Life of the Skies

I don't enter contests often, but this one sounded fun! Mike and the guys over at 10,000 birds currently have a contest going offering as nice prize, a copy of of Jonathan Rosen's The Life of the Skies: Birding at the End of Nature. Simply submit your best photo of a bird in flight and promote the giveaway on your blog.

So, pay them a visit and enter The Life of the Skies Giveaway!

An odd duck?

I work at a 700 bed county teaching hospital. We are the level one trauma center for our area and have the busiest ED in town. Here is a photo of the ambulance entrance.
Why is this entrance on my blog today? And why would a hospital ED entrance be so interesting? Well, just check out where the white arrow is pointing.... See the bed of monkey grass there at the bottom of the canopy column?
It's now an expectant mother zone! Yep! We have... I kid you not... a Mallard Duck nesting in that monkey grass! They say she has 13 eggs in her nest. Someone put up a sign to protect her which says, "Do Not Disturb. Nesting Duck." She is quite the celebrity!
I took my camera on Friday and tried to get some shots of her, but she is buried deep in the grass, and she's been prone to nip at fingers trying to get a better look at her. You can see her brown streaked back through the grass. Why on earth she chose the busy ambulance entrance of the busiest hospital in town is anyone's guess. The river is across the street, but down a few blocks. When they hatch, I am sure these babies will be getting a hospital police escort across the busy street to the river. Maybe this mom duck is smarter than we think!

Here is a photo I Googled with a female Mallard and ducklings.
Can't wait to see them!

The power of Blogger

Someone, who shall remain nameless... ahem.... keeps catching
really lovely shots of my birds and then asking when I am
going to post them? And further, that someone then gets
a real kick to see just how many comments his photos garner.

Hmmmm.... new addiction?
New Blogger?
Stay tuned.

Isn't he stunning?

Husband came home for lunch yesterday and saw this
beautiful Purple Finch at the feeder just
outside the kitchen window.
He was so close, that this was the result taken
with the zoom through the window!
They are in bright breeding plumage now and the color
is just so vivid that I could stare all day long.
The Goldfinch are in various stages of their molt
and have been so active as they fill the trees behind the house.
Oh, I am so happy spring is here!

Quotes, quotes, quotes

(Husband's macro shot of the daisy on the table.)

When I started going to the chiropractor, I noticed they had these little books around their office to pick up and enjoy while waiting. I suppose I've seen them before, but I'd never picked up a Bits and Pieces until I started going there. Now, I have my own subscription, as there is nothing I like more than a good quote that makes you think. I got my "welcome issue" in the mail the other day and I am keeping it in my car to look at as I wait on Sam at school. Here are a few really good nuggets thus far:

"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." --Edmund Hillary, Explorer

"To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible." --Thomas Aquinas, Philosopher and theologian

"You can make your world so much larger simply by acknowledging everyone else's." --Jeanne Marie Laskas, Columnist

"Tact is the art of recognizing when to be big and when not to belittle." --Bill Copeland, Business leader

"Joy is the feeling of grinning inside." --Melba Colgrove, Psychologist

Heaven made to order

(Stairway to Heaven
by Jim Warren)

So, we're on the way home from school, and somehow Sam is on the topic of heaven. These conversations don't generally go well as he has a very hard time grasping or understanding the concept of death. It generally ends with his being in tears and wanting me to confirm that we'll be together forever and ever. How to explain that concept?

Well, this day he is talking about how Ms E. told him he'd have his trains in heaven and his DVD's and anything that makes him happy. Fair enough. Why not have him know that the concept of "heaven" would certainly mean endless peace, joy, and happiness, and if that, for him, is his "stuff," then sure, it's all there. Better than him feeling as if it's a sad thing. I explained that he won't need his body, because it's his spirit and soul that goes on.

