FROM A RECENT TRIP TO DANA POINT NEARBY TO DOHENY BEACH IN CALIFORNIA

These are some shots I took of some egrets perching on a few boats in the harbor.

I'll break up my post into two sections so I get them all up on my nature blog. 

Their black legs and yellow feet are so cute.

THE BLACK HEADED GROSBEAKS HAVE RETURNED A WEEK AGO FOR SPRING AND SUMMER

They will be here until after summer - and leave just before fall.  I always enjoy seeing them show up year and year.  I did this sketch the first year I ever realized what kind of bird they were.  it wasn't until we moved to the mountains that I saw my first one. 

Winds have died down and I think a walk is in store today.  We tried yesterday but it was way too windy at the lake.  Spring in the mountains is a little irritating sometimes because it seems like most days are windy or heavy breezes.  By the time we can walk then the heat and humidity sets in and the bugs come out at the lake but it's worth seeing the beauty of the forest around here. 

Weekend is upon us again.  Mine will be busy - how about yours?

(digital sketch 2012 - blackheaded grosbeak)

TWO YEARS AGO THIS MONTH I TOOK THESE PHOTOS OVER BY THE LAKE

The tulips at this house shown below didn't come up again.  The house was sold and the landscaping has changed a bit.  I remember when I took these photos I was amazing at how pretty it looked in the fog.  There is a little road that passes by the house in the background, very narrow and barely accessible by car but there are houses back in there so I've walked it a few times.  It's an interesting walk and good exercise.  The dogwoods are blooming now as shown in the last pic.  My goal during this time of year is to get out and photograph all the dogwood trees I can find...it keeps me busy.  Today there should be some beautiful blooms at our local arboretum up the mountain a ways.  I should see a lot dogwoods in bloom.

Magyar's haiku - thank you!

in the fog
someone touches the dogwood
counting blooms

BEAUTIFUL BIRDS

A sweet photo op appeared and of course I had my camera with me.

Happy Saturday.

A PRETTY LITTLE SCRUB JAY

So, we had about a 10 minute period of three snow events - all just slight with big fat snowflakes that melted when they hit the ground.  The clouds are attempting to clear out but having no success yet.  They seem to wantto stay around and act bipolar.  Lots of events in the next weeks here in the mountains.  It seems like each little mountain town around here has something going on over the weekends.  Where we live - ..the town will begin to start up its' first ever farmers market but I don't remember which day it will be so I need to look it up.  I'm anxious to get fresh produce there instead of the grocery stores.

Count down is ongoing for my road trip where I leave with my sister and her daughter on May 1st for a trip of the coast to Northern California and Oregon.

haiku by Magyar

bird on the hunt
one seed hiding en-la-mass
nourishment 

MORE MOUNTAIN SCENES NEAR LAKE ARROWHEAD

When we go over to Lake Arrowhead - not far from where i live we often drive through this area (which was burned in the fires in 2007) and it's amazing to see it now.  It's an area called Cedar Glen and in the spring is so beautiful.

In 2007 here are some of the photos of this area that burned.  When you see the photos of 2017 (when these above were taken) - you can see the beauty and health of the forest again - it takes less than a decade to heal burn areas. 

I'm hoping to drive over there today after we do a little shopping in Lake Arrowhead.

WHEN I LIVED IN WRIGHTWOOD - MY BIRD PHOTOS WERE BETTER THEN ..

There was something about the way the light angled through the yard and at certain times would light up an area perfectly.  One of those times was when I was photographing this Acorn Woodpecker.  I posted these several years ago on a blog I closed out but I enjoyed revisiting them again.  So, these were taken about six years ago around the time we first moved to Wrightwood - a different mountain range than where we live now.  This area was about 6500 feet, altitude, and where we are now is close to 5000.  From being a flatlander and moving to 6000 feet I remember it taking awhile to adjust to the difference in altitude when out walking.  I did enjoy many walks through the area and my camera definitely got a work out.  I posted a few of the houses I would see along my walks ..these two were just down the road from us.

I loved this house when I would see it.   I use to imagine that my sister lived in this one - the style would have fit her perfectly and it was only about six houses away from mine.

That's it for now - I am enjoying my old photos again so I will probably post more from this area that I may or may not have posted before. We were on limited upload speed and I remember that I could only post so may as it took so long.  Many never got posted.

Every time I walked down our road I would pass this house that had this little barn or storage area in the back of the property.  Rarely did I ever pass it when it didn't beg for a photo - the lighting was always amazing.

Here is this cute woodpecker.  He pecked many holes in the houses up here - I could walk by and see them.  The telephone poles also had been drilled by him ...holes everywhere.  I loved to sit and watch him while he ate.

PHOTOS FROM SAN SIMEON STATE BEACH (HEARST CASTLE IS IN THE AREA)

On our trip to the coast awhile back we visited this part of the central coast and it was a beautiful area to spend some time.  Hearst Castle are in the hills above the beach.

AT GREEN VALLEY LAKE YESTERDAY I FOUND THIS SCENE CAPTIVATING

We had almost finished our walk around the lake when I saw movement down on the shore line so I got a little closer and zoomed in with my camera.  This blackbird (I think Brewer's blackbird), was meandering among the pinecones and the water was so clear looking - the colors were beautiful.  Spring weather at 7000 feet felt so good.

Any haikus are welcome in the comments. 

WEDNESDAY WISDOM

Hello - how are you.  It's been busy around my place lately with family in from Oregon last week.

On certain social media sites they have a subject for every day of the week.  On Wednesdays, it is Wednesday Wisdom which triggered a memory of these fellas I use to have in my garden/yard at my house I sold and no longer have, (whine)...  i immediately thought of this photo of them and a "pun" came to me.  So I found a little inspiration today to be creative.  It's been missing lately because I've been too busy. 

I haven't seen them since I moved seven years ago - having left the frog somewhere in the yard, and the key rock fell over and broke.  With the nice weather arriving I really wish I had my yard back to play in and create different little areas of whimsy.

How is your spring going?