Photo Journal

Wild Neighborhood

Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way.

John Muir

I’ve had so many animal visitors, and chance encounters right in the neighborhood lately. I try not to move too quickly, and sometimes I get lucky. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

The Dove, on silver pinions, winged her peaceful way.

James Montgomery

I saw this dove sitting on the fence while I was walking, so pretty against the blue sky. Just as I took the photo, she lifted her wings to fly away. I thought I might have missed her, but I was really lucky.

Mourning Dove

With wind ruffled feathers,

a mourning dove

lands on the lamppost-

singing a gentle,

faraway song.

(listen)

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Mourning Doves like to land on the electrical post in the alley behind my apartment. I love not only to sit and listen to their calls; but to watch as they do it. The entire throat expands - and it almost appears as if the sound comes directly from there; they don’t open their bills. It is the male who makes the long mournful cry; a call to woo a female. Far away and longingly sweet.

On another afternoon, a little squirrel climbed onto the balcony wall, and hesitated… looking at me, then looking away, then moving a little, then looking back…and I did pretty much the same, with my camera. Mutual curiosity.

There are so many big sea birds here; it’s easy to forget the little tree birds; but this bright yellow palm warbler stood out against the concrete stairs in the park when I was walking there.

The iguana on the left is getting pretty bold - it was walking along the balcony wall one afternoon - right behind our planters. The one on the right is a little more cautious - hiding in the palm tree, trying to be inconspicuous.

A white Ibis hops onto the park fence as I pass, another lucky photo. It flew away after I got only this one picture.

Nature surrounds us, from parks and backyards to streets and alleyways. Next time you go out for a walk, tread gently and remember that we are both inhabitants and stewards of nature in our neighbourhoods. ~ David Suzuki

And here’s a little moment of zen. Hope you have a wonderful week. Thank you for being here.

Seeing Differently

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

MARCEL PROUST

Wild Passionflower

intricate blossom -

varied violets, pale greens

sweet passion of bees

I’ve been experimenting with different perspectives - closer shots; partial shots -

Looking at the way light plays over surfaces,

crouching and shooting through the hedges…

using ordinary objects as frames

shooting through fences

and low shots over tracks in the sand

seeing how water from a sprinkler paints a muddy pavement

Taking a portrait of an onion that started to sprout,

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I have a challenge for you! I’ve been playing with perspective all month - on and off- sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t; but it always makes me see things differently; and it’s fun. So, my challenge is this: take a picture of something ordinary. Your toaster, your coffee maker, some tracks in the snow, a shadow that falls on your wall… anything; but take it in an unusual way. Then, if you like it - share it with me! I will post a gallery of the images in a future blog! Send them to rhodatude@gmail.com and make sure to include a little description of what it is and how you took the picture.

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.

Henry David Thoreau

And here’s a little moment of zen. Hope you have a wonderful week. Thank you for being here.

A Moment of Connection

This is what the things can teach us: to fall, patiently to trust our heaviness. Even a bird has to do that before he can fly.

Rainer Maria Rilke

A yellow breasted bird,

smaller than my hand,

sat outside my door,

unmoving, on the hot cement.

I sat with him -

close enough

to see his tiny brown eyes,

close enough

to see his chest rise

and fall.

How long we sat

I couldn’t say,

So long I began to worry

that he was hurt-

I got up to see -

and he flew away.

Sunday, February 12, 2023. Northern Parula sitting in the sun on our balcony.