I can see his mind wheels turning. "So mom, there will be my trains and books and the railroad museum?" "Sure, " I tell him, "all the places and things that make you happiest." We head down the road and I can see he's still thinking about what his vision of "heaven" will be like when he turns and says, "And mom? There will be no school in heaven and no cow poop, right?" That's my boy. Heaven, made to order. Nope, no school, and definitely no cow poop.

Posing with the finial

My Bluebird couple has a nest in the old house with four eggs laid already. She has not started incubating just yet, but I can't imagine she'll lay more than four in this early first nest of the season. The male is brilliant, brilliant blue in his breeding splendor, and husband caught him posing proudly on top of the feeder pole, looking much prettier than the finial!

It's 29 degrees this morning and we covered the daffodils last night. Hopefully, this will be the last cool snap for a much too long winter. The remainder of the week is supposed to be in the low to mid 70's. Spring needs to shut the door on old man winter!

Sure fire signs of spring on Chickadee

The Lord is risen indeed!

Alleluia! Alleluia!!

Matthew 28:1-10

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, `He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my message for you." So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

A Very Blessed and
Happy Easter to All!

The race is on

I noticed a quick entrance into the Trex house
on the pine tree the other day, and waited until
I saw a sweet head poke out to look around.
The Brown-headed Nuthatches have again
claimed their house from last year.
Husband caught these images yesterday.

We watched while she went to gather nesting
material and bring it back to create a nest as soft as down
and ready to protect and nurture some young ones.

Here is a picture of the nest I removed last year after
the season was done. I was so amazed at the
softness and intricacy of its construction.
The race is on!
Claim your houses and get those eggs laid!
(There are already three eggs in a nest in the
bluebird house... spring is here indeed!)

Cooper's majesty

The other night as I was at the kitchen sink, I noticed a flurry of doves flying away with some urgency. A moment later, he landed on the swing in all his glory and stood there as if to wonder where all the free dinner went.

I ran to get the camera and had to take these through the window as I knew as soon as I opened the door, he'd take off. After snapping a few, I knew I had to try, and so I eased the door open. As soon as I got the lens around the door jamb, he took off, and the one shot that wasn't through the window was one big blur. :c) Never the less, even through the window, he's majestic to me.

The Bandit

I decided to move my platform feeder to another window off the kitchen with an easier view so that it would be less difficult to snap photos of the birds there. It's now on a shepherd's hook probably only two feet from the side of the house.

The other day, my husband called me to let me know that he was home for lunch and saw a bandit in the feeder and took a few photos for me. When I came home that day, these images are what greeted me on the desktop! Stinker! Click on him to fully enjoy his expression above as he stared at my husband through the window. In the photo below you can actually see my house reflected in his eye!

A Joyful Woman on Chickadee

So, Ginger came out to Chickadee last night and the weather was glorious! No rain, and a nice breeze. Husband snapped some photos out on the deck as the sun was starting to set. We shared a nice dinner of spinach quiche and tomato basil soup, and again, more very wonderful, warm conversation. I've so enjoyed getting able to meet this very kind, gracious, and warm Joyful Woman. She's almost made me salivate at the thought of coming to see her and capture photos of the Bald Eagles where she lives. Who knows? Maybe one day...

Look who's back!

I looked out the window yesterday and look who I saw!
The Purple Finches are back!
At least until they head North to breed.
Hopefully, they'll leave with full bellies.
I've missed seeing them at my feeders.
Raspberry glistening in the sun!
(click to enlarge and see the beautiful detail)

Autism-The Musical!

A comment left for Ginger on a post she wrote about meeting Sam and his "Sudden Loss of Gravity drill" suggestion caught my eye. It was about an interview with Elaine Hall and her autistic son Neal. I googled Autism-The Musical, and was thrilled to see that it's a 93 minute documentary debuting on HBO Tuesday, March 25th. A documentary. About autism.

Director Tricia Regan followed five kids with autism and their families for months and mentored them in putting together a musical of sorts about them and their lives. It showcases their triumphs and talents, as well as their struggles to exist in a world that many times does not understand them. What a project to take on! I expect I'll need a box of tissue close by.

