IT'S SO OFFENSIVE

Says the pigeon - who is sometimes referred to as a flying rat.  They don't like it much and they beckon one to look closer at the iridescent feathers around their neck and their beautiful eyes rimmed in red eyeliner.  They are quite a sight to see up close.   They are just hungry and always waiting for opportunities to eat what we reject.

SOMETIMES YOU ARE HERE
AT OTHER TIMES OVER THERE
ALWAYS SEARCHING FOOD

RIVERSIDE BOTANICAL GARDENS

We visited this place a few days ago on the 1st  and the weather was only in the low 80s but coming down from the mountain felt like it was in the 100's.  Whew!  I could have stayed in the shade all day.

It was a high contrast type of day - not my favorite light to take photos in but I like the light in this top photo ...here are a few from that day.  The cactus and succulant gardens are always my favorite area to visit.

SPOTTED TOWHEE

Hey you black orange bird
With those white spots on your wings
Are you a Towhee?

Well, yes I sure am
definitely a towhee
I love attention

Oh I see you now
Keep pointing that camera
Now I'm done posing

WESTERN MALE BLUEBIRD

Perched on snowy branch

In western regions he flies

Males more colorful

HAPPY BIRD

Sun is shining bright.

It's a new year and a good year ...so far ..for six days it has been a good year.   I trust tomorrow the 7th day will be a good year too.   Do you?

PISMO BEACH GULL

I stopped to watch this gull for a bit while on the pier at Pismo Beach.  He tried to ignore me but I persisted in communicating mentally with him to see if he would react.

Literally I was standing there for about three minutes telling him to turn around.  Finally he did but wasn't all that impressed with my attention.  He went on about his business of looking for his next "victim" who was carrying something that he could swoop in and steal from them.   While standing there watching him I was reminded of the time in San Francisco at Pier 39 when a man walking with an ice cream cone was the victim of a sea gull seeking ice cream.

Actually I could have just said in fewer words this:

Where is my next meal
A child with ice cream perhaps
Hmmm...  I'm being stalked

HELLO AND GOOD TO HAVE POWER AGAIN AND BE BACK ON LINE WITH THE INTERNET

It's been a long span of days.    The first part was great - we were spending part of Thanksgiving week with our family up at the central coast and it was gorgeous!!  We enjoyed every minute of it except for a problem we have with the "Pet Hotel" regarding our cat ...which turned out okay.

But while there are mountain area was hit with a snow cyclone (which I have read is now affecting the midwest and parts of the east .  Most of the small communities up here experienced power outage still ongoing in some areas after six or seven days.  Trees are down everywhere and it's a mess but we got home and got power finally yesterday and internet today.  I'm behind visiting all my favorite blogs - which I will catch up on in the next few days.

While in  Arroyo Grande - a sweet pretty little town up the coast we stopped by to visit the AG Roosters as they are called.  They run the town and I wouldn't be surprised if they have their own mayor.  The colors were amazing.  Here are just a few of the many photos i took of them.  They roam freely in the town and like to hang out around the creek which is on the other side of this fence they are perched on.  We stop by every time we go to the coast and they always cooperate and seem to love seeing people. 

See you soon! 

FUN WITH LEAVES

THE OTHER KINGDOMS by Mary Oliver

Consider the other kingdoms. The
trees, for example, with their mellow-sounding
titles: oak, aspen, willow.
Or the snow, for which the peoples of the north
have dozens of words to describe its
different arrivals. Or the creatures, with their
thick fur, their shy and wordless gaze. Their
infallible sense of what their lives
are meant to be. Thus the world
grows rich, grows wild, and you too,
grow rich, grow sweetly wild, as you too
were born to be.    MARY OLIVER


I was walking a trail yesterday when I discovered a whole new interest ...a  treasure hunt so to speak.    I have never thought to take a close look at leaves beneath my feet - individual leaves and their designs whether made by the level of  pH balance, or disease, drought, ,or simply a natural pattern of the leaf as it changes colors in the different seasons. 

Along my way I picked up about 10 or so leaves, some from different trees and took them home.  I photographed each leaf and put them between the pages of a big book to flatten the leaf out.  

Have you ever really looked close at the leaves in fall that are beneath your feet?  If not - take a close look and be amazed.  I still need to learn what kind of leaf I'm looking at.  I've been studying leaves closely and able to know what tree I'm seeing...somewhat.  For example I keep noticing star shaped leaves and at least from what I've learned so far they are Sugar Gum trees.   I'm learning the differences between an aspen and a birch, cottonwood and poplar trees ..on and on ..Dogwoods, maples, balsam, oaks, hickories then the evergreens or pines.   .....there is so much ahead to learn but it satisfies me to know that I can at some point walk through a forest and know the names of the trees I encounter.

Do you have any leaf stories?  Have you ever pressed leaves in a book for no good reason other than to know that there is a surprise waiting for the next person who might find that book.  What a fun thing to do with a library book - place a leaf inside.  There's something so Victorian about that idea.

Anyway, I decided this blog is where I will post photos  showing the beauty of leaves.

Have a great Sunday and if you find any special ones hope you tell me in a comment so I can see it.  Since I"m not sure what the leaves are that I'm posting I wont' try and name them until I know.

Another beauty.

BEAUTY AT BIG BEAR LAKE YESTERDAY

One of my favorite seasons to visit Big Bear - autumn, second bloom season as I have read stated before.  It was gorgeous, serene, uncrowded, and awe-filled.  Felt so much just being there.

Heron Stands Watching
In the shallow - in water
Reflection from Light