Poor baby.....the birdbath water was at least as hot as the air.....101*

The Male of the Species

I saw this guy this morning. He was looking all around and trying to scratch some seed out of the cracks in the deck. I felt sorry for him, so I placed a plateful of seed on the deck bridge and.......

the little bugger wouldn't share with his mate. He made her wait until he had his fill before she  was allowed to approach. It's a darn good thing mr. kenju isn't like that!!

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A dear friend took us out to dinner tonight, to The 42nd Street Oyster Bar. It is practically an institution here in Raleigh, and when the waiter asked if we had eaten there before, mr. kenju answered...."Yes, and probably before you were born." Naturally, I forgot to photograph my meal. Perhaps the excellent Bloody Mary had something to do with that....lol. I ate a crisp salad, mahi mahi, a cheese-topped mashed potato and my weight in the best hush puppies around. Then to add insult to injury (to my stomach) we shared a pecan pie/tart, which was brought to the table hot! What an experience!

On the way home, the "check engine" light came on in my car. Mr. kenju was afraid we would not make it home, but we did. I'll have to have that checked out tomorrow. Drat....it's always something. I sure hope this is nothing serious - since I just had a water pump installed this week.

We Have a Bully in Our Midst!

The bird in the tray runs off any other bird that attempts to get some seed. I wish I know how to ban him while giving free access to the others.I have watched him/her for two days, and he/she simply won't let anyone else near the seed. The others have to wait until that one slings seed out onto the ice.

My Birdy Buffet

Two in line and one waiting in the chair. When I first grabbed the camera, there were six or seven on the tray, but as soon as they say movement through the window, they scattered. Only these three came back for the photo....

I'm Baaaack!

And this time I brought a friend. He's not as pretty as I am, don't you think? That geranium over there on the right isn't as pretty as I am either. You can see that, can't you? My red feathers are SO much prettier than that flower. And I am NOT fat - I'm fluffy. Anyway, we need to get fluffy when cold weather is on the way, don't we? Well, we DO, no matter what you say. Hush up!

Since Bloglines stopped on 11-1, it has been harder for me to get around to visiting all the blogs on my list. I have them saved in my favorites file, and of course there are the ones I "follow" on blogger. But having Bloglines made it so much easier that I really miss it. They offered a way to subscribe to all my blogs in an RSS feeder - and I did that - but I can't find them anywhere on the computer. How dumb is that?  Anyone know where I might look?

Nobody's Home

We hope the nest will be feathered again soon.

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My dear old friend who was here visiting since last Thursday, left today for two weeks in Florida with her sister. Due to some recent respiratory problems, she now has to have oxygen 24/7. She has a unit that makes its own to use at home, and she rented one that is smaller, and approved by the airlines for use on a flight. When the rented one was delivered to her, the guy briefly told her how use it, but he didn't give her any instruction sheet or a manual to read. As you might imagine, the instructions would be hard for a young person to remember - let alone a woman in her 80's. But she, never daunted, piled it into her car and made the 300+ mile trek to Raleigh by herself, with the machine plugged into the car outlet.

After the first day with her, I soon learned how to plug and un-plug it, both into the car and in the house. It seemed hard to get it to stay in the mode it should be in, as it kept "changing itself" to another level. But we figured it out somewhat (I looked on-line for a manual, and found it.)

Today dawned, and I took her to the airport. She had asked for a wheelchair at the curb and expected to check her bag with the skycap. Both were non-existent. I left to go and park the car, found a wheelchair and located her (again), took her to the proper line and got assistance with check-in and baggage. I had wanted her to get to the airport at least 90 minutes before the flight, but she thought an hour was sufficient. I got her there 70 minutes before the flight, and we just barely made it through security to the gate.