How wonderful it is to see actual documentaries being made about autism. In 1995, when we got our diagnosis, I was handed a box of Kleenex and given a pat on the back. The awareness that is out there now is staggering to me. Hope you'll be able to tune in and watch this. If not, they'll have DVD's for sale on the web site as well. The more the public is exposed to this disorder, the more help there will be and the more understanding and compassion will reign.

So common, yet so beautiful

When I have Northern Cardinals visit my yard, I rarely have more than one male and one female. Unlike my lucky friend, Mary, who has had a plethora of Cardinals visit her yard, I have to just appreciate the occasional male, who brings his girlfriend along. They really are quite stunning, aren't they? Their colors are so vivid, especially in the drab winter brown landscape. I've never seen Cardinal babies. I'd bet they are quite interesting to see. Probably all beak!

This "cool fact" stood out to me on the Cornell page link above:

"The female Northern Cardinal sings, often from the nest. The song may give the male information about when to bring food to the nest. A mated pair shares song phrases, but the female may sing a longer and slightly more complex song than the male."

Well now, are we surprised? Aren't women always a bit more verbal? :c)

On Blogger lunches and China Gel

Last week I had my appointment with the new chiropractor. I explained the injury sustained to my right deltoid and he had me go to the back where they did ultrasound and cold laser therapy to my muscle using this awesome preparation called China Gel. It's like Icy Hot on steroids! Ahhhh... the penetration and pain relief I got with that one treatment! Then, I had an adjustment, with special attention to my right side. I was given an exercise sheet to do pendulum type stretches to my right arm, and a return appointment for Friday. I was a bit more sore on Wednesday evening, but by Thursday at work, I noticed a huge difference in the times I was conscious that it was aching. I went on Friday morning for another treatment and adjustment, and purchased some China Gel to use at home. Now, I am wishing I'd gone to see him two weeks ago. I feel I am fully on the way to recovery.

Later in the day, more joy flowed. Lunch with Ginger was a treat and a half! In some ways, it was if we'd known each other for years. Haven't we? :c) Oh, the power of Blogger and the written word which lets us share ourselves with others in such a comfortable way. Conversation was non-stop and thoroughly joyful. I meant to tell her to ask me to slow down a bit if my Southern speech got too fast for comprehension. I do tend to talk fast, if not too much, at times. It was a rainy day, and we only got two photos snapped by the desk clerk at the hotel. I am holding them hostage for posting so that she is compelled to come by Chickadee Tuesday evening when her conference concludes so that we can take some decent photos to share with you. Blogger.... it's a beautiful thing.

Meeting A Joyful Woman

Back in early 2006, I happened upon a blog called Joyful Woman and grew to look forward each day to visiting. Over the past two years or so, we've commented on, and enjoyed, each other's blogs regularly. Like many Bloggers, she soon found that there were those in her real life who found out she blogged, and so it limited what she could share in terms of voicing frustrations freely and so she created another blog For Any Eyes. Most every entry on Joyful Woman is cross posted to For Any Eyes, but we all need a place to just "be" and so there are those of us who still know her as the Joyful Woman.

Imagine my glee when this Joyful Woman wrote to tell me that she was attending a conference in my area! She is from the upper, upper Northwest and I am in northwest Georgia, so imagine the distance she will travel. She arrived last night and today we will meet for lunch. In person. Face to face. This little blogosphere continues to amaze me. Can't wait to meet you Ginger!

