One Sunny Day out of Seven

You will see at the very bottom of this post that we just had a very wet week. But I’m not going to talk about rain, because we had one sunny day.

I recently got a new macro lens for my camera, so a sunny day meant a chance to get outside and play with it a bit. A macro lens allows you to focus very closely on your subject and thus makes a small object look much larger than it is.

So I was looking for little things to photograph. But even though it was sunny, it’s still January in our back yard and most things are either hibernating or dead. So that’s what I shot.

Following are a couple examples of the pictures I can take with this new lens (expect more and better to come).

The first picture is what’s left of a clematis flower in January. I really love the feathery look of the last remaining seed.

The second picture is a close-up of a butterfly garden ornament. I think it kind of looks like a garden gazing glob. If you’re curious you can see what the whole ornament looks like here.

I’m looking forward to capturing a whole new dimension of the beauty hiding in plain sight in our back yard.

Cheers – DJD

Rain for the week: 5.5 in. 2012 to date: 6.5 in.

What a Surprise

To Freddy’s shock and surprise, he suddenly realized he was not alone on the bird bath. Now the only question was “what to do next?”

This is sort of how I felt last Thursday night…

As I was driving home, about 9:00PM, approaching the corner where I would turn into the cul-de-sac where we live, I saw an animal flash across the street in front of me. I didn’t get a good enough look to tell what it was but it didn’t look like it belonged in our neighborhood.

As I drove into our driveway, I noticed what looked like a medium sized dog standing in our neighbor’s yard cautiously watching me. I knew right away it was a coyote. I know there are coyotes around because Jody has heard their cries and seen them before, but I haven’t. So I was excited to finally have that opportunity.

After I parked my car in the garage I walked out to the front and looked around to see if the coyote was still around. To my surprise, a second coyote came running up the street to join the first waiting for him on our neighbor’s lawn.

As I stood still watching them, they quickly darted around around the neighborhood most likely looking for food (I’m sure glad our cat lives indoors). Suddenly one of them realized I was there, stopped right across the street, turned and just stared at me.

We stood there for quite a while just looking at each other. I didn’t have my camera with me so I pulled out my iPhone. But it was much too dark to get a picture. Finally I decided to go inside and tell Jody, knowing that they would be long gone by the time I could return with a real camera so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Cheers – DJD

Rain for the week: 1.0 in. 2012 to date: 1.0 in.

Gleaning in Pastel

Happy New Year!

This finch is studying the latest object of it’s appetite, the seed pod in front of it. It was one of five Lesser Goldfinches who suddenly lit on what remains of an agastache plant left on our deck by Jody to give the birds some cover from the cats that occasionally come to visit.

On this cold and gray morning, these birds decided to glean the last bit of seeds left on this plant, despite the fact the hanging feeder, not 15 feet away, was full of fresh premium sunflower seeds. I guess they know better than to let anything go to waste or take anything for granted.

So my New Year prayer is that, like this finch, you not let any of 2012 go to waste. But at the same time, you slow down enough to thoroughly enjoy the beauty of the world around you that God has created.

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

Cheers – DJD

Rain for the week: 3.75 in. Year 2011 Total: 63.25 in

Merry Christmas – 2011

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

From everyone in our back yard, “Merry Christmas!!”

Cheers – DJD

Rain for the week: 0.0 in. Year To Date: 59.5 in

Like Last Minute Shopping?

Today, while Jody and I were sitting at the kitchen table enjoying our Saturday morning lattes, there was a sudden feeding frenzy over, under, on and around the suet feeder in our back yard.

The Bushtits* were here, they were hungry and they were taking no prisoners.

Now Bushtits always come in large flocks but neither Jody nor I can remember seeing so many here at one time. And contrary to what I implied above, they are very timid and easily spooked. So my challenge was to get in position to take a picture quickly before they were gone and without scaring them away in the process (not an easy task).

So I grabbed the closest camera and took a few shots through our double-paned family room windows. The picture above shows just a fraction of the birds that were here (I can count 18). They were also in the trees, covering the bird bath and all over the deck.