When you have to carry a machine to make oxygen on a plane, the security rules are more stringent. I'm not complaining about that - I applaud the higher security nowadays. Better safe than sorry is my motto. The point is to tell you that you have to allow much more time under those circumstances. While I whizzed through the security line (keeping my photo ID and security clearance card at the ready, and having worn shoes that were easy to slip off and on); she had to be checked by a woman officer, "wanded" all over and 'patted down', plus they even put some kind of liquid on a cotton pad, rubbed it on her wrists and on the oxygen machine and then placed it under a machine to see if it emitted any telltale substances. I thought they'd never get finished. Finally we got clearance, found the elevator to the floor with the gates and proceeded to Gate 7, where people were already lined up to check in. A clerk came over to my friend and took her boarding pass, and said..."Do you have to wear that thing on the airplane?" She answered that she did, and that she had cleared it in advance with the airline. He said the seat she was assigned to wasn't good for her, so he had to search for another, more acceptable seat. Finally, it was completed and they took her onto the plane. I really wished I could have gone in, to get her seated and secure - but they wouldn't let me. She looked like a lamb being led to slaughter, and I really hated to leave her. The worst part was - she had to fly through Atlanta. I didn't have the heart to ask if she had to change planes, but I pray to God she didn't. I know she will be happy when she reaches her final destination, and the only problem is, she has to do it all over again in two weeks, when she comes back to Raleigh.

How Big is a Golden Eagle?

UNBELIEVABLE PICTURES FROM A SITE IN MONTANA TAKEN BY A HUNTER WITH A CELL PHONE CAMERA .

The fox doesn't stand a chance!

A Bird, an Anniversary and a Brand New Year

I glanced out a bedroom window recently and saw this cardinal perched on the pool cover. The camera was downstairs in the kitchen, and I doubted that the cardinal would remain there until I got the camera, but wonder of wonders - he did. It was a cold, blustery day and he kept picking at something on the cover - probably a piece of acorn. I took the photo through two panes of not very clean glass, from 30 feet away, so I was surprised at how red he looked in spite of it; rather nice against the blue background.

He reminded me that I've not yet bought birdseed, but I will. I want to insure that he and his mate hang around here for a long time. They've been living in my forsythia for about five years now.

***

The first anniversary of anything is worth noting, but it is especially nice to note this one: Mr. and Mrs. Biff Spiffy (or Tiff and Biff) as they are known here in blogland, were married exactly one year ago today. I know because I was privileged to be there and see it with my own eyes!

Happy Anniversary to one of my favorite couples!

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We haven't gone out to celebrate on New Year's Eve for a long time, probably since 1994, which is the last time we went to First Night in downtown Raleigh. Cold weather is the problem. If First Night was held on a warm summer evening I'd be there with bells on! The last time we went, it was so cold that my feet were completely numb, despite wearing boots and wool socks. Having fun is not worth going through that! I can have almost as much fun at home these days, sitting in my recliner or here, in front of the computer.

I didn't watch Ryan Secrest or Dick Clark this year, and it's just as well. Reading on Facebook how poor Dick is in such bad shape, I am glad I didn't see it. Watching him last year was a downer and I didn't need to add to that picture in my head and make it worse. So, I watched the new year roll over on the clock right here at the computer, and saw the ball drop in NYC and the acorn drop here in Raleigh. I guess it's official now, but it felt like any other midnight to me.

A Perfect Day for a Wedding*

Mel Day had 3 weddings on Sunday. This is a bouquet from one of them. The color is a little off because I got too close. The dahlias were so gorgeous this week!

This was one of a pair of urns at the Sutherland in Wake Forest, NC.

The Pavillions at the Angus Barn. I wish I had gotten some photos of the inside of it for you. The interior columns are now bordered by willow branches twined with tiny lights. There is a huge fireplace, and many other rustic but fancy accompaniments. The lake to the right of this photo is large and serene; a perfect place to hold a ceremony. They have a wrought iron gazebo sitting on a brick terrace. It's a lovely place to have a ceremony and * the swans thought so too! Do click on the links to see it.

When we first got there, I saw this huge black bird coming toward me.

He got closer and closer.

Then I saw his family. There are three swans here - one is behind the one on the left.

And here's the friendly one. I think he was friendly; he might have been protecting the others. The last time I saw black swans was in Maui in 1982, I think. I'm glad I got to see these!

The Galapagos, Part 4

A blue-footed booby; surveying his domain. It's very odd to see that aqua color in an otherwise drab landscape. Click to enlarge.

But you see aqua in the water, too.


A Sally Lightfoot Crab; supposedly found only in the Galapagos Islands. This one needs to turn over.


The ever-present iguanas blend into this rock scape.

Here they stand out a bit more.


A booby with her fluffy baby.


Very interesting scenery here. It resembles some photos of Australia's east coast that my daughter took when she was there.