The crazy seed lady

I don't especially like going to Wal-mart at any other time than around 8AM or so. At that time, no one is there, and the incessant "boop" is not so obnoxious. Yesterday was my first day off during the week in some time, and I needed some bird seed. For your money, you can't find a better bargain than the 3-D Songbird Mix available there. The 7 lb bags are $6.92, but the wonderful mix is fully consumed and the birds simply love it. I also like to get their Nut N' Berry mix as a treat to put only in the feeder cups. I also found a couple of the C & S No-Melt Suet cakes in preparation for warmer weather. I am sure the lady at the register thought I was some crazy woman as I trotted up to her register with seven bags of the Songbird Mix and two of the Nut N' Berry. My car looked like the low rider, but I won't have to go back to Wal-Mart anytime soon.

Adding to the low rider effect, I then headed for Target to get my favorite water, the Archer Farms Wild Berry. What the heck, I loaded up 8 of the four packs. Add that to the bird seed, and I probably got 5 miles less to the gallon yesterday. But the birds are going to be fed and my thirst will certainly be quenched as I watch them dine happily.

The Philosophy of grace

Why I love Philosophy products...
What else can you use in your bath and read this label
on a product called Amazing Grace?

"philosophy: how you climb up the
mountain is just as important as how
you get down the mountain. and, so it
is with life, which for many of us
becomes one big gigantic test
followed by one big gigantic lesson. in
the end, it all comes down to one word.
grace. it's how you accept winning and
losing, good luck and bad luck, the
darkness and the light."

"Fee-bee... fee-b-be-bee"

I wish I could get a shot of him (her?) hovering over the
feeder cup with the Zick dough as she sneaks a bite.
I simply love watching this sweet Phoebe at my feeders.

The prodigal daughter?

When I knew I was ready to start my faith journey in 1993, I started exploring the Episcopal Church and found a home there. The church where I was subsequently baptized and confirmed was truly "home" to me. I was there for 12 years, and always knew it would be an important part of my life. If someone had told me one day I'd leave, I would have laughed. For it was in that place that I truly felt the presence of the spirit. The space simply always bathed me in its reverence and peace. But, as they say, never say never. In September of 2005, I walked out, and never went back.

My frustration centered around the priest, who was suffering from clinical depression, and ceased to be functional. He slowly sucked the church down into the vortex of his neglect and they seemed powerless to do anything about it. I liked him, and initially supported him, but when it reached critical mass, he was unable to admit his illness and the church began to crumble. So many people departed, and the spirits of those remaining was broken as well. It was as if those who had been there for years and years were just willing to wait him out. They'd been through many rectors in their 40+ year history, but even they were stymied in deciding how to carry on. Once his neglect personally affected me, and I could no longer be spiritually fed by him, I knew I had to leave or my spiritual life would be affected more than it already had been. So I retreated. I walked away, much to the dismay of those I left behind. I was hurt, I was angry, and I was determined to land in a healthier place. I did not go to church for a couple of months, and then landed at a newer church in an outlying community 45 minutes from me. The people were kind, and it was a sanctuary from the chaos. But, it was not "home." I was able to adjust to those things that I knew in my heart I was missing, and tried to make do.

This past summer, imagine my surprise, when our choir director announced we'd be doing the Advent Bach Cantata along with the choir of my former church. I was both excited and hesitant. As irony would have it, this past fall, they were able through financial means, to get the depressed priest to leave. The day I walked back into that church to practice with their choir members, and then sing the cantata there, I was greeted with open arms and many hugs. It truly felt as if I'd never left.

All this has weighed heavily on me since December. So many people looked at me longingly after hugging me in December as if wanting to voice, "So, he's gone. Will you come back now?" Over the past weeks, I've given much thought to attending a service there to see how it felt, and yesterday, I decided to do it. I walked back in there to worship after 2 1/2 years of painful absence, after all the sadness and hurt, and yet longing to go home again. I can't count the knowing smiles and welcoming hugs I received. I cried as I knelt there in prayer, thinking about how brave they all were for staying in the midst of the years of chaos when I ran for shelter. I cried because for the first time in a long time, I felt fed. Back home, full of warmth, and spiritually fed. Maybe, just maybe, you can go home again.

Gotcha!

