My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
I watch the sun set behind cottonwood trees while
ms
the blue sky opens to the coming darkness of night.
The long shadows of the sun stretch over the pasture
as my feathered friends sing their last chorus of the day.
I’m filled with gratitude as this day comes to an end
full of hope for the new day tomorrow.
“I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think.”
Rumi
Meadowlark, when you sing it’s as if
Mary Oliver, Meadowlark Sings and I Greet Him In Return
you lay your yellow breast upon mine and say
hello, hello, and are we not
of one family, in our delight of life?
You sing, I listen.
Both are necessary
if the world is to continue going around
night-heavy then light–laden, though not
everyone knows this or at least
not yet,
or, perhaps, has forgotten it
in the torn fields,
in the terrible debris of progress.
We need rain. So far for the month of April we have .1 inch of rain. Dixon Reservoir is really low at Pineridge Natural Area. As I watch the sun rise four mule deer graze before me. And, the meadowlarks sing and I listen.
Thought I would mention the purchases I made this past year. One was the purchase of a nice pair of the Nikon Prostaff S3 8×42 binoculars. Just love them and I feel one the better purchases I made. I’m learning a lot about the birds in this area. Another was purchasing the Fujifilm XF 70-300mm lens. I have not owned a lens of this focal length for a long time. Loving it! So this year included several more bird photos than I normally would not have made. This image is one of my favoritest images of one of my favoritest songbirds, the Western Meadowlark, so I needed to post it again. And finally was the purchase of another Pelikan fountain pen the Marbled Petrol. I’m a sucker for fountain pens!
I discovered another natural area to explore called the McMurry Natural Area.
I have tried to post on a regular basis quality images and decent content. Sometimes I do well and other times I struggle but I put it out there. I’ve also continued to write haiku, even though I’ve slacked of the past few weeks. I also still venture to coffee shops to socialize, read and journal. Probably will do the same in 2022 also.
I am also extremely grateful for my family. I’ve watched wonderful growth in them as they mature into adults. They are growing up along with me. I am also grateful for the friends I have in my life. They have supported me when I needed to talk, work through my feelings and they have allowed me to do the same for them.
There is more. Maybe later. Have a great day and stay warm!
Sixty-seven years, oh Lord, to look at the clouds,
Mary Oliver
the trees in deep, moist summer,
daisies and morning glories
opening every morning
their small, ecstatic faces—
Or maybe I should just say
how I wish I had a voice
like the meadowlark’s,
sweet, clear, and reliably
slurring all day long
from the fencepost, or the long grass
where it lives
in a tiny but adequate grass hut
beside the mullein and the everlasting,
the faint-pink roses
that have never been improved, but come to bud
then open like little soft sighs
under the meadowlark’s whistle, its breath-praise,
its thrill-song, its anthem, its thanks, its
alleluia. Alleluia, oh Lord.
If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable.
Rainer Maria Rilke
I’ve had for 20 plus years two pairs of binoculars that I seldom pickup because they are a pain in the a$$ to use. I’ve carried one pair in the car and keep the other in my condo. Since I’m spending more time in nature, I am wanting a closer look at this world around me. So, a couple weeks ago I did some research on birding binoculars and learned why these binoculars I have are such a hassle to use.
I learned most birders prefer using 8×42 binoculars. The ones I have are 10×24, which makes them small and lightweight but difficult to use. The first number is the magnification and and the second number is the diameter of the glass. The larger magnification causes a lot of shake while the smaller glass reduced the amount of light and field of view.
The most recommended pair in my price range was the Nikon Prostaff S3 8×42. I made a visit to Jax Surplus to look at a pair, liked what I saw and made the purchase, knowing I could return them if they did not work for me. Wow, what a difference. These binoculars weigh in at 19.9 ounces, are rated at 377 ft/1,000 yd Field Of View, and are waterproof and fogproof. It is interesting to use them in tracking a bird in flight, something impossible previously. I’ve even taken them for walks without my camera because I enjoy just watching/studying the birds. Or, as I’ve read, “Studying the book of nature.” Yep, new optics! 
shared from the heart
ms
the joy of being alive
meadowlarks song
Sorry but you may be seeing more bird images as I play with this new lens. Already shot about 400 images with it. I thought I had a bad lens at first because I felt the motor was too loud and would continuously run. I have never experience this before with any lens using image stabilization. I talked to Pat at the store I purchased it from and and he was not aware of any such issues. And, of course I bought the only one he’s seen in the store. He pulled out the 80mm macro lens because it has quad linear motor for focusing, where there is a clunking noise when the lens is not powered up. Once the motor is powered up the noise goes away but the motor runs continuously. This is part of their floating focusing system in that lens and is being used more on mirrorless cameras. I have the same clunk with this lens when off the camera but it is very minimal compared to the 80mm macro. All information I have found says the 70-300mm lens has a linear autofocus motor, saying nothing about a floating focus system. What’s the difference? I’m still checking on this. Other than that, this lens seems to be a good addition to my camera bag but left a hole in my wallet.
Image information: 300mm f8.0 1/450 second and ISO 160; handheld with 70 year old hands and shooting from my car. No sharpening or clarity on this image.