Say Hello To My Little Friend

When Pacino burst into the room brandishing his machine gun and shouting "Say hello to my little friend" I fell even more in love with him. That scene remains my fantasy of how to handle all the asshats and douches in my world.

On a far more peaceful level ...

This is my little friend Raoul. He walks up and down the driveway or back and forth along the curb stone whenever I bring out the trash or stumble over to get the mail. Everyone laughs and tells me it could not possibly be the same bird. No one believes but my granddaughter Hope. Hope believes me.

If I hurry into the side door Raoul will peek at me for a moment and then take off to join his family in the tree down the road.

Look! Up in the Sky!

At the marina taking photos of the gulls a chorus of honking approached. It took a moment to find them in the sky and as soon as I did I took as many shots as I could.

Oh well, I returned to the gulls.

I had been leaning on a fence near the water's edge with my cane resting beside me. My balance is off since it's the left ankle and right hip that are most damaged but as long as I have an anchor point I'm usually fine.

The noise started up again. I grabbed my cane and moved toward the sound. They were really honking up a storm now as they circled the marina. One hand on cane, other on camera I turned and turned trying to focus and shoot and hang on.

I was a bit dizzy after all that and I thought I was imagining that I couldn't move but actually I had screwed my cane deep into the sand and had caught the tip of it on a piece of exposed pipe. I was going to take a photo of it standing there on its own for your amusement but a young man walked by and pulled it out for me. He chuckled and said he admired my moves.

Only me.

Working Hard at the Marina

I took advantage of last week's warm, sunny weather to check out the work being done to rebuild one of the marina's near me.

A group of workers were rolling a huge machine with a giant hook on it back and forth between the broken and jagged pieces of dock. As best as I could figure out they were pulling up the large pieces of debris caught under what is left of the docks.

In some of the photos you can see how many boats are still left on the shoreline where they were tossed like toys. 

This gull seems to be showing me some of the damage.

Further out the work is going on

Both gulls and people are watching

This guy says thank you

NATURE NOTES

Our World Tuesday

The Three Tenors

These guys are often in the tree right behind the house.

My granddaughter Hope says good morning to them from her bedroom window as she gets ready for school. My bedroom is right below hers and I can hear her. 

One day I was helping her get dressed and I called the birds the three tenors. Hope is interested in opera so I explained a bit about the three tenors and we listened to a recording of their Central Park concert.

Days later I heard Hope saying good morning to them and then I heard her Mom asking her to please hurry and put her shoes on.

"I'm talking to the three tenors" Hope replies. 
"Where did you learn about the three tenors?" Mom asks.
Hope's answer had me smiling all morning - "From the CD Nana played for me, we do more than just princess you know".

A Great Mind at Work

This is what comes to me while waiting at a red light.

I See ...

... no, not dead people, although they do speak to me.

I pulled over to make a phone call and as I waited for the call to connect I glanced over at the field to my right and saw a bird sitting on the grass. He seemed to be in a frozen pose and I tried to follow his line of vision to figure out what he might be watching. He never moved.

Wounded and lost and homeless animals always find me. I have stopped traffic to gather up a family of bunnies and return them to the woods. I have climbed fences to set traps for feral cats. I once spent the night outside the gates to an auto repair shop until animal rescue arrived because the dog inside was clearly neglected.

These escapades were a whole lot easier before the cane and ankle brace.

So I had a sense of dread as I watched the motionless bird. What should I do? Get a box? A blanket? Call someone?

Maybe if I got a closer look. It was a tricky road to cross but I ventured forth and as I got closer ...

... it was a piece of bark.

I thought I saw a birdie! I did! I did!

I feel silly when I look at the photo. It is clearly not a bird.

It is an alligator.

Bird's Eye View

Ya know Carmella, it's gonna rain all week

I know, I know - if we hafta pack up and move nests one more time ...

Ahh baby, it'll be OK

Easy for you to say Tony, I do all the work

C'mon Carmella, I help

Really? From where I'm lookin all I see is a big fat wet butt from sitting in puddles watching those slutty sparrows flit about

Oh crap, that's gonna leave a mark

What The Duck Saw

I was pulling out of the marina parking lot when I noticed this one lone duck just sitting there gazing toward the trees. All the others had moved on down the stream.

I pulled over and crossed the road to get closer and followed the duck's gaze into the trees ...

One of the guys at the nearby fish shack said they are herons. The one farther up in the tree never moved but the other one posed a bit for me. At one point I felt he was looking right into my eyes. Then he grew tired of me and gave me the butt.

There are many creeks and streams in and around my town and I'm pleased to say that many local groups work hard to protect them.

NATURE NOTES

As Paris Would Say - "That's Hot"

The temperature display at a local shopping center yesterday at 4 PM

The landscapers deserted their post

The shopping carts passed out

Everyone seeks shade ...

Cats ...

Babies ...

even trees ...

Remember when the marina was closed?

and you couldn't get a hot dog

Hope sought the inspiration for some bubble blowing and trampoline jumping

This seagull tried to create a breeze

Whether the weather be fine

Whether the weather be not

Whether the weather be cold

Whether the weather be hot

We’ll weather the weather

Whatever the weather

Whether we like it or not

author unknown

Happy Earth Day

Go out and hug a tree, smile at a big fat fluffy cloud, jump in a puddle, plant a tree, water some flowers ...

I took a little spring tour of the municipal park in my town and the area around it.

Town Hall is in the park. The trees are so pretty I didn't care that I had to wait for a place to park.

These pretties were hanging out behind the building.

Everyone was enjoying the day.

The main lawn by the lake is being seeded. Gus and Gary are well known at the lake. Here they're doing a quality check of the seeds.

Pretty in pink.

Gorgeous in green.

Even the littlest of creatures are remodeling.

The shadows have blooms.

On the other side of the park spring looks a bit like autumn

The soccer field lights enjoy the view

Just me and one other spring reveler on this side of the park

This little path leads to the creek

Even the phone lines look prettier

Back at home there's a line for the window

Siren smells squirrels

Every Day Should Be Earth Day