Simple Joys

Life never ceases to amaze me, a tap on the shoulder to remind how wonderful it is to be alive.

This afternoon, while I was cleaning up around the kitchen sink, chatting with a friend on my cell phone, I happened to glance out the window and saw a bird in the tree beside my Library window.  At first, because of the bird's size, I took it to be one of the morning doves, but then noticed the length of its long beak. No, this can't be a dove!

Thank goodness phones are so portable, as I chattered excitedly that I had to get a picture of this bird, and went to grab my camera.

I carefully opened the curtains, only to discover that the windows were none too clean, but I could make out the bird in the dense foliage. Woodpecker?
My friend, on the other end of the ether, told me to call her back, but I kept her tucked between my shoulder and ear.
Raising my camera, just beginning to take careful aim, the sun reflects off the lens and startles the bird into flight. Damn, missed my shot! AND, I still don't know what kind of bird it was.

I waited for a while by the window, but the bird did not make a reappearance.

I ended my call and decided to make good use of my time, to be better prepared for the next photo opportunity. Grabbing paper towels and Windex, I spent a little time and elbow grease cleaning window panes, inside and out.

Evening approaches and once again finds me in front of the kitchen sink and gazing out at the tree.  I've always thought it was a nectarine tree, planted in a most inappropriate place for a fruit tree. At some point, it will need to be removed before I can build a covered back porch.
Since I've lived here these past six years, it has never born fruit. Or I should say, until this year. This year is different, I fertilized and watered the tree.  I like nectarines. 
Imagine my dismay to discover that, although the fruit looks like a nectarine, it is not. It smells a little like an apple, has a pit like an apricot, but not the delicious taste I was looking forward to.
On the other hand, my dogs have grown fat from consuming the ripened red fruit that has dropped to the ground or the ones they can reach by standing on hind legs.
The birds, also, seem to think these are delicasies and have eaten their fair share.  Between the bird feeder I keep filled and this tree, I'm surprised my fine feathered friends can actually take wing. They all seem to have bulging breastplates this year.

But I digress.

The kitchen window -- looking out at the tree, I see a dark shape moving amongst the leaves. Is it the bird? 

Moving quickly, I grab my camera, glad I took the time to clean the windows, and head to the library aka "My Cave".
Oh so very slowly, slide the curtains aside, focus, click.

Just to assure you that, although you may think I'm bat-shit crazy,  I'm not blind -- yet.  This is definitely NOT the bird I saw earlier today.

What's A Life Worth?

Do you ever wonder what your life is worth? What value you have as a human being on Planet Earth?

Today I went with a friend to the $2 movie theater to see "The Lucky One".  Maybe the movie is what triggered this path of thought, maybe not.
I can't say I've been the lucky one when it came to finding that kind of love, the kind that they write love songs about. No, that part of my life is more like a bad country song, but I'm not asking for sympathy or pity, for I have experienced love. The love of family, the love of friendship, the love of a child.
There are other kinds of love, too. For me, it's the love of a great novel, music that sings to my heart, standing in the middle of a grove of ancient sequoias, a painting, laughing till tears spring from my eyes, the smell of fresh baked cinammon buns like my mom used to make. Oh yes, my love list is long and I hope it will continue to grow the longer I exist.

I decided to walk around my house and take a few pictures of the inanimate objects that I call my treasures. These treasures have minimal value to very few, if any, people besides myself.  Doesn't matter, I'm going to share them anyway since this is my blog. [grins]

This is the house that ate all my money, but I love it anyway. It's still a work in progress and I may never finish it to my satifaction, but what is....is.

My dad painted this still life. It graces one of my dining room walls. Although, Dad is gone now, I have this and a few others to remember that he existed and lived a life.

A simple kitchen that I created. I can't seem to keep the clutter off the counter, but this room suits me.

The wood still needs to be stained, as does a lot of wood in my home,

but I like the view to the backyard and the golf course across the street

This house was completed in 1926.  It has more history than I do, but the walls refuse to talk. I hope to one day have a mantle and cabinetry built into the east wall that will do this old place proud.

The two stained glass windows are original and I promise that there are no horrors similar to Amityville

taking place, not even a hint of a ghost.

The next few pictures will prove my love of books.
It will also prove why I want floor to ceiling bookshelves built around the fireplace in my cave.

Until I get more shelving, I'm sticking to audiobooks. Amazing how many I can fit on my iphone! 

Sometimes I wonder if books like this won't exist anymore.  Everything has gone to electronic format these days.  Maybe even libraries will fade into history?  When I was young, I loved my trips to the library to choose a new book to read.  Those trips saved a lonely girl and allowed her to live vicariously through stories of adventure, love and loss, heroes and heroines.

Here are just a few of my smaller treasures. Gifts given to me by lost loves, old friends, and family.

Some things bought, some found, and some made by hand.

These Objet d'Art are priceless to me, because each has a story and memories of someone I love.

None of these things prove my value as a human being.

They are just pieces of what makes me an individual,

someone that existed for a few moments in time.



Waking in a Disney Movie

Last Saturday, I cracked open an eye long enough to hit the snooze on my alarm clock. Maybe another thirty minutes of shut-eye should do the trick, I mused, as I rolled back over and buried my face into the pillow.
That's when the birdsong began.
I ignored it, until a second warble began and then a third. Louder.
What the heck!
It sounded so close, as if the birds were in the room with me. Raising my head from the pillow, wiping the sleep from my eyes, I gazed at the small paned window where the music seemed to be the loudest.

What??? Was I seeing things?

There on the sill flitted 3, wait, make that 4.... then 2 more flew down to perch. Little birds, their small dark eyes peering in at me, heads bobbing up and down as if trying to get a better look, and all the time they kept up their serenade.

"How strange", I thought, wishing I had my camera because I knew no one was going to believe this story.
I watched them watching me and wondered, "What does this mean? What do they want from me?"

I listened to their music and this is what I heard

Water, please, will you bring?
in return,our song we sing.

Ok, it was simple, but I got the point.

A couple months back I had purchased a bird feeder. The variety of birds around my home is something to behold. I've seen Cardinals, Bluebirds, Blue Jays, Red-Headed Woodpeckers, Sparrows, Hawks and Blackbirds (Starlings?), just to name a few.  Why not feed them?

BUT, I had not thought about water.  There's a lake nearby and I was sure other water sources, but the last few weeks have been severely hot with little to no rainfall. Too hot for June and there's no end in sight. The whole first week of July will be 100+ degrees. How awful to be thirsty in this heat!

So, I changed my plans for the early morning. Rising from bed, I dressed quickly, stopping long enough to give my dogs each a morning treat, then headed to the local hardware store in search of a bird bath.








I found this one which suited my taste and purpose.

Then another bit of statuary caught my eye and I added it to my purchase.  Perfect for my "Friendship Door".

It was a hot morning and I was sweating profusely by the time I got the bird bath situated and filled with water.  After setting it in place to my satisfaction,  I decided to cool down and wait inside the door to see if I'd get any visitors.  Many of my feathered friends are quite shy, but I was able to capture a few with my camera.

This was my first guest.

Approaching with caution 

I couldn't get to close to these and my zoom lens is not powerful enough, but at least you can see some of the color that decorates my yard.

Sunday I learned that the lake has been declared off limits to swimmers due to contamination, so I was doubly glad that I provided a clean source of water for my little friends.

I haven't had time to shoot anymore, until tonight, but I would say that the bird bath is a success!

"Life Through The Pane"