I was at the kitchen window washing some dishes yesterday when I noticed the Red-breasted Nuthatch coming to the platform feeder hanging below. We set up the camera on the tripod and opened the window.... and waited, and waited, and waited. Finally! He came back for more seed and we got a decent shot. Man, he's fast, but worth the wait!

Basil... I like basil

Because I am tired this morning, have mounds of laundry to do, and we have no food in the house.... Something mindless and fun.

You Are Basil

You are quite popular and loved by post people. You have a mild temperament, but your style is definitely distinctive. You are sweet, attractive, and you often smell good.

What Spice Are You?

In need of...

Two weeks ago yesterday... that's how long it's been since I injured my right arm. It's measurably better, but I am still taking the Ibuprofen and it still aches a good bit, especially by the end of the day. I still have to guard against pulling/tugging or carrying anything too heavy. I asked one of the residents at hand clinic on Wednesday for a "sidewalk Ortho consult" but they got busy and he never did come back to evaluate it. I am almost sure it's just a good strain, and I know it takes time to heal, but it's been hard on my spirit just the same. Especially since it's my dominant hand. Many times, out of reflex I've reached out to do things and only when I feel the pain do I realize I am using the hurt arm. I feel really out of alignment too and think I am in need of a good adjustment as well as a comfortable massage to feel human again.

It's amazing how much we take our bodies and their functioning for granted, isn't it? We just expect to treat them any old way and for them to continue to work for us as always. It's been humbling to say the least. I got an appointment for a new chiropractor on Wednesday. Now to schedule that massage...

Holding Cross blessings

Back in 2006, I blogged about the Holding Cross that was given to me by a dear friend and how much it meant to me. Since that time, I have become email buddies with Jack and Carol Scott, and have regularly ordered these beautiful creations to have on hand. I have found through the years that gifting people with them has blessed both me and them, and so I am never without several to find homes for where they will be used to find peace and strength.

Several weeks ago, when Sam was having a particularly hard day and I'd received a call from Ms T, his parapro, I was sitting at the car dealership getting my oil changed. My shoulders sunk as I hung up the phone from a wailing Sam and a sad Ms T. I was just starting to feel really sorry for myself when God sent Eric in the waiting area. Eric is the service manager there, and I've gotten to know him over the years. He greeted me with a smile, and I asked him how things were with him. He relayed that things had not been so great as his mom had been in the hospital for weeks and was not doing well and that his sister had just had surgery. This was compounded by the fact that his mom lives with her and is her support and help with her 9 year old who has autism. His 9 year old nephew who is non-verbal, screams constantly, is not potty trained, and who has a penchant for getting up in the night and turning on all the water faucets in the house. Because of this, they have to literally turn the water off to the house each night. As I listened I knew that God had sent Eric to me to remind me that as bad as things can seem, others have harder burdens to bear.

I thought about him all week long and his family's situation and kept them in my prayers. I decided to send him two holding crosses. One for him and one for his sister, and enclosed a note telling him that I was praying for them and hoped these crosses would remind them that they are not alone and that I was hoping for peace in their lives. Well, Eric called last night and this is part of the story he shared after telling me how thankful he was....

"My mom went back into the hospital and is now home on Hospice care. I decided to give my cross to her Jayne. She took it in her hand while in the hospital and held it night and day. Anytime she was getting short of breath again and anxious, she reached for that cross. I read the card to her that came with it, and she found such peace in it. She's home now, at my sister's house, in a hospital bed, and that cross stays there on her bedside table. I find her holding it and resting quietly when I go by there after work each day. In some ways, she seems to be struggling less, and I think it's because of that cross. You will never know what a blessing it has been to her and to my family."

I sat here with tears streaming down my face. The greatest gift any of us can give of ourselves is to somehow be a blessing to others. I hope when Eric's mom closes her eyes for the last time, she is holding that cross and the peace and warmth of knowing she is blessed takes her home.