All the crowding and flying around reminded me of the frantic shopping going on in the malls this weekend. I hope you already have your shopping done, or this is what you have to look forward to.

Cheers – DJD

*According to Dr. Roger Lederer a retired professor of Biological Sciences at CSU, Chico who has studied birds for over forty years, “There are a number of birds with “tit” in their name. In the U.S. we have the Oak, Juniper, and Tufted Titmouse (Titmice), the Bushtit, and the Wrentit. “Tit” comes from the Norse language, meaning “small”, as all these birds are.”

Rain for the week: 0.0 in. Year To Date: 59.5 in

Decorating for Christmas Requires Sacrifice

Jody has done a great job of decorating for Christmas this year as usual. But not everyone in the house is completely pleased.

Trooper likes to sit on the stairway landing to watch the activity in the living-room and to keep track of the happenings outside the front picture windows. He now finds his favorite observation spot occupied by the Reindeer Gang of Three.

I’d never claim to be an expert in reading Trooper’s mind. And some would even claim there is nothing to read. But by the look on his face and the fact we’ve found the deer thrown down a couple of times, I would say he’s not exactly thrilled with the new decorations.

Sometimes personal sacrifices are necessary for the greater good.

Cheers – DJD

Rain for the week: 0.5 in. Year To Date: 59.5 in

Lights Between the Rain Drops

The big story this week, besides Thanksgiving of course, was the rainstorm that washed though the area. By Tuesday night I had to empty my rain gauges to keep them from overflowing because we had already gotten 3.75 inches of rain. By Saturday morning we had accumulated another 1.5 making a grand total of 5.25 inches of rain for the week.

But despite all the rain this week we actually had a dry, sunny day on Friday. So, with Chris’s help, I took advantage of the good weather and put up our outdoor Christmas lights. (you’ve got to take what the defense gives you)

Because Thanksgiving is early this year, we probably won’t be turning our lights on for real for another week. But I did have to test them. So here is proof that they’re all burning bright, ready for another Christmas season.

Cheers – DJD

Rain for the week: 5.25 in. Year To Date: 59.0 in

The Work that Lies Ahead

What looks like frost on these leaves is, well frost. It’s getting colder now and, even though it’s technically still fall, winter is just around the corner.

I’ve raked leaves for a several weeks now. It has been a bit of an uphill battle. But as you can see here, the leaves are finally all down in our back yard. So this afternoon, with the sun forecasted to be shining brightly, my job will be to rake the leaves that remain.

I’ll be happy to get the leaves out of the back yard although I’m really going to miss all the colors we had for the past few weeks. I didn’t get a lot of pictures this year for several reasons. But there’s always next year.

And next year I plan to be better prepared.

Cheers – DJD

Rain for the week: 2.5 in. Year To Date: 53.75 in

Calm before the Storm

This morning I was out running a few errands, trying to get things done before the next big rainstorm forecast to come through later in the day. One of my errands was to pick up my wide angle lens I wrote about last week.

Because of the big storm expected, I knew I wouldn’t have any other opportunity to take pictures today and possibly all weekend. Since Willamette Park is practically across the street from the camera repair shop, I stopped there on the way home to test my newly repaired lens.

On any weekend during the summer, this boat launch would be busy loading and unloading boats all day long. But today there was nobody there, which gave me the opportunity to take this.

The calm before the storm.

Cheers – DJD

Rain for the week: 0.25 in. Year To Date: 51.25 in

Autumn Glow

After a week of rain and cold weather, the trees in our back yard are finally into their full Autumn glow, just begging to be photographed.

But to really capture the idea it takes a wide angle lens. But my wide angle lens is in the shop getting the zoom ring action tightened up. And who knows if any of these leaves will still be on the tree a week from now.

So what’s a guy to do? … Improvise.

I remembered I did have a camera with a pretty wide angle lens and that camera was already in my pocket. iPhone to the rescue!

Cheers – DJD

Rain for the week: 1.0 in. Year To Date: 51.0 in