personal photos: Smile for the Birdie - A Bird's Eye View
- 02/02/21 03:04 PM
Smile at the Birdie!
~ Up Close and Personal ~
My wife gave me a fun Christmas gift in 2020...a bird feeder with a camera. We enjoy feeding the wide variety of birds in our yard and watching their antics, but this gives you a very "up close and personal" look...a bird's eye view, so to speak!
Not all the photos turn out, of course but they're easy to download off the micro SD card. The first camera was defective but a quick call to customer service got me a new camera, no questions asked.
… (21 comments)
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personal photos: Wordless Wednesday: A Christmas Morning Sky
- 12/30/20 12:49 PM
Wordless Wednesday: A Christmas Morning Sky
We spent a couple of hours with our daughters and their families in a beautiful park in Los Angeles (Culver City) Christmas morning. It was a perfect-weather day for winter in the low 70s.
Normally we would have been with everyone at our one daughter's house but this year everyone felt we had to be more cautious. My wife and I drove up early in the morning to drop off gifts at our 2 daughters' doors, then a bit later we all gathered in the park, appropriately distanced and all wearing masks, to enjoy some time together. … (24 comments)
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personal photos: Wordless Wednesday: I Like My Water Fresh
- 10/23/19 04:27 PM
Wordless Wednesday: I Like My Water Fresh
Our one cat, Berkeley, likes his water fresh, and running. Multiple times a day, especially right after breakfast, he heads to the downstairs bathroom for a drink of fresh running water.
Since he can't turn the water on (nor does he ever turn it off when he's done), he sits there and meows until someone obliges and turns on the water for him in a slow stream. Of course he wants to be patted as part of this ritual, too.
He's been doing this for years and no doubt will ever change. Not sure what happens … (17 comments)
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personal photos: Throwback Thursday: A Birthday in Paris
- 08/08/19 01:04 PM
Throwback Thursday: A Birthday in Paris
I found some old photos (real ones, not digital) from our first trip to Paris for my birthday 20 years ago or so. So it's a throwback in more ways than one.
The Sacré-Coeur Basilica is an amazing place to visit, inside and out, and being high on the hill of Montmartre, in the 18th arrondissment, offers incredible views, with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. A must see.
And of course one must enjoy a cafe or 2, or 3, or 4 while there. Here I am, vainly trying to look Parisian at one of the many … (25 comments)
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personal photos: Friday Fun - Our Roadrunner Visitor in Carlsbad
- 06/28/19 03:41 PM
Friday Fun - Our Roadrunner Visitor in Carlsbad
I was making lunch in the kitchen and happened to look out into the back yard. I saw a large brown bird on the back fence and immediately thought it was the hawk - there is a family of 3 around - but looking more closely saw that it was a Roadrunner.What a surprise!
I haven't seen one here at this house in the 4+ years we've been here, but see them often on trips to the California desert. Our cat, Lily, spied him (or her), and was ecstatic, but of course being trapped behind … (19 comments)
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personal photos: A Mourning Dove Tree House
- 01/12/19 04:56 PM
A Mourning Dove Tree House
Mourning Doves are pretty common in our yard, with sometimes as many as 7 or 8 on the fence and in the feeders at one time.
Once the two trees at the end of our street lost the rest of their leaves this winter I discovered that this is where the neighborhood doves ALL hang out. I finally stopped to grab a photo earlier this week, but one day noticed at least 30 of them in one tree alone. Can't say a day has passed when leaving or coming home when I don't see a bunch of them.
… (25 comments)
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personal photos: Busy Bees Battle the Orioles
- 09/02/18 10:36 AM
The bees have taken over the nectar feeders we bought for the orioles and the hummingbirds several months ago.
Things were fine for a while - the orioles and hummers had the feeders to themselves and we got to enjoy them frequently during the day. And as the oriole babies left the nest they, too, showed up with the parents now and then.
Then the bees discovered the nectar feeders. And told all their friends. They also like the jelly we put out for the orioles.
We took the feeders down for a couple of days as the Wild Bird Store recommended - "the … (8 comments)
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personal photos: Smiling on a Saturday - The Orioles' Nest
- 07/07/18 01:56 PM
Smiling on a Saturday - The Orioles' Nest
We have orioles (the Hooded kind) every year beginning in March, and this year finally bought feeders they can use which serve double duty for all the hummingbirds.
We also added the jelly feeders which get lots of activity and are fun to watch. The orioles (see the male below), finches, and the grosbeaks love the grape jelly - we buy the organic stuff from Trader Joe's. The orioles are pretty skittish so we don't usually see them on the feeders when we are sitting outside.
This morning I was out cleaning the back patio in … (27 comments)
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personal photos: A Smile for Sunday - Mom and the Kids
- 05/20/18 05:00 PM
Mom and the Kids
We recently spent a couple of days in Rancho Mirage in the California Desert, at the Westin Resort Villas.
It was nice to get away, although I had some work to take care of while there, and to enjoy some warmer weather in the 80s...and escape the May Gray we have been having in Carlsbad.
There was a wonderful pond and stream at the Westin Hotel next door and on one of our walks we enjoyed seeing Mom Duck and the kids out for a swim. I couldn't get them all in one photo, but she had 10 to keep … (15 comments)
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personal photos: A Visit to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
- 04/22/18 06:28 PM
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
We were in the LA area for the weekend visiting our grandkids and family, and spent a couple of hours at the wonderful Natural History Museum of Los Angeles with our 2 older grandkids and their parents today.
