Sep 24, 2012 |
On the heels of a completely reorganized kitchen and staying up late because I was the only one in the house (Yes, I realize I’m no longer a teenager. Thank you for reminding me!), this morning I slept past my alarm and awoke only when the Scrub Jays shouted in celebration. They found the food I’d set out for them last night!
They were gracious enough to let me sit nearby and take these photos:
Posing Pretty
Food!
Where to Hide the Stash?
This Dirt is Soft Enough to Hide In.
Another Helping? Don’t Mind If I Do!
Bird Feeder
More, Please. Thank you.
Finches Ate Breakfast, Too.
Hummingbird Feeder
The Hummingbirds flew away before I could photograph them, but I just love the look of the feeder against the house and sky.
I heard Old Blue squawking last night. I hope he’ll return for dinner tonight.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Aug 1, 2012 |
Well, it took about three weeks of high humidity to combine with southerly winds, but we finally got our thunderstorm this afternoon!
It didn’t last long (huge disappointment) but brought a lot of noise as the wind ushered in about two minutes of hail before turning back to “just” rain.
My flower bed has been thriving in the humidity. And as soon as the rain stopped, the birds came out to play.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Dec 13, 2011 |
I’m writing this a day early. I usually schedule my posts a day or two ahead of time, so this is not so noteworthy. Except the reasons I’m doing this, is we’re expecting a snowfall tonight and tomorrow and I want to be able to enjoy it. I’m sure if we get that much snow, I’ll photograph it and blog about it and squeal with girlish delight…
I”m sitting on my loveseat in front of my big picture window, watching the Scrub Jays fight the Cactus Wren for the trove of peanuts I put out for them; while the sparrows, finches and even a phoebe are fluttering all around the seed feeder and kicking up the ground to search for more.
A storm is most definitely coming in.
And I intend to enjoy it.
These are my favorite moments. Sitting in the warmth of the house with my cats, watching the birds try their best to beat the clouds. Checking the weather report every ten minutes to find its changed yet again (for the better, or worse, depending on your desire for snow). Drinking my Keurig peppermint tea and eating some Doo-Dads while listening to the Waltons on the dvd player and enjoying the lights of the Christmas Star and the Tree.
These are definitely some of my favorite moments.
When it snows tonight or tomorrow, we’ll stand out in it, listening to the quiet. Enjoying the darkened sky as it falls on our tongues and down our necks. Then we’ll come inside and drink hot cocoa, eat snacks and watch a Christmas movie.
I’m glad for moments like this.
Living in the high desert of SoCal, we don’t get snow, or even rain, like most of the country. While it’s not always sunny and warm, it’s not always winter. And there’s something about being less than two weeks away from Christmas with a forecast of “65 and sunny” that doesn’t sit right with me. It’s the gray skies, the chill wind, and the foraging birds that make winter seem more real, make Christmas seem more enjoyable.
We’ve been getting more snow each year, but it’s still only a few inches now and then. I’m fairly certain that within a few years we will be reclassified as “the place formerly known as High Desert” but until then, until this becomes the norm, it’s a cozy experience.
And I intend to enjoy every minute of it. So forgive me if this post is fluff and flakes. But I like my winters that way. I’ll take it as a Christmas gift from Mother Nature.
This storm is for the Birds. And each and every one of them.
