the how many of what delve into our woodland. And lastly, as Jeffries, I too sometimes make assumptions based on the conclusions of the camera lens.

A week ago in the “courtyard” a pair of squirrels balanced on a tree limb, performing 10 minutes of foreplay, followed by 10 seconds of sex, after which they adjourned to a neighboring side branch to quietly rest. What I viewed and termed  “foreplay” was their act of facing each other and huddling close, and then licking each other all over. Licking eventually exploded into serious, quickly acted out, sexual deeds. 

 the licking begins...

and continues...

and continues...

the stance and make ready...

the mount...

doing the deed...

and he's DONE as she looks longingly...

they share a quiet after-sex moment...

and finally - time to relax and savour a JOB WELL DONE!!!

GNOMES RULE

A Gnomesville snow day...

GnomesVille The Farm

GnomesVille The Farm Dedication Poem
by Dave Sutherland, Poet Laureate of GnomesVille
01 September 2013

Gnomesville

This is a place where gnomes may gather

In summer heat or winter weather.

However far a gnome may roam;

Any gnome may call this home.

From mountains high to desert sands,

We welcome gnomes from many lands.

Gnomes are small creatures, full of mirth,

Guardians of treasures in the earth.

Although they often live in holes,

They are not hobbits, elves, or trolls.

Gathered here, among the trees,

The gnomes will do exactly as they please.

They're gentle folk; they have no guns,

They'll arm themselves with gnomely puns

Like "only the gnomely" and "no place like gnome,"

These gnomes will make themselves at home.

They'll crow with glee at every joke

And lounge and sing and have a smoke.

In pointed hats, with laughter hearty,

They'll welcome new gnomes to the party.

And so Lady G prepares DS the Poet - fashioning his toga in the kitchen chambers.

DS the Poet ready for the procession - in full garb with "laurel" wreath, toga, and Gnomette Laureate

Bubble Procession

Reciting of the Dedication Poem

Welcome the new residents

Gnomette Laureate

RK with mushroom lover

LW with Headlamper

Headlamper at night!

inside-home gnome and fairy box

Hith (hole in the hat) Gnome

Giah (gnome in a hole) Gnome with friends

CK with the most important Gnome GUARD (ok...he just thinks he's a gnome - the Guard I mean)

And now everyone seems to be settling in to the new digs - a good day was had by all!

From the Jeep Blind

The orioles arrived earlier this week at the farm so I made 4 feeding stations for them with orange halves.

One is on an old post that in the past supported a bird house. The raccoons toyed with the house pulling part of it down and left it hanging upside down.  I too left it hanging upside down…until finding a perfect use for it as an orange holder.  I also pounded nails into the post as additional orange hangers.

One is on an existing wrought iron type trellis that holds hanging feeders. I used a padlock to hold one of the tube feeders to the trellis, as the raccoons would raid the feeder at night. The padlock did well to hold the top of the tube feeder on the trellis but the raccoons succeeded in pulling the tube itself down – leaving only the top securely attached to the trellis via padlock. So I turned it upside down, secured it with several long zip ties and skewered the orange halves.

The other orange station is in the middle of a double shepard’s hook holding feeding platforms. I attached an old large grill fork to the middle of it – tines up – and skewered fruit. On this one, I put a half mango on the bottom and an orange half on top – wanting to experiment with different fruits.  From what I have observed, the male orioles want nothing to do with the mango – but the female orioles have cleaned the mango out nicely.  I think I will next try a pomegranate. 

The last station is merely one nail in a tree trunk – at DBH height – with half an orange.

The feeding stations are quite active and daily the oranges are totally pecked clean.  Naturally I wanted to observe them at a closer distance – but no longer have any field blinds as they were all stolen about a year ago. So I decided to use my Jeep as a blind.  My thought was that a bright yellow Jeep looked probably less threatening than me trying to sneak up on them. 

So I positioned the Jeep near the stations and opened the windows for clear view. Also decided to sit in the back seat so I would be less obvious. So climbing in my back seat – having to push over my large plastic tote holding field gear and bubbles – being careful of my toes (only wearing toe socks) around the hand saw and clippers on the floor – cramming myself into a sliver of the back seat I pull the door shut – and realize I am too cramped to maneuver the camera so I try to open the door…and remember it is the door that doesn’t open from the inside.  Now I am squished and stuck in the back seat and try to crawl about for some space.  So from my Jeep blind I had an interesting couple of hours before crawling over the seat to open a working door.

many Harris sparrows - so beautiful and large

in come the Baltimore orioles to the orange trellis – note the inverted lid of a tube feeder holding the orange and, of course, can’t miss the zip ties

head first into the orange

Baltimore oriole on the orange post - note the upside down partial bird house

female daintily supping the orange at the shepard's hook station - note the mango half below the orange

then in comes an orchard oriole – sending the Baltimore flying

but the Baltimore stays gone not so long

And returns to take over the orange

Then the grosbeaks begin their acts at the platform trellis feeder.

Then the males quickly attend – the first arrival (seemingly already familiar with this female) gets a place at the platform – the two interlopers sit atop the post and atop the trellis – but the familiar male quickly dismisses the intruders

Then another female arrives to gain attention

But the familiar male – who is obviously quite smitten with this first female – viciously does off with the flirty female

But wait – one of the interlopers is back!

BE DONE WITH YOU – AND NEVER RETURN!!!

He now turns to his beloved assuring his love

It was at this time that I realized while trying to jockey myself around in a cramped space – I kept hitting the camera settings – and thus reduced some clarity to blurry – the camera manual states I was in the “creative zone” for settings!

Thinking that only orioles are utilizing the oranges – I notice in the rear view mirror (remember I am lodged in the back seat) a grosbeak on the orange post – note the photo shows I am still in the creative zone.

However the grosbeak stayed only second and apparently did not savour the juice of the orange.

But then there was a big commotion and every one flew into the tree tops.  Looking around outside from my safe haven of the Jeep I notice…

Check out what is in the window…this is what I call the turkey vulture dance…

notice his dancing feet!

He then lofted away. And I emerged from the Jeep to stretch out my limbs and enjoy the rest of the birding day from a more comfortable distance.

Always and ever keeping watch over the oranges

And that's the saga of the Jeep Blind...

Gnome-ever-interesting!!!