Monday, 11 May 2015
I felt so good after visiting Lake Clara Meer yesterday that I went again today. When I shot this, I hadn’t realized that The Denizen (great blue heron) was out of the frame to the left. You can see how…busy…the ducks and geese have been (overnighting?), foreground. Yuck.
Sunday, 10 May 2015
For various reasons (chiefly inertia), we headed out to walk and do errands rather later than…we might have. Due to our laggardly timing, we caught the day’s rising temps. (Sweat, pant, pant.)
We saw no other sign of an event, just this array of pristine white folding chairs, carefully aligned on this newly pressure-washed deck with fresh goose-blots beginning the microbial recolonization. Not sure if the chairs were escapees from another event, catching the lake view…or?
Then, late afternoon, we met up with our local fam for a small feasting event, witnessed by this jockey and his twin. They were happier on Derby weekend, I’m guessing, and showed forbearance as the premium golf match played out.
Saturday, 9 May 2015
Sometimes, when I’m out and about nothing seems different, just variations on the same, expected, themes. Today I found a crew of volunteers working on the scrub that had come up in back of the community garden. I guess they’re getting ready for the summer program for the kiddies, who’ll get to work in the boxes…must keep things orderly….
Okay, the cleanup was some version of normal, at least if considered on an annual basis. This scenario was a one-timer. I don’t remember ever seeing fire-paramedics working on someone in the park before (my timing, I’m sure). I couldn’t figure out if the guy was bad-tripping, had been beat up, or what. The paramedics’ body language suggested they knew what they were dealing with—as I approached I watched them shift from the tension of figure-this-out to beginning their exit organization.
I continued here and there around the park. Saw two sets of mallard ducklings and one set of Canada geese goslings. Didn’t check the turtle log…. Saw one small city-snake, a De Kay’s, or…brown snake, scrambling to get into the bushes on the other side of the path. No photo. S/he was fast-moving!
Looping home, I found this. In front of the Middle School. I wondered how “he” lost his leg. Among other things.
Friday, 8 May 2015
I’m unaccustomed to the pointy petals on this dogwood…. I think it’s Cornus kousa. I guess most of the dogwoods I see are Cornus florida.
I told Liz, my hair goddess, to go wild with the scissors—which, as you know is not short for most women. Now, my hair is close to shoulder-length—darned short for me! (Did spring fever overcome me?)
Liz also balayaged my locks…. I’m ready for summer!
Thursday, 7 May 2015
I heard that it was supposed to be in the 80s in the afternoon, so I headed out early, that is, shortly after 9am.
The park was mighty quiet, just a few trucks and people setting up for an event, I assume over the weekend, maybe beginning tomorrow…and a few hardy joggers and walkers. Otherwise: relatively unpeopled.
My “smeller” is functional again, and I was almost overcome by the scent of these honeysuckle* blooms. I think this is Lonicera japonica.
* And this species has both vines and bines. (Quit autocorrecting!) A bine (not bone) is a type of twining climbing vine. The vastness of my ignorance amazes me daily.
Wednesday, 6 May 2015
I made my first basil harvest of 2015, and used the fragrant tops in a mutant pesto. I guess the logic is that it’s not Genovese basil (because it’s not growing there), so I can make not-Genovese pesto…?
Tuesday, 5 May 2015
This is a rhododendron, although the individual blooms in the clusters look a lot like azalea blooms. Apparently, the anther count varies.
Monday, 4 May 2015
I figured that spring…minnows feeding…and…Letterman is leaving….
I also figured that minnows are important to the food chain….
More enigmatic…minnows. [Well-tailored Great Blue really blew the competition out of the water….}
[I’m not discussing the demodulator.]
Sunday, 3 May 2015
The leaves are mostly out, yet it still feels like spring. I now walk “in the shade,” sometimes crossing the street to stay in it and avoid the heat/rays. So, am I doing summer behavior in a spring context?
Saturday, 2 May 2015
Flowers that “walk” (aka float) on water are truly special, to me. Water is enigmatic and spell-binding. As are flowers.
This bloom had a special cadre of eight ducklings keeping it company. We didn’t see Mama Duck, although we could see two eggs in her nest…along with one or two broken shells. I could create several scenarios to “explain” what we observed…. We fervently hoped Mama was taking a food break and would be back soon….