My online journal sharing interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
I shot this a couple days ago primarily for the blue sky. I watched this male finch land on the sign and knew I wanted a photo. It was taken at stop Two of the CSU Transit Center. There are actually two finches in this image as the female is working on the nest between the 2 two signs. Whoa, to many twos.
Some days it seems like there are moments when things are not in focus and life is moving way too fast. These past two days have had those moments. I attribute some of it to restlessness, unnecessary worry, imaginary fears, apprehension, that relentless voice of self-doubt. Those moments can sneak up on me when I do not take time for quiet, meditation, exercise, good eating habits, good rest, time in nature and community, all of which have become essential in my life. When I include these practices in my day I am better prepared for the days unexpected moments.
A good example of this is the above image. I did not plan this shot because as a photographer I just was not prepared. 🙂 Happy Leap Day!
“You could lose everything you have overnight, life does not offer a guarantee, for this reason you must cling no more.”
The marsh along County Road 13 is a haven this time of the year for blackbirds as they hover above the cattails collecting insects, mating and nesting. They also feed on seeds but this time of the year the insects are everywhere. You will find them feeding and nesting in colonies along with the red-winged blackbirds. During this time of the season the males are quite territorial as they perch on tall stalks and fend off any approaching contender of their claim with imaginary boundaries. This one is keeping an eye on his territory.
“I believe that Gandhi’s views were the most enlightened of all the political men in our time. We should strive to do things in his spirit: not to use violence in fighting for our cause, but by non-participation in anything you believe is evil.”
Albert Einstein
If you look close you will see the insects swarming around this female as they gorge themselves on the insects. They were singing happy songs as they feasted.
Went to the concert at Timnath Reservoir along County Road 13 last night. Performing artists were by the Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, meadowlarks, at least two grackles, and croaking frogs. I pleased to see for the first time a special performance put on by several Western Grebes.
I witnessed several pairs of grebes rise in the water and scurry across as in the image above. Excuse the poor image as they were beyond the reach of my lens. This dance was a new experience for me. As it is a mating time I guessed it to be some courtship and had to look it up when I got home. This courtship happens entirely in the water and is known as “rushing,” where two birds turn to one side, lunge forward in synchrony, their bodies completely out of the water, and race across the water side by side with their necks curved gracefully forward. It was awesome and a great way to finish my day.
“You cannot be what nature did not intend you to be, the struggles of life come from trying to be something other than you.”
I love Meadowlarks. I think they are a very pretty bird and their song is wonderful. It is so distinct and resonates with the feeling of being happy and joyful. And, I think they are. It could be they are happy because they are living who they are, a meadowlark, and not trying to be a robin. We can learn from them. It looks like this one is working on building a nest or patching one up.
“We see quite clearly that what happens to the nonhuman happens to the human. What happens to the outer world happens to the inner world. If the outer world is diminished in its grandeur then the emotional, imaginative, intellectual, and spiritual life of the human is diminished or extinguished. Without the soaring birds, the great forests, the sounds and coloration of the insects, the free-flowing streams, the flowering fields, the sight of the clouds by day and the stars at night, we become impoverished in all that makes us human.” Thomas Berry