It was something they have been wanting to do with us so the kids could show us their favorite exhibits - Enzo is a dinosaur fanatic and Giada loves the gems and the bird exhibit! We also went to the special Butterfly Pavilion on exhibit until September 3rd - I'd guess there were at least 10 live … (12 comments)
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personal photos: My Yard is Becoming a Bird Nursery
- 03/25/18 06:16 PM
Our Yard is a Bird Nursery
Our yard is quickly becoming a bird nursery. It's that time of year, and we of course don't mind at all.
Some of the birds are well hidden, but some are more obvious, like Mom Hummingbird in the palm tree just outside our front door, about 10 feet up.
Mom Mourning Dove has returned to the palm tree at the end of our front path by the steps, in plain site amidst the prickly branches. Guess she feels pretty protected! No palm tree trimming for a while.
It will be fun to see the young when they are visible, … (11 comments)
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personal photos: Throwback Thursday: Wall Ornament in Oakland
- 03/08/18 06:30 PM
Throwback Thursday: Wall Ornament in Oakland
We were at the end of a 5 day trip to wine country (Napa and Sonoma) back in 2010, and on the way back to Carlsbad took another day to visit our daughter and her husband who had just relocated from LA to Oakland for their new jobs.
Their apartment was just a block from Piedmont Avenue, a very cool residential and commercial area of Oakland, and we had a great time exploring shops and restaurants along the street while we were there. With camera in hand, I also had fun taking photos of various architectural features, … (17 comments)
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personal photos: Beautiful Art from a 6-Year-Old
- 01/22/18 08:21 AM
Art from our Granddaughter
Our granddaughter, Giada, really enjoys art, creating all sorts of beauty in painting, clay and other creations through the art program she attends.
We received a Christmas thank you note from our daughter, her Mom, recently, with this beautiful "stained glass" creation made of paper. We hung it in the window immediately and enjoy the vivid colors...and of course sent a photo so she could see it hanging in the kitchen window where the sun shines!!
… (19 comments)
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personal photos: Throwback Thursday: Mom and Dad Before Me
- 12/28/17 03:20 PM
Throwback Thursday - Mom and Dad and Me, Sorta
I was doing some re-organizing in my home office today (sadly needed) and going through a collection of family photos which keeps growing. My Mom had given me some more old photos recently but I had not really looked closely at them.
This is a rare photo I have of my parents before I was around (my Mom was pregnant with me at the time), here pictured with their car at my maternal grandparents house in Northfield VT up in the mountains.
… (14 comments)
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personal photos: Tuscany in the Mist - AR Photography 2017 Contest
- 10/29/17 08:56 PM
Tuscany in the Mist
We last were in Italy in 2014, staying at a very charming 2-bedroom condo at a villa in the small Tuscan town of Montagnana, about 45 minutes from Florence, in the Chianti region. The views were incredible, looking out over hills, valleys, vineyards and hill towns.
I was up very early one morning soon after our arrival and was captivated by this view from the patio of our condo. We enjoyed many lunches and evenings on this patio with the ever-changing views, but the mist this one particular morning was especially magical, although it hides so much of … (27 comments)
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personal photos: Wordless Wednesday: Al Fresco Dining at Lake Tahoe
- 08/16/17 11:26 AM
Al Fresco Dining at Lake Tahoe
The food wasn't fancy, but the views were stunning, and the company was excellent (my wife) for this casual al fresco lunch a few years ago at Lake Tahoe. We spent several days at a house there, courtesy of a buyer client as a thank you. No reservations were needed and we were the only ones dining there at the time.
… (18 comments)
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personal photos: Throwback Thursday: Strollin' Through Harvard Yard
- 08/10/17 02:18 PM
A Visit to Harvard Yard in Cambridge MA
Back in 1999 we moved from a sprawling house in the Boston 'burbs to a 3-story Victorian remodeled home (formerly a 2-family converted to a single family) on Line Street in "the city" in Somerville - literally homes on the other side were in venerable and more revered, Cambridge.
For a couple of years while working in downtown Boston I used to walk to the T (the subway for non-Bostonians) in Harvard Square, less than a mile away, walking through iconic Harvard Yard twice per day, and past Julia Child's former house among other beautiful Cambridge homes. … (20 comments)
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personal photos: Wordless Wednesday: Meet Vicky!
- 08/09/17 12:54 PM
Meet Vicky!
We met Vicky at the German Auto Shop in Carlsbad Village where we recently took our car for some brake work. She welcomed us in a friendly manner when we arrived to drop off our car, but not overly so, and was there to wish us well when the car was done at the end of the day. Her owners said she likes to hang out with them every day to keep a watch on things, and to greet their customers.
We loved her hair cut!
… (17 comments)
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personal photos: Throwback Thursday: Cultivating Her Interest in Horses
- 06/15/17 02:13 PM
Cultivating an Interest in Horses
I suppose I am to blame for getting my daughter interested in horses many years ago, seen here at about 1 year old. I did a lot of riding when I was a kid - I was actually heavy into the sport from about 9 until 17 - so I guess she came by it honestly.
Which meant we ended up with a horse for her and one for my other daughter when they were older and they rode for years before going off to college. This may be the last time I was actually on a … (26 comments)
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personal photos: Throwback Thursday: Balboa Park Sculpture
- 05/25/17 06:29 PM
Balboa Park Sculpture
Balboa Park is a wonderful park in San Diego, offering abundant open space, multiple museums, intriguing architecture, the world famous San Diego Zoo, and quite a number of interesting scultures.
I thought this was one of the more inspired pieces on one of our visits a number of years ago.
… (22 comments)
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Smile at the Birdie!
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