A mouthful of dough

The Pine Warblers have stayed around all winter long.
The brilliant yellow coloring on the males mesmerizes me.
This guy was enjoying the Zick dough in the feeder cup.
I'll miss offering it once it gets too warm outside.

Patches of yellow

The molting has started, and the yellow is shining through...
spring can't be far away.
Know any banks that give thistle loans?

Where is your Mrs.?

My bluebird male is ready to house hunt.
He's been flying to the old bluebird house
and claiming his territory.
But, I've not seen the female for a few days now.
I hope she did not meet an early demise, or
worse yet, a more romantic partner.
If so, he's one handsome bird looking for love
if you know of any available females who
wouldn't mind nesting in an old, but reliable house. :c)

A perfect day... for the most part

Thanks to everyone for the sweet birthday wishes!

Yesterday was a wonderful birthday. After opening my very unexpected gift from husband, we got ready to go see my nephew in a matinee performance of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He was cast in the part of Injun Joe and I was swelled with pride to see him up there on the stage, playing the part so well. We came back here to the house to have lunch, celebrate B's performance, and have my birthday celebration. My sister and nephews got me a wonderful lighted bathroom mirror, which I was coveting at her house, a beautiful hummingbird feeder, and a chirping chickadee ornament. My parents gave me $$ (always appreciated, and which will probably got towards a nice massage) and some good smelling Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker bath gel and lotion. They all departed and my parents took Sam with them to spend the night. Since we got up at 4:30, a nice nap was in order before heading to a birthday dinner.

After waking from my nap, I was playing with my blog and deciding if I wanted to ad one of the slide.com slide shows to the sidebar. I created my slide show of bluebird shots, and then copied and pasted the code to my template. After I viewed it, and decided I didn't like the look of it, my stomach lurched as I realized that I had not downloaded the template before I made changes. I was careful to go back in and only delete the code for the slide show, but when I "saved changes" and viewed my blog, all I saw was dates.... all my posts had disappeared... gulp. Talk about a sinking feeling. Sinking, sick feeling. And just before we were to leave for a grand birthday dinner out. Ugh. I kept replaying in my mind exactly what I did, and could not figure out how I had messed up the HTML code. We had to leave for our 6PM reservation, and all I could think about was how on earth I was going to fix my error.

We had a nice dinner, even though I had a sick feeling in my gut that I had just done something I could not UNdo. I had tried to change templates to see if it would show my posts again, but that did not work either, and it would not let me post anything new to it. Oh my, what a birthday downer. We returned home and I immediately went about searching out Blogger's help topics to see if anyone else had encountered this problem. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Just when I was about to start crying, I noticed this little blurb at the bottom of the page..."Revert widget templates to default." I figured, what did I have to lose? So, I clicked on it and then clicked on "view blog." Lo and behold, my posts were again visible!!!! Hallelujah!!!! My blog and birthday was salvaged! Lesson learned!

And just what was in those boxes?

Well now!
Happy Birthday to me indeed!!!!
He sooooo got me!

We woke up at 4:30 this morning for some reason. I heard husband stir and asked him what time it was. "Oh, I'd say it's time to open presents!" was the reply. There was no going back to sleep at that point, now was there? He hoisted the presents on the bed and as he grinned like the Cheshire cat, I opened the first big box (the one I had to sign for). It took a good ten minutes for me to be able to pull my jaw up off of the comforter.

Are you kidding me??? A 40D? For me? Gulp! The other boxes contained extra batteries and a 4.0GB flash card. The tears welled up as I realized that he took his bonus check to get this for me. Because he knows how much my being able to take beautiful photos feeds my soul. Because he knows this will bring me infinite joy for years and years. And, because I am so loved.

Wow. Wow. Wow. A Canon 40D... 10.1 mega pixels, able to shoot 6.5 frames per second, with a self cleaning sensor unit, and it also massages your thighs while you shoot. Just kidding about that last part... sorta. Turning 46 today is feeling rather joyous already. Life is good.