Odds and Ends

Some bluebird either had a fight or is molting, because my granddaughter and I found a total of 8 of these beautiful tail feathers in the yard over last weekend. They now reside in a blue vase in my kitchen window. I love the color!

Years ago, I used driftwood from the NC coast as decor in some event I did. I had to get rid of most of it (termites attacked) but I kept a few pieces and this one has been lodged into the fence for about 20 years. It is some sort of red cedar, according to the guy who gathered it for me.

After the rain and snow of ten or so days ago, the pool cover was standing full of slimy water and leaves. I have since pumped off the water, but soon will begin the laborious task of removing the leaves before May, when we will open the pool. It's not easy, but it's definitely worth it come summer.

One of my two rosemary bushes. I thought for sure it would be broken after the heavy, wet snow, but it bounced back in a day. I wish I could get it to grow in a large, bushy mound, instead of all leaning to one side. It drapes out of a whiskey barrel that has been there for so long, I'm sure it is about to completely disintegrate.

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Yesterday would have been my dad's 105th birthday. I still miss him every day.

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A quandry: Do I stay in bed long enough to get the sleep I need and risk a sore back, or I get up early and stay groggy all day. What to do?

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Note: I am working the next three days. HOORAY! Visiting or commenting may be sparse.

Odds and Ends + a Visitor

Look who came to visit yesterday. I was washing windows in my den and he flew down to the deck and sat there long enough for me to take six photos, but this was the only one that turned out well enough to show. He and his mate live in a forsythia bush that grows just off the upper deck. They are wary, since we have cats who sometimes go outside, but today he must have known they were safely indoors. Or maybe he was heavily invested in the stock market and he was hoping they'd put an end to his misery?

Casa Kenju super-cleaning 2009 is coming right along, as they say. Isn't it amazing/awful how much grime can settle on mirrors, picture frame glass and blinds? We don't smoke or use gas heat, so where does it come from? Today I washed more glassware and thinned out a few more pieces from my collections. I finally had to admit that there is stuff here I can live without. Boxes are accumulating, people! Coming to a Goodwill near you. (Or maybe eb*y? or a garage sale?) One more room to go on the first floor and then I move to the top!

Links, Odds and Ends, Photos

I titled this one "Waiting for Lunch". The gulls at Myrtle Beach are gutsy. They fly right up to anyone who is eating and wait for a handout. If you are stupid enough to feed the first few (and I was), soon you have 30-40 of them, standing none too patiently and getting into noisy squabbles over the best place to wait for the next morsel. We decided it was best to ignore them all and hope they'd go away.

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I suppose if you're a cycle enthusiast, making models of them out of old watch parts makes perfect sense. They are rather clever, aren't they? An old school friend of mine sent these to me, but he didn't send any info about the maker.

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Go here to read the oddest book titles.........and then add some of your own in my comments.

More from the Beach!

A colorful ending to a perfect day. This doesn't do it justice, of course. The colors were spectacular. Earlier that day, we'd had a horrific storm, with thunder and lightning, and hail was predicted - but didn't materialize. The wind was unbelievably strong during the storm, and steady during the whole time we were there. I got very little sunburn, but I am burned - the wind did it, in spite of gobs of sun block. Next time we go there, I am wearing a floor-length terrycloth robe on the beach! (Click to embiggen)

This is what we saw when we leaned out over our balcony. I suppose when you are there on an employee discount, you are not given beach front rooms. We would have preferred it, of course, but we're not about to "look that gift horse in the mouth!"

Beds of red and yellow hibiscus were everywhere on the grounds of the hotel, as were other flowers. It was truly a feast for the eyes.

This is a flowering palm tree. The photo doesn't do it justice; the burgundy-colored spikes were very pretty.

This little gull was so tame that he walked up to within six feet of our canopy, looking for a handout. We had nothing to give him, so he walked away dejectedly.

Mr. kenju and our son. Everyone got quite a walking workout during our stay. Beach access required walking further than we wanted. The boardwalk went out over the dunes, but then turned right and sloped downward for about 40 feet. This required no stairs to navigate, but it did add quite a few steps to the process. Since we had our own chairs and canopy, and didn't plan to rent from the hotel, we had to go further down the beach to set up than everyone else did. We all needed the exercise, though, so it was beneficial in the long run. Our weather was nearly ideal, save two very strong, but short-lived storms. The rest of the time, it was sunny, clear and breezy. A good time